St. Denis National Wildlife Area pamphlet
What makes St. Denis NWA so special?
St. Denis is unique among the network of National Wildlife Areas (NWAs) because it was established primarily for research on the effects of agricultural practices on waterfowl habitat in the prairie pothole region. Established in 1968, this 361-hectare NWA in south-central Saskatchewan functions as an outdoor laboratory for Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Prairie and Northern Wildlife Research Centre at the University of Saskatchewan in nearby Saskatoon.
As a research centre, the St. Denis NWA contributes to:
- intensive and process-oriented research into the ecology of prairie pothole wetlands, and recovery of waterfowl populations and upland grassland habitats;
- the development of knowledge related to conservation and its contribution to policy decisions;
- our understanding of the relationships between agricultural development, natural variability, and wildlife.
Over 100 scholarly articles and more than 25 graduate theses have been published from research conducted on the St. Denis NWA.
What are Environment and Climate Change Canada Protected Areas?
Environment and Climate Change Canada establishes marine and terrestrial NWAs for the purposes of conservation, research and interpretation. NWAs are established to protect migratory birds, species at risk, and other wildlife and their habitats. NWAs are established under the authority of the Canada Wildlife Act and are, first and foremost, places for wildlife.
Migratory Bird Sanctuaries (MBSs) are established under the authority of the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994, and provide a refuge for migratory birds in the marine and terrestrial environments. The current Protected Areas Network consists of 54 NWAs and 92 MBSs comprising more than 12 million hectares across Canada.
What can I do at St. Denis NWA?
Public access to St. Denis NWA is prohibited, but research activities are encouraged. Proposed research activities require a permit. For information on permits, please contact Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Canadian Wildlife Service. For a complete list of NWAs, including those you can visit, please see our website.
Long description of the map
Location of the NWA on an illustrated map of Canada. The NWA location is indicated by a general annotation in the province of Saskatchewan.
Who can I contact?
Environment and Climate Change Canada - Prairie and Northern RegionCanadian Wildlife Service
115 Perimeter Road
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 0X4
1-800-668-6767
Email: ec.enviroinfo.ec@canada.ca
Protected Area web site
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