University of Alberta Grassland Hub Aims to Protect Carbon-Storing Prairie Ecosystems

A new research hub at the University of Alberta is working to conserve Canadian grasslands, which are critical for carbon sequestration and biodiversity. The Grassland Learning and Knowledge Hub, led by adjunct professor John Pattison-Williams, studies the social, economic, and cultural factors behind grassland conversion to cropland. Grasslands store carbon deep in their root systems and are home to endangered species like sage grouse, making their protection a key climate strategy. The hub collaborates with Indigenous communities, faith groups, and producers to understand motivations for land use changes. It also examines policy tools that could incentivize conservation on privately held land. By integrating Indigenous and Western perspectives from the start, the project aims to create more effective and equitable conservation approaches. The work is part of a national network of ecosystem hubs across Canada.