In an unprecedented move, the government of Canada issued an emergency order on December 4th for Greater Sage-grouse to protect their fast dwindling numbers in Canada. The Canadian government is attempting to save the quickly disappearing greater sage grouse by restricting industrial activity in critical habitat. This is the first time that such an order has been issued under Canada’s Species at Risk Act.

In an unprecedented move, the government of Canada issued an emergency order for Greater Sage-grouse to protect their fast dwindling numbers in Canada. This follows years of legal wrangling and wins in the courts by Canadian environmental groups led by Ecojustice.

The Canadian government is attempting to save the quickly disappearing greater sage grouse by restricting industrial activity in critical habitat. This is the first time that such an order has been issued under Canada’s Species at Risk Act.

With less than 150 sage grouse left in Canada, the need for immediate action has finally been recognized. The new order prohibits anything that disrupts the habitat that the birds live in, including building new roads, fences, and buildings on provincial or federal lands.

Environmental groups see this as a baby step in the right direction and there is still much more to do. Co-chaired by local ranchers and the Alberta Wilderness Association, the Sage-grouse Partnership is working with ranchers and industry in southeastern Alberta to make the landscape more amenable to Greater Sage-grouse recovery. They look forward to additional resourcing from the Government of Canada to speed up the pace of rehabilitating critical grouse habitat.

CBC news story

Protection Order