Ranchers, government representatives, conservation organizations, industry leaders, and social media content creators gathered in mid-June for a ranch tour celebrating the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP).
The event highlighted the importance of Saskatchewan’s grasslands and the role of ranchers as modern-day pastoralists.
Hosted by Public and Stakeholder Engagement (PSE), a division of the Canadian Cattle Association, in partnership with the Saskatchewan Cattle Association, the event brought participants onto the landscape to see firsthand how ranchers steward lands that support food production, wildlife habitat, biodiversity and rural communities. Support for the event was provided by the Canadian Forage and Grasslands Association (CFGA), Ducks Unlimited Canada and it was funded in part by the Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.
The tour visited Steven Balzer’s CFGA demonstration site near Langham and Saskvalley Shorthorns near Rosthern, hosted by father-daughter duo Barry and Morgan Lehmann.
Participants explored the important role that well-managed grazing lands play in maintaining healthy ecosystems and supporting species at risk, while gaining a firsthand appreciation for the passion these ranchers have for caring for their land and passing it on to the next generation.
Although often overlooked, native grasslands are among Canada’s most endangered ecosystems. In Saskatchewan, ranchers manage vast areas of rangeland that provide habitat for hundreds of species of birds, mammals, insects and plants, while helping protect watersheds, store carbon and maintain open spaces.
For host ranchers Steven Balzer and Morgan Lehmann, the event was an opportunity to showcase not only the connection between ranching and conservation, but also their passion for the land and the creatures that live on it.
“My passion for ranching is fuelled by the observation, sharing and caring for the livestock. It comes from the desire to be a pastoral caretaker of God’s creations in nature including the rangeland, the nesting birds, the bees, and insects. They all work together,” said Balzer.
Morgan Lehmann emphasized the long-term impact of everyday decisions made on the ranch. “The small management decisions ranchers make on a day-to-day basis have long term impact,” she said. “If you make small changes in management in a positive direction, the legacy you leave will be an ecosystem that is healthier than when you started. That is our ultimate goal: to practice good stewardship daily, caring for our land and the living things that call that land home.”
The International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists was declared by the United Nations General Assembly to raise awareness of the economic, environmental and social importance of rangelands and the people who steward them. In Canada, the initiative serves as a platform to educate the public, celebrate stewardship successes and advance policies that support both ranchers and the landscapes they manage.
“IYRP is our everyday. As extension providers and as livestock producers, it is sometimes hard for us to recognize ourselves as we put in the hard work day-to-day. But the origin of IYRP is for us, a chance to tell our story and to continue to hold our place in an ever-changing world,” said Morgan Kitchen, Forage Technician with CFGA.
About the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists
The United Nations General Assembly declared 2026 the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) to increase awareness of the value of rangelands and the people who steward them. Rangelands cover more than half of the Earth’s land surface and provide essential benefits including food production, wildlife habitat, biodiversity conservation, carbon storage, water regulation and support for rural livelihoods.