Head out just east of Vegreville and you'll find a picturesque landscape of rolling hills topped with grassy fields and small forest stands. Sprinkled amidst this scenery are countless wetlands that dot what's often called the prairie pothole region. It's here that you'll find the South Plain Lake Conservation Site (D4-43)—a hot spot for pheasant hunting in the fall, but also a great destination for a stroll any other time of year.
A Diamond in the Rough
South Plain Lake was one of the first land securements I was involved with when I joined the Land Management Program at Alberta Conservation Association (ACA) in 2007. The site had a lot of cleaning up that needed to be done. There was an old yard site on the southwest end; many internal fences criss-crossing the fields to separate grazing pastures; most of the wetlands were drained; and there were a fair amount of weeds. However, there were many things about this site that were very appealing for habitat conservation.
For one, it adds to the collection of habitat lands in the area owned by the Crown, Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC), and ACA. Also, it has a great mix of prairie pothole habitat characteristics, such as upland grassland, sedges, cattails, bulrushes, and wetlands. This habitat is crucial for breeding, nesting, and feeding among waterfowl and other wildlife.
ACA funded the purchase of the initial two quarters with the help of the Suncor Energy Foundation, a corporate partner instrumental in funding many of our provincial habitat conservation projects, and DUC who owned the adjacent Vandenberg (D4-122) property to the east.
With the purchase completed, it came time to clean the place up. Even with the removal of the farm buildings and vehicles as a condition of the sale, there was still a lot to do. Since the wetlands had been drained, DUC, experts in wetland restoration, helped us by reconstructing 14 of them. We also removed over a kilometre of internal fencing and began managing the weeds on the site.
Enhancing Pheasant Hunting Opportunities
In 2014 ACA reinvigorated Alberta's pheasant release program, releasing over 17,000 birds in select locations around Alberta. At the time, the Daysland Conservation Site (D3-69) was the most popular northern release site east of Edmonton. As ACA was looking to expand the number of pheasant release sites, we started looking for a site northeast of Edmonton to provide more opportunities. South Plain Lake was a perfect candidate given its size and prevalence of open fields and shrubs. Today, there are two established parking areas and approximately 2,400 pheasants are released every year, making it a popular release site. On the whole, the project has expanded to release over 25,000 pheasants per year on 41 sites across the province.
A New Addition
In 2022, the quarter section south of the ACA's South Plain Lake property became available for purchase—a perfect addition to the existing site. The only issue was the 35-acre crop field that needed attention. Naturalizing a crop field takes time and effort, and establishing a mostly native grass field takes about three years and requires diligent weed control throughout the process. Eventually the grasses will outcompete the weeds until only minor weed control is needed. Trees and shrubs will establish in these areas naturally or through planned plantings.
Conversion of the crop field on South Plain Lake is planned to be done over the next few years, providing adequate funding and other resources are available. Until then, it will be managed for annual crop harvest.
Go Out and Enjoy
I've helped to secure many sites since South Plain Lake. It brings a great sense of accomplishment to see the transformation these sites undergo, and to know we are providing opportunities for many people to come out and enjoy the landscape.
So, if you're a pheasant hunter or just want to enjoy a walk in nature, check out South Plain Lake or one of the nearby conservation sites listed in the Alberta Discover Guide. Please use respect and follow the site restrictions: day use only, no open fires, and foot access only.
Tag @alberta-conservation on your social media to share your experience with us and others.
