Yesterday's release of the federal budget was good news to the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), as the government announced a five-year, $1.3-billion investment into nature conservation.

For the first fiscal year, $500 million of that will go into a nature fund.

The federal government hopes to keep its commitment to Canada Target 1 goals of protecting a lot of the country environmentally.

"I point to the $1.3-billion investment that they're making in public, private, and Indigenous-protected areas," said Mark Wartman, regional vice president of the NCC in Saskatchewan. "The $500 million going towards a $1 billion nature fund is really exciting, but the broad picture is, when you look at the commitments are under Canada Target 1 to protect at least 17 per cent of our land and in-land water and 10 per cent of our marine and coastal areas by the end of the decade, the government is really making a commitment with this $1.3 billion to move us there."

The $500 million going into the nature fund immediately is a figure the government and Wartman hope is matched by the private sector.

"One of the neat things when we get that kind of funding, is really so much of it we're able to use in match funding as well, so it's exciting for those donors, where if you donated $10,000 and we can match that, and even go beyond doubling it for conservation investment, that's pretty exciting for everybody," said Wartman.

It's too early to tell what share of the money will go to the NCC. Wartman said they've had great partnerships with organizations including Ducks Unlimited and Community Land Trust, which have helped conservation effort.

In southwest Saskatchewan, Wartman said they've teamed up well with ranchers and the Stock Growers Association.

"Stock growers have been working on species at risk. I think the funding just affirms how important that work is, and I'm hoping that the support will be there to really enable us to engage," Wartman explained. "You'll know... that one of our major projects is done at southwest corner, the Old Man on his Back Ranch, we've got others south of you there, the Wideview Lands which were announced last year. It's just going to enable us and enable our partners and the people who live in the area to make sure that the land there is conserved and cared for."

There's no word on what land in the southwest could wind up in the hands of the NCC, though Wartman did say it's possible they buy more. He said when they do purchase land, they continue to use it.

"It's not about setting them aside - our lands are working landscapes. The grasslands are grazed, and we make sure that as much as possible we're a part of the communities where those lands are held."