Nature Conservancy of Canada says Saskatchewan forests are an important carbon sink, and more than half the province is forested, so a big chunk of land is contributing to keeping the atmosphere as stable as possible.
Saskatchewan spokesperson Matt Braun, says the NCC helps to conserve more than 198,000 hectares of land in this province.
He expects many people might be surprised by the variety of forest there is in Saskatchewan, from lodgepole pine in the Cypress Hills area to aspen, spruce and pine further north, and then the Aspen Parkland, followed by the Boreal transition area and the boreal forest.
If we take care of our forests and restore what we can, Braun says, we will pull more carbon out of the atmosphere that is contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, thereby mitigating some of the impacts.
However, Braun understands that there needs to be a balance between conservation and making a living through forestry and agriculture, and feeding the world.
Along with purchasing land of high diversity value, the NCC has conservation agreements with landowners and is also partnering with other organizations and land management agencies.