Harris Sandhills National Wildlife Area

The Harris Sandhills National Wildlife Area (NWA) is approximately 30 kilometers (km) northeast of Rosetown, Saskatchewan. The NWA lies within the Moist Mixed Grassland eco-region.

Description

Harris Sandhills NWA lies within the sandhill complex surrounding Crystal Beach Lake, just east of Eagle Creek in central Saskatchewan. The NWA is characterized by areas of tame and mixed native grassland, poplar bluffs, and mostly stabilized sand dunes with a few small areas of exposed sand. The site provides excellent habitat for mixed grassland communities and species that thrive in dune habitats. Native grassland is the most at-risk ecosystem globally. Protection of this site contributes to preserving the important natural heritage of this unique community.

The mixed grasslands at Harris Sandhills NWA provide habitat for nesting grassland songbirds, as well as a host of mammals, plants, fungi, and insects. Poplar bluffs on site provide excellent habitat for nesting arboreal birds. Management through cattle grazing on the NWA attempts to replicate the grazing activity of roaming herds of bison that once lived in the area. This management is important for recycling nutrients, limiting vegetation litter, and encouraging a great diversity of plants to thrive. Look closely and you might see a flowering prickly pear cactus or a timid heard of mule deer!

Species of birds observed in the area include:

• vesper sparrow
• chestnut-collared longspur
• Baird’s sparrow
• western meadowlark
• Sprague’s pipit
• clay-coloured sparrow
• horned lark

Mammals observed in the area include:

• mule deer
• moose
• coyote
• white-tailed deer

Reptiles observed in the area include:

• plains garter snake

Plants observed in the area include:

• needle-and-thread grass
• plains muhly
• western wheatgrass
• downy brome (June grass)
• plains prickly-pear cactus
• narrow-leaved puccoon
• prairie rocket or prairie wallflower
• chokecherry
• wolf-willow

Find more information on Harris Sandhills NWA in the summary 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 an NWA that could interfere with the conservation of wildlife can be prohibited. 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 habitat conservation and/or the management plan goals for the NWA. For more information, consult the NWA Management and Activities section.

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 Harris Sandhills NWA:

1. Wildlife viewing;
2. Hiking;
3. Non-commercial berry picking; and
4. Sport hunting — including with dogs off-leash when hunting migratory game birds or upland game birds — without a commercial guide, from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset if the hunting is carried out
   1. in accordance with any applicable federal permit and any authorization required by the laws of Saskatchewan for sport hunting in that province; and
   2. without the use of toxic shot.

More information on access and permitting for Harris Sandhills NWA can be obtained by contacting the Environment and Climate Change Canada regional office.

Map of the area

Summary

Protected Area designation

National Wildlife Area

Province/territory

Saskatchewan

Latitude/longitude

51.703 N 107.62 W 

Size

372.1 Hectares

Reason for creation of protected area

Protection of native prairie and migratory bird habitat and species at risk habitat.

Designation Date (Gazetted)

2025

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Management Category

Habitat/Species Management Area (IV)

Additional designations

None

Keystone or flagship species

• vesper sparrow
• mule deer
• plains prickly-pear cactus

Main habitat type

• mixed grassland
• poplar bluffs
• dunes

Listed species under the Species at Risk Act (SARA)

• Baird’s sparrow
• bobolink
• chestnut-collared longspur
• common nighthawk
• long-billed curlew
• Sprague’s pipit
• thick-billed longspur

Additional links

None

Main threats and challenges

Non-contiguous parcels make the site vulnerable to surrounding landscape change. Alien invasive species and shrubby encroachment altering the structure of upland cover that may reduce the abundance of some wildlife.

Management Agency

Environment and Climate Change Canada (Canadian Wildlife Service)

Public access and usage

Authorized activities listed in Schedule I.1 of the Wildlife Area Regulations for Harris Sandhills NWA:

1. Wildlife viewing;
2. Hiking;
3. Non-commercial berry picking; and
4. Sport hunting — including with dogs off-leash when hunting migratory game birds or upland game birds — without a commercial guide, from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset if the hunting is carried out
   1. in accordance with any applicable federal permit and any authorization required by the laws of Saskatchewan for sport hunting in that province; and
   2. without the use of toxic shot.

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 Region
Canadian Wildlife Service
115 Perimeter Road
Saskatoon SK  S7N 3T5

Toll-Free: 1-800-668-6767 (in Canada only)
Email: enviroinfo@ec.gc.ca

Related links

• Canada Wildlife Act
• Wildlife Area Regulations
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
• Prioritising the restoration, protection, and sustainable management of global grasslands
• Nature Counts – The State of Canada’s Birds
• Species at risk public registry