Description: Prairie Siting Zones are designed to aid in development planning by identifying areas considered to pose high risks to biodiversity. However, there is still a ground-truthing component for sensitive and pre-disturbed zones.The Prairie Siting Zones screening map (available within HABISask) was developed to formalize and standardize the existing approach by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment.The Ministry of Environment has identified three Prairie Siting Zones within the South of Divide to identify the potential risk of ecological impacts and/or public concerns related to new developments. The three zones are defined as:Pre-disturbed Zone: Areas that are already disturbed, mostly cropland. The siting of projects should be considered in these areas first. Sensitive Zone: Includes areas that could be pre-disturbed, but also may contain ecologically sensitive areas and unique habitat features that may require additional mitigation. Exclusion Zone: No surface access is allowed. This zone includes the highest biodiversity areas in the Prairie Ecozone, with some of the most important biodiversity hotspots for the province. It encompasses large tracts of intact native prairie, including agricultural Crown land managed by pasture associations and lands protected under WHPA, and the main migration corridors for grass- and tree-associated species. Areas within an Exclusion Zone that have not acquired mineral tenure, require proponents to have further discussions with the ministry before planning seismic work.Refer to the Project Siting Standards for Wild Species and Habitat in the South of the Divide (Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment, 2025) for more information.Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment. 2025. Project Siting Standards for Wild Species and Habitat In The South of the Divide. Report No. 2025-LB 01. Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment, 3211 Albert Street, Regina, Saskatchewan. 20 pp.
Copyright Text: Fish and Wildlife Branch and Lands Branch, Ministry of Environment, Government of Saskatchewan