Prairie Wind and Silver Sage conserve prairie landscapes

This past summer, Prairie Wind and Silver Sage was excited to launch phase one of their ecomuseum project exploring the unique character of the Grasslands, Val Marie and the surrounding area by highlighting artifacts, mapping, photography, sound and stories.

In 2012, Prairie Wind and Silver Sage (PWSS), a non-profit, volunteer organization that works to conserve the native prairie landscapes while inviting the exploration and appreciation of prairie culture and natural history, received a Capacity Building Grant from SaskCulture to rejuvenate their museum display.

Shortly after receiving the funding, they attended a presentation by Glenn Sutter from the Royal Saskatchewan Museum about the concept of ecomuseums. Ecomuseums are designed to share the experience of place, community, people, and their natural and cultural heritage. They provide the opportunity for communities to actively participate in developing dynamic and fluid relationships and to share and learn about their stories in their own ways.

The board members of PWSS were inspired by Sutter’s presentation and decided to pursue the idea of ecomuseums further to see if they could incorporate it into their museum in Val Marie.

PWSS also receives operational funding from stream II of SaskCulture’s Museum Grant Program. For more information about Prairie Wind and Silver Sage and their ecomuseum exhibition project, visit www.pwss.org.