The Grasslands are Going Space-age

On August 13, 2024 while SAIFood was on summer break, it was finally announced, that USASK researchers from the Departments of Geography and Planning, Plant Sciences, and Agricultural & Resource Economics (ARE), have received funding from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). This research team will be using satellite imagery of Canada’s grasslands and “develop new ways to monitor woody plant encroachment and protect the grasslands”.

While their research is underway, it will take some time before we know any results. But their goal has two parts. First, to use their research and modeling to “better inform land managers and conservationists on how to mitigate the threat of woody plant expansion to grasslands”. The second half of their goal is to economically value the grasslands ecosystem and  the social environmental benefits of maintaining our essential grasslands. The role of grasslands in our sustainable agricultural and environmental initiatives is vital, and therefore, we look forward to learning more about their research and results in the years to come.

We also would like to congratulate our colleagues and friends on receiving this researching funding, as well as the highly sought after opportunity to work with the CSA. Congratulations to Lampros Nikolaos Maros, PhD candidate, and Dr. Richard Gray of our department (ARE), Dr. Eric Lamb of Plant Sciences, Dr. Irini Soubry (a good friend to ARE), Dr. Xulin Guo, Yihan Pu and Elise Denning of Geography and Planning.

The USask team will test their methods internationally through collaboration with the National Research Council of Italy, specifically working with Dr. Maria Patrizia Adamo and Chiara Richiardi (PhD Candidate), while Dr. John Wilmshurst from the Canadian Wildlife Federation brings a conservation perspective of critical grassland habitats to the team.