Meewasin Celebrates Major Investment in Prescribed Fire and Grasslands Conservation Through the Prairie Grasslands Initiative
Saskatoon – June 2026 – Meewasin Valley Authority is proud to announce a significant new investment in the Canadian Prairies Prescribed Fire Exchange (CPPFE) through the Weston Family Foundation's Prairie Grasslands Initiative.
As the managing partner of the CPPFE, Meewasin will lead the delivery of an ambitious five-year program designed to strengthen prescribed fire capacity, support Indigenous-led stewardship, expand training opportunities, and advance grasslands conservation across Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta.
The CPPFE has been awarded up to $6.49 million over five years through the Prairie Grasslands Initiative, a landmark conservation effort that supports collaborative projects focused on conserving, restoring, and sustainably managing native prairie grasslands while strengthening the communities and organizations that steward them.
"The Prairie Grasslands Initiative represents an extraordinary opportunity to invest in the future of one of Canada's most important and threatened ecosystems," said Mike Velonas, Chief Executive Officer of Meewasin Valley Authority. "We are honoured that the Canadian Prairies Prescribed Fire Exchange has been selected as one of the projects contributing to this vision. Through the leadership of the Weston Family Foundation and the collaboration of partners across the Prairies, we have an unprecedented opportunity to build long-term conservation capacity, support sustainable agriculture, and ensure prairie grasslands remain healthy and resilient for future generations."
Prairie grasslands are among the most endangered ecosystems in North America. These landscapes provide critical habitat for wildlife, support species at risk, store carbon, improve water quality, sustain agricultural livelihoods, and contribute significantly to the ecological, cultural, and economic well-being of Prairie communities.
For thousands of years, Indigenous Peoples used fire to shape and steward prairie landscapes. Today, prescribed fire is increasingly recognized as one of the most effective tools available to restore ecological processes, improve grassland health, manage invasive species, support biodiversity, enhance grazing systems, and reduce wildfire risk.
Since its establishment in 2020, the CPPFE has become a nationally recognized leader in prescribed fire training, knowledge exchange, and partnership development. Through workshops, field training opportunities, prescribed fire exchanges (TREX), prescribed burn association development, applied research, and community outreach initiatives, the program has helped build prescribed fire capacity across Western Canada.
The success of the CPPFE is built on collaboration. Key partners include the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Saskatchewan Parks, Lakeland College, the University of Saskatchewan, the Stuartburn Burn Association (Manitoba), the Aberdeen Community Pasture, the Association of Manitoba Community Pastures, the City of Saskatoon, Indigenous communities and organizations, provincial governments, ranchers, producers, conservation organizations, and fire practitioners from across Canada and the United States.
"One of the greatest strengths of the CPPFE is the network that has formed around a shared vision for healthy grasslands," said Renny W. Grilz, Director of Conservation for Meewasin Valley Authority and a founding member of the CPPFE. "This investment allows us to bring more people together, expand training opportunities, support Indigenous fire stewardship, and continue building the partnerships needed to restore fire as a tool for conservation and land management across the Prairies. The impact extends far beyond prescribed fire—it is helping strengthen communities, support sustainable agriculture, conserve biodiversity, and restore ecological resilience across prairie landscapes."
Over the next five years, the CPPFE and its partners will work to:
- Train more than 1,000 prescribed fire practitioners, land managers, and community leaders;
- Support the application of prescribed fire on up to 25,000 acres of prairie landscapes;
- Establish provincial prescribed fire councils in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta;
- Expand Indigenous-led fire stewardship initiatives and cultural fire knowledge exchange opportunities;
- Develop accredited prescribed fire training programs through post-secondary partnerships;
- Support the growth of community-based prescribed burn associations; and
- Increase public awareness of the important role prescribed fire plays in maintaining healthy prairie ecosystems.
The initiative will help strengthen connections among Indigenous communities, producers, researchers, conservation organizations, municipalities, educational institutions, and governments while addressing barriers that have historically limited the use of prescribed fire across the Prairies.
As the managing partner of the CPPFE, Meewasin is proud to play a leadership role in advancing innovative conservation solutions that connect ecological health, sustainable agriculture, community resilience, and landscape stewardship.
Meewasin extends its sincere appreciation to the Weston Family Foundation for its vision, leadership, and commitment to prairie conservation. Together with partners across the Prairies, this investment will help ensure that native grasslands remain healthy, resilient, and productive for generations to come.
About the Canadian Prairies Prescribed Fire Exchange
The Canadian Prairies Prescribed Fire Exchange (CPPFE) is a collaborative initiative hosted and managed by Meewasin Valley Authority that works to increase the safe and effective use of prescribed fire through training, knowledge exchange, research, and partnership development. The CPPFE supports the conservation and restoration of prairie grasslands while building capacity among land managers, Indigenous communities, producers, and conservation practitioners across Western Canada.
About Meewasin Valley Authority
The Meewasin Valley Authority exists to ensure a healthy and vibrant river valley, with a balance between human use and conservation by:
- Providing leadership in the management of its resources
- Promoting understanding, conservation and beneficial use of the Valley; and
- Undertaking programs and projects in river valley development and conservation, for the benefit of present and future generations.
There are 67 square kilometers of land and 108km of established trail, which has seen up to 2.365 million trail visits per year, in the Meewasin Valley. The area also features sites that help people to connect to nature through experiences such as Beaver Creek Conservation Area, the Meewasin Northeast Swale, Saskatoon Natural Grasslands, the River Landing Spray Area, and the Cameco Meewasin Skating Rink @Nutrien Plaza. Meewasin is a non-profit organization that relies on donations and volunteers for sustainability. To get involved or learn more visit www.meewasin.com.