Nature Conservancy of Canada announces campaign to save landscape in southern Alberta

The Nature Conservancy of Canada has announced a $6.9-million campaign to save a distinctive landscape near Waterton Lakes National Park in southern Alberta.

The 1,650-hectare property, called The Yarrow, is located near the hamlet of Twin Butte, about 80 kilometres southwest of Lethbridge.

The NCC says the property features grasslands, wetlands, creeks and mixed forests and includes 27 wildlife species of provincial or national significance — including grizzly bears, birds called bobolinks and little brown bats.

There are also two important streams on the property — Yarrow Creek and Drywood Creek — that provide fish habitat and transport water from Alberta's southern headwaters to the Waterton reservoir.

The nature conservancy started the multimillion-dollar campaign Tuesday to conserve The Yarrow ranch, which it says offers an invaluable return on investment for the future of conservation.

The organization says the opportunity to conserve the property was made possible by the support of the Fisher-Cuthbertson family and the vision of Charlie Fischer, who was a longtime oil and gas executive in Calgary.