• kihci-okāwīmāw askiy Knowledge Centre •

05/24/2026

EDIT - The deadline to apply has been extended to June 2, 2026, at 6 pm.
Job opportunity - we are hiring an Indigenous Grasslands Conservation Specialist. Join our team. Please share with your networks!

Primary Purpose: The Prairie Grasslands Stewardship Specialist plays a key role supporting Nation‑to‑Nation grasslands conservation and knowledge exch...

05/15/2026

We spent May 13-14, 2026, at the Wild Buffalo Summit discussing the wholistic view of the buffalo’s ecological, economic, cultural and spiritual importance on the prairies.
Key actors and rights holders continued the conversation from the inaugural Wild Buffalo Summit that was held in February 2025, hosted by the Alberta Wilderness Association.
This year’s summit was held at the University of Saskatchewan.
Participants discussed the coordination of bringing paskwāw mostos (bison) back to their homeland on the prairies.

05/10/2026

Around 240,000 pieces of artifacts found at an archaeological site in Moose Jaw, Sask., are highlighting the long human history in the Wakamow Valley.

Bill Strongarm, a senator with the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations from the Touchwood Agency Tribal Council, said he is happy the site and artifacts were found.

"It's a very sacred traditional place," said Strongarm.

Strongarm said the site is located in an area used as a camping spot by Saulteaux and Assiniboine people, when they were on their way to the Cypress Hills in southwest Saskatchewan.

Strongarm said these artifact findings are just a layer of stories that need more research about Indigenous people and hopes a heritage centre can be built to preserve the area.

Read the full story on the CBC Indigenous website
cbc[dot]ca/news/indigenous/horticulture-trade-moose-jaw-archaeology-9.7187092

05/07/2026

On April 29, 2026, we presented a webinar titled Indigenous-led Grasslands Conservation Initiatives as part of a webinar series hosted by the Canadian Wildlife Federation for the Canadian Grassland Coalition. Here is a link to the recording of that webinar.

Indigenous-led Grasslands Conservation Initiatives: Webinar

04/22/2026

The Canadian Wildlife Federation / Fédération canadienne de la faune and members of the Canadian Grassland Coalition are offering a series of webinars about Canada's most endangered ecosystem.
On Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026, at noon (Saskatchewan time), join Sherry Punak-Murphy from Bee City Brandon to learn about how native pollinators and plants of the mixed-grass prairie are vital to a healthy ecosystem.
Our centre will also be hosting a webinar on April 29, 2026, at noon (Saskatchewan time).
To register for these upcoming webinars, visit https://cwf-fcf.org/en/resources/downloads/webinars/public/grasslands-webinar-series-2026.html

04/18/2026

The Narwhal has published a great article about how the Blood Tribe in Kainai Nation had their first cultural fire in decades. https://thenarwhal(dot)ca/kainai-fire-guardians

04/17/2026

Our friends at Meewasin are hiring a Communications Coordinator who will play a key role in telling the story of conservation in the Canadian Prairies. The deadline to apply is April 30, 202.

04/15/2026

Join USask grassland ecologist Dr. Eric Lamb (PhD) on Saturday, May 9 for a field tour to celebrate the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists!
Dr. Lamb will lead a guided hike through the Biddulph Natural Area. Biddulph is a mosaic of native grasslands over stabilized sand dunes, forest, and wetland that supports more than 300 plant species and a population of the threatened Gibsons Big Sand Tiger Beetle.

04/07/2026

The Canadian Wildlife Federation / Fédération canadienne de la faune and members of the Canadian Grassland Coalition are offering a series of webinars about Canada's most endangered ecosystem.
On Wednesday, April 8th, at 1 pm (Saskatchewan time) join Ian Cook to learn about how Birds Canada's work on the Canadian Prairies is focused on finding solutions to the systemic issues that are the root cause for bird population declines.
Our centre will also be hosting a webinar on April 29, 2026.
To register for these upcoming webinars, visit https://cwf-fcf.org/en/resources/downloads/webinars/public/grasslands-webinar-series-2026.html

04/06/2026

Here is a great podcast with our friends Wes Olson and Cody Spencer.

What a great episode and great listen! Wes Olson and Cody Spencer sat down to talk about Guardians of the Buffalo: The Essential Guide to Bison Care. 🦬 Learn more about the book and the authors behind it.

Available now Apple Podcasts or Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7LZXmkoy0cl1szdFRvPUmJ?si=aGan7mzGQBqrS-6ocHunDw

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/regenerative-bison-with-cody-spencer/id1754975009?i=1000756968734