It’s one of a kind: A rare blue wildflower and hundreds of other species thrive in a new KBA in the heart of Winnipeg
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Peter Soroye
Key Biodiversity Areas Assessment and Outreach Coordinator
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BiodiversityPublished
2025-09-17Hidden beside walking paths and chain-link fences, a rare ecological treasure has earned national recognition.
Winnipeg’s Living Prairie Museum has been identified as a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) – part of a growing national network of sites identified as critical to the survival of Canada’s most at-risk and unique species and ecosystems.
At the heart of the site is the Downy Gentian (Gentiana puberulenta), one of only two known naturally occurring populations of this vivid blue-violet wildflower in Canada. Separated from its nearest wild relatives by over a hundred kilometres at the northern edge of its range, the Downy Gentian has persisted here for decades, making this single patch of prairie both irreplaceable and invaluable.
Beyond this one-of-a-kind bloom, the 13-hectare preserve remains one of Manitoba’s last largely unplowed tallgrass prairies – an ecosystem listed as provincially endangered and almost vanished elsewhere in the country. Located in the home and traditional lands of the Anishinaabe (Ojibwe), Ininew (Cree), Dakota peoples, and homeland of the Red River Métis, the remnant prairie supports:
- Over 150 native plant species, including Big Bluestem, Prairie Dropseed, Whorled Milkweed, and Fragrant False Indigo.
- More than 300 insect species, from the globally imperiled Whitney’s Underwing moth to the Threatened Yellow-banded Bumble Bee.
- Mammals and birds, from Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrels and White-tailed Deer to breeding bird species like Savannah Sparrows, Indigo Buntings, and Clay-colored Sparrows, as well as migratory visitors like the Common Nighthawk and Rusty Blackbird.
"This prairie is a time capsule – a small, irreplaceable window into what prairie biodiversity once looked like and what we still have a chance to protect. Recognizing it as a Key Biodiversity Area highlights the rare species that live here – from North America’s northernmost wild population of Downy Gentian to the bees, moths, and birds that rely on this ecosystem. It’s more than recognition, it’s a tool to guide conservation priorities, even in places we might overlook." – Peter Soroye, KBA Assessment and Outreach Coordinator, WCS Canada.
The City of Winnipeg has managed the Living Prairie Museum KBA for conservation and public engagement since the 1970s. As an urban Nature Park with an Interpretive Centre and year-round educational programming, the site offers accessible opportunities for people to visit and enjoy the rare tall grass prairie ecosystem. Non-profit partners, like the Friends of the Living Prairie Museum amplify those efforts through volunteering, fundraising, and supporting special projects. While the KBA designation does not guarantee legal protection, it recognizes the site’s global and national biodiversity value and it can be used as a science-based tool to inform land-use planning, conservation priorities, and policy discussions at local and national levels.
“Winnipeg is proud to be home to one of Canada’s rarest and most remarkable prairie ecosystems. The Living Prairie Museum shows us that even in the middle of a growing city, we can protect biodiversity and connect people with nature. This designation as a Key Biodiversity Area is national recognition of the importance of the work being done here by our staff, our partners, and the volunteers who care for this land.” – Scott Gillingham, Mayor of Winnipeg.
As part of Canada’s growing network of Key Biodiversity Areas, the Living Prairie Museum KBA is a powerful reminder that even small pockets of prairie can carry national significance. Its recognition highlights the importance of protecting ecosystems and species through collective efforts – grounded in science, shaped by local knowledge, and strengthened by collaboration.
