Bradwell National Wildlife Area
Bradwell National Wildlife Area (NWA) lies in the moist mixed grass eco-region, about 48 kilometres (km) southeast of Saskatoon.
Description
This 123 hectares (ha) site includes a system of managed wetlands connected by dykes, ditches, and water control structures to a canal supplied by Lake Diefenbaker 100 km south-west of site. Upland habitats include idled hayfields of smooth brome and alfalfa, as well as dense nesting cover, and a few groves of trembling aspen.
The protected wetlands and grasslands of the NWA provide nesting habitat for several species of shorebirds, songbirds, hawks and waterfowl, which include:
- redheads
- canvasbacks
Mammals observed in the area:
- ground squirrels
- coyotes
- deer
In 1967, the construction of the Lake Diefenbaker reservoir on the South Saskatchewan River resulted in the loss of wetland habitat in the area. Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) was involved in several projects to help improve wetland habitat with one project involving the supply of water to marshes at the Bradwell site. This was a landscape otherwise losing wetland habitats to agriculture. DUC’s project helped guarantee a water supply through years of drought. The Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) cooperated in the venture by first purchasing the property, and thenoperating lure crops and bait stations on site to reduce waterfowl damage to crops on adjacent agricultural lands. The lure crops and bait stations have subsequently been decommissioned. Agricultural practices and waterfowl populations in the region have changed and made the former practices unnecessary.
Find more information on Bradwell NWA in the summary table below.
Management
Under the Canada Wildlife Act, NWAs are protected and managed in accordance with the Wildlife Area Regulations. The primary purpose of NWAs is to protect and conserve wildlife and wildlife habitat. For this purpose and according to the legislation, all activities in a NWA that could interfere with the conservation of wildlife can be prohibited. Consequently, most NWAs are not accessible to the public and all other activities are prohibited in all NWAs. However, some activities may be authorized through Schedule I.1 of the Wildlife Area Regulations or the issuance of permits as long as they are consistent with the management plan goals for the NWA. For more information, consult the NWA Management and Activities section.
Access to Bradwell NWA is not restricted and activities may be permitted in accordance with the conservation objectives of the NWA management plan. The management of Bradwell NWA focuses on water level manipulation to achieve the goal of sustaining wetland habitats for wildlife through natural periods of drought or dry weather. Upland cover is managed by CWS. Maintenance of water level control structures are co-managed with DUC. Certain activities are allowed in the NWA by permits. Any authorized activities are listed in Schedule I.1 of the Wildlife Area Regulations; signage is also posted at access points.
Authorized activities listed in Schedule I.1 of the Wildlife Area Regulations for Bradwell NWA, include:
- wildlife viewing
- hiking
- non-commercial berry picking
- sport hunting — including with dogs off-leash when hunting migratory game birds — without a commercial guide, from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset, if the hunting is carried out
- in accordance with any applicable federal permit and any authorization required by the laws of Saskatchewan for sport hunting in that province; and
- without the use of toxic shot
- activities referred to in items 1 to 3 during the hour before sunrise and the hour after sunset, in addition to during the period referred to in subsection 3.1(3)
More information on access and permitting for Bradwell NWA can be obtained by contacting the Environment and Climate Change Canada regional offices.
Map of the area
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Long description
Map showing an area in central Saskatchewan. The boundaries of Bradwell NWA are indicated. The wildlife area is located south of Bradwell and south-west of the Bradwell Reservoir. The protected area is nearly rectangular and covers, in-full or in-part, several small bodies of water. The scale on the map is in km. Permanent water, intermittent water, roads and highways are all indicated on the map. A small inset national map situates the NWA in Canada.
This map is for illustrative purposes only and should not be used to define legal boundaries.
Summary table
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Protected Area designation | National Wildlife Area |
| Province/Territory | Saskatchewan |
| Latitude/Longitude | 51°54' North / 106°15' West |
| Size | 123 ha |
| Reason for creation of protected area | For the protection of wetlands as nesting habitat for waterfowl |
| Date created (Gazetted) | 1978 – Legal Description |
| International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Management Category | Habitat/Species Management Area – (IV) |
| Additional designation | None |
| Keystone or flagship species | Waterfowl: |
| Main habitat type |
|
| Listed species under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) | Birds:
Amphibians:
|
| Invasive species |
|
| Additional links | Birds:
Mammals: |
| Main threats and challenges | Agricultural land uses in the watershed that affect water quantity and quality in the recipient marshes, including those in the NWA. Alien invasive species altering the structure of upland cover that may reduce the abundance of some wildlife. |
| Management agency | Environment and Climate Change Canada (Canadian Wildlife Services) |
| Public access and usage | Authorized activities listed in Schedule I.1 of the Wildlife Area Regulations for Bradwell NWA, include:
|
Note: If there is a discrepancy between the information presented on this web page, any notice posted at the NWA site and the law, the law prevails, as it is the legal instrument authorizing the activity.
Contact us
Environment and Climate Change Canada - Prairie Northern Region
Canada Wildlife Service
Protected Areas and Stewardship
115 Perimeter Road
Saskatoon, SK
S7N 0X4
Toll-free: 1-800-668-6767 (in Canada only)
Email: enviroinfo@ec.gc.ca
Related links
- Canada Wildlife Act
- Wildlife Area Regulations
- Bradwell NWA management plan
- Bradwell NWA pamphlet
- Bradwell NWA on Google maps (Please note that the Google map is a complementary source of information and does not represent the official map or site name)
Page details
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