April Program

Nurturing Seeds of Change
Renny Grilz

7:30 PM, April 17, 2025

In person and online!
Rm #GB06 Health Sciences Bldg, U of S

Cultivating the Native Seed industry in Western Canada through the Development of Native Seed Producer Networks and the Creation of a Native Plant Seedbank:

Native seeds play a critical role in conservation and ecological restoration of our prairie grasslands. Drawing from his Nuffield Canada Agriculture Scholarship travels to Europe and North America, Renny Grilz will share insights from leading seedbanks, native seed networks, native seed producers, and large-scale restoration projects. Renny will highlight innovative approaches from England, Ireland, Germany, Estonia, and Latvia, as well as successful models in the U.S. and Canada. These case studies demonstrate the importance of collaboration among producers, government agencies, researchers, and conservation organizations in strengthening the native seed industry. Renny will also discuss the development of the Meewasin Seedbank Project, an initiative aimed at conserving local genetic diversity and supporting restoration projects in Saskatchewan and the prairie provinces and how this proposed seedbank will help with a sustainable supply of locally adapted native seeds and conservation of our native prairie species. By connecting lessons learned abroad with opportunities at home, this presentation will inspire a vision for a more resilient and self-sustaining native seed industry in Western Canada.

Renny W. Grilz, PAg is a 2024 Nuffield Canada Agriculture Scholar with over 30 years of experience in prairie conservation, ecological restoration, and native seed production. As the Resource Management Officer with Meewasin, he leads Meewasin’s conservation programs including restoration initiatives, targeted grazing, invasive species management, and prescribed fire. Through his Nuffield travels across Europe and North America, Renny is studying native seed networks, seedbanks, and restoration practices, applying these insights to strengthen Western Canada’s native seed industry. He and his wife, Lisa, also own Blazing Star Wildflower Seed Company, dedicated to growing and promoting native plants in Saskatchewan.

Please note that if the link to join online requests a passcode, please enter SNS. If you have trouble connecting via the Zoom link, please text or phone LeeAnn at 306- 880-9027. Please consider joining the meeting a little early so we can address any problems.

All members who have registered an email address with SNS will receive an email containing the link to join the meeting through Zoom. If you have not registered an email address with us, but would like to do so, please contact Claire Bullaro at c.bear@sasktel.net.

Tracking Migratory Birds:Where Do They Really Fly? – Ernesto Carman

September 2022

Wetland Drainage and its Impacts on Biodiversity in the Prairie and Parkland Region of Canada

Kiel Drake

February 2022

Monthly Meetings and Speaker Programme

Listen, learn, and share ideas with people who are passionate about our natural world! 

SNS offers a monthly speaker programme from September to April on the third Thursday of the month. All meetings are live streamed through Zoom.

During the fall and spring months presentations will be in hybrid format: speakers will present live at in-person meetings while being simultaneously streamed through Zoom. During winter months speakers may be streamed from outside the Saskatoon region and on these occasions, there will be no in-person meeting.

All are welcome to attend these meetings either in-person or through Zoom. Look for details about each month’s meeting in the SNS membership newsletter, confirming any in-person meeting time and place. A reminder email with the meeting details and Zoom link will be sent to each member whose current email address is on file.

Non-members who wish to attend through Zoom should provide their name and email address to Claire Bullaro at c.bear@sasktel.netfor each meeting. Please consider becoming a member of the Saskatoon Nature Society if you wish to receive the Zoom link automatically each month.

In person meetings are held on the University of Saskatchewan Campus and are thus subject to the university’s rules regarding COVID restrictions. At present, masks and social distancing are encouraged but not required. We will not be providing shared refreshments, so please bring your own drinks and snacks.

The monthly meetings include announcements from the SNS president. If you have an announcement or notice, please contact the president at least 2 days before the meeting.