Last Mountain Lake Bird Sanctuary
One of the most important events in Saskatchewan's conservation history occurred 18 years before the province was formed, when an 1887 Dominion Government Order in Council set aside just over 1000 hectares to create the Last Mountain Lake Bird Sanctuary. It addition to being the first officially protected wildlife area in what was to become Saskatchewan, it was the first designation of a bird sanctuary in North America.
Prime Minister John A. MacDonald set the land aside in response to pleas from early settlers in the area, as well as prominent individuals such as John Macoun and Edgar Dewdney, then Lieutenant Governor of the North West Territories (of which Saskatchewan was part.) They were concerned that the waterfowl breeding grounds at the north end of Last Mountain or Long Lake be preserved in the face of the impending development of the Qu'Appelle-Long Lake-Saskatoon Railway and the accompanying wave of immigrant farmers.
Protection of the site proved to be highly significant for the conservation of wildfowl, since it remains an important stopover place for many species of migratory birds. In the fall, up to 50,000 Sandhill Cranes, 450,000 geese, and several hundred thousand ducks may be observed-often in flocks numbering in the tens of thousands.
The north end of Last Mountain Lake is one of the Prairie Provinces' most important waterfowl staging areas and is a crucial "refueling stop" for waterfowl and other water and land birds on their way from the Arctic to the southern United States. Over 280 species of birds have been recorded and over 100 of these species have been documented to breed in the area.
Since 1887, the sanctuary has increased in size to over 15,600 hectares. Gradually, its significance has been recognized with a number of important designations. In 1987 it became a National Wildlife Area (NWA). It is a "Wetland of International Importance", along with 30 other sites in Canada and over 700 locations worldwide. The sanctuary is designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA) and is part of a network of 94 Migratory Bird Sanctuaries scattered throughout Canada. It is also part of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network and it is recognized as a National Historic Site.
Last Mountain Lake offers habitat for nine of Canada's 36 species of vulnerable, threatened and endangered birds. They include the Peregrine Falcon, the Piping Plover, the Whooping Crane, the Burrowing Owl, the Ferruginous Hawk, the Loggerhead Shrike, the Baird's Sparrow, the Caspian Tern and the Cooper's Hawk. Colonial nesters such as pelicans, cormorants, gulls, terns and grebes are also particularly dependent upon the statutory protection afforded by the NWA. The north end of the lake is also a major walleye-spawning site and 12 provincially rare and one nationally rare plant species are found in the area.
The Canadian Wildlife Service protects and manages the area in cooperation with the Province of Saskatchewan and while much of the area is set aside to safeguard wildlife, it also provides many opportunities for outdoor education. Groups, schools and individuals are encouraged to climb the observation tower, hike the self-guided nature trails, take driving tours, and visit the information center.
For more information visit Environment Canada's Last Mountain Lake - National Wildlife Area web site.
Last Mountain Lake map (gif image, 88k)
