The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) announced a major fundraising campaign to conserve a key piece of property near Waterton Lakes National Park.

Tom Lynch-Staunton, Alberta's Vice-President of NCC says they've been working on the Yarrow project for about 15 years.

The land covers 4,077 acres and is home to 27 different wildlife species of provincial or national significance.

The Yarrow was bought by Charlie Fischer who was interested in conservation and sustainable ranching. 

The property features endangered prairie grasslands, wetlands, creeks and mixed forests in the Waterton Park Front.

It also has a number of wetland areas that hold vast amounts of water, helping to both reduce the severity of drought and buffer the impact of flooding in the area and downstream.

Fischer who passed away a couple of years ago was always interested in the work of the NCC, and in keeping the land (the Yarrow) the way it was.

NCC continued working with the Fischer-Cuthbertson family to finalize the purchase agreement.

Properties like The Yarrow are rare and offer an invaluable return on investment for the future of conservation. 

The $20 million dollar project is one of the most biologically diverse properties that NCC has ever been able to conserve in Alberta.

To date, NCC has raised just over $13 million dollars for the project and is turning to the public to help conserve this key piece of property.

NCC has launched a fundraising campaign to raise the $6.9 million needed to conserve the Yarrow. 

Individuals, corporations and foundations who want to invest in the protection of this special and important place should go to TheYarrow.ca to learn how they can contribute. 

The Yarrow project has been initiated by funding from the Government of Canada, through the Natural Heritage Conservation Program, part of Canada’s Nature Fund, and the Government of Alberta’s Land Trust Grant Program. A portion of this project was donated to the Nature Conservancy of Canada under the Government of Canada’s Ecological Gifts Program. This program provides enhanced tax incentives for individuals or corporations who donate ecologically significant land. The project was also funded in part by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. 

Cenovus Energy Inc. also announced a major investment in the project, donating US$3 million (approximately CAD$3.7 million) to NCC – portions of the investment will be allocated towards this project.

You can find Glenda-Lee Vossler's interview on the Yarrow project with Tom Lynch-Staunton, Alberta's Vice-President of the Nature Conservancy of Canada below.