Agriculture & Habitat

Background

Agricultural land covers 6.8 per cent of the surface area of Canada. In addition to producing crops, Canadian farms also support wildlife habitat, such as forests, hedgerows, wetlands and streams. There are more than 20 million hectares of pasture alone in the agricultural landscape of Canada, which is important habitat to thousands of species of birds, mammals, reptiles, plants and insects. Natural habitats on farmland not only support wildlife but also provide important ecosystem services, such as pollination, natural pest control, and drought and flood mitigation.

Over the last several decades, agricultural intensification has diminished biodiversity on farmland because it converts land to more concentrated use, which supports far fewer species. Intensification also increases risk of agricultural pollutants flowing into watersheds, which impacts fish and aquatic invertebrates.

We do not believe that conservation of wildlife should happen on the back of farmers. We need better policies that ensure incentives to farmers for maintaining wildlife habitat. Also, we must improve how we share our knowledge about farming practices in order to reduce these risks.

Conserving Grassland Birds

For hundreds of years, farmers have provided grassland birds with important habitat and these birds have provided the service of consuming crop pests. This is a partnership we would like to see continue in perpetuity. The Canadian Wildlife Federation is working to ensure sustainability for producers and for grassland birds.

Learn more

Prairie Grassland Multi-Species Project

This study focuses on insects (including pollinators) and grassland birds (and their insect food) in relation to how cattle grazing affects vegetation on natural grassland. It will help us understand the important role that cattle ranchers play in maintaining biodiversity. For this project, CWF has partnered with the Saskatchewan Stockgrowers Foundation, South of the Divide Conservation Action Program (SODCAP), Birds Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Carleton University, and cattle ranchers in southern Saskatchewan.

Learn More

Black Swallowtail Butterfly

Papilio polyxenes

COSEWIC status: Not Listed

The upper sides of its wings are black, with rows of yellow spots along the edges of its hindwings and forewings. Two distinct swallowtails extend from its hindwings. It also has a blue band of spots and reddish-orange eyespots on its hindwings.

HABITAT: Open areas, including fields, parks and meadows.

RANGE: Ontario and Quebec.

Program Lead

Carolyn Callaghan, PhD

CWF Senior Conservation Biologist, Terrestrial Wildlife

Carolyn Callaghan is a member of the National Environmental Farm Plan Committee, designed to develop and propose a National Environmental Farm Plan for Canada (currently each province has its own Environmental farm Plan and there is no consistent approach).

“Canadian farmers have an important role to play in conserving our wildlife. CWF’s approach is to work collaboratively with farmers and the agricultural industry to ensure that the ecological services offered by habitats and wildlife will continue to benefit both farmers and all Canadians into the future.”