Reading Time: < 1 minute The Alberta Land Trust Grant Program is giving more than $7 million to support 24 different projects that will conserve 13,000 acres of private land containing watersheds, grasslands and wildlife habitats. The grants will support projects by the Alberta Conservation Association, Ducks Unlimited Canada, the Legacy Land Trust Society, the Nature Conservancy of Canada, the […] Read more
Grants preserve grasslands and wildlife habitats
Provincial funding funds conservation easements to protect 13,000 acres from development
Rain, rain don’t go away: How to capture more moisture on your land
When it comes to retaining rainfall, seeing is believing — and new infiltration tool does just that
Reading Time: 3 minutes Drought is a four-letter word in Alberta right now — but also proof that it’s critical to make the most of any moisture we get. “If we’re getting the types of rain we normally get, water infiltration probably isn’t that big of a deal,” said Ken Lewis, conservation co-ordinator with Red Deer County. “But in […] Read more
Goats and beetles used to fight invasive species
Leafy spurge is found across Alberta and its creeping root system makes it very difficult to control
Reading Time: < 1 minute Pull, mow, burn, and spray. These are common ways that Ducks Unlimited Canada manages invasive plant species on projects located on agricultural land. But there’s a new management tool in the mix now being used by the organization. It has started using goats and flea beetles to help combat leafy spurge at its Frank Lake […] Read more
Donation preserves central Alberta wetlands and grasslands
Reading Time: 2 minutes A central Alberta farm family has gifted 1,467 acres on the northwest shore of Gough Lake to the Nature Conservancy of Canada. The Ferrier property, located 125 kilometres east of Red Deer, has 256 acres of wetlands and shoreline habitat that is home to deer, grassland birds, shorebirds, and waterfowl. Several species considered at risk […] Read more
One-stop shop for eco-services programs
Reading Time: < 1 minute Looking for an ecosystem services program that fits your operation? Alberta Beef Producers has created a seven-page fact sheet of several dozen programs. These include programs focused on conservation; wetland protection and management; and offsets. The fact sheet also breaks out several programs from Ducks Unlimited Canada, projects funded under Growing Forward 2, and Alternative […] Read more
Report pegs U.S. dairy support levels
U.S. dairy farmers continue to benefit from broad agriculture supports, a study shows. Dairy Farmers of Canada has had Grey, Clark, Shih and Associates regularly study the effect of U.S. government policy on dairy farms in that country. The latest version of the project was released at the Dairy Farmers of Canada policy conference held […] Read more
This ain’t your grandad’s conservation easement
Easements are changing with the times, making it less restrictive for producers to protect their wetlands
Reading Time: 3 minutes Producers can find the right buyers for their marginal lands — if they know where to look. “There is a market out there now for some of these parcels of land that producers might have a hard time off-loading because they’re wet,” said Warren Robb, provincial policy specialist at Ducks Unlimited Canada. And his organization […] Read more
You can now report poachers online
The 1-800 Report A Poacher hotline is the best option when immediate action is needed
Reading Time: 2 minutes You can now report suspicious hunting or fishing activity online. Until now, the only way to report poaching activity, dangerous wildlife or public land abuse was to phone the Report A Poacher hotline. There is now a Report A Poacher website to fill out a form and submit it online. The report goes to fish […] Read more
Donation will spark conservation projects across southern Alberta
A $500,000 gift from philanthropist David Bissett will fund 186 projects on 39 farms and ranches
Reading Time: 3 minutes A$500,000 donation will create almost 1,000 additional acres of conservation land in southern Alberta. “This funding pretty clearly identifies ALUS’s niche,” said Bryan Gilvesy, CEO of ALUS Canada, the organization receiving the donation. “This program isn’t about the traditional environmental ethics of protecting existing features. This harnesses the skills and energy of farmers and ranchers […] Read more
Do your homework before installing tile drainage
Finding out what constitutes a wetland and finding a suitable outlet for drained water are two key considerations
Reading Time: 4 minutes Tile drainage is becoming increasingly popular among Alberta producers concerned about losing valuable land and inputs to excess water. Although tile drainage can be beneficial, it is not without its dangers if a system is designed incorrectly — or if producers don’t know the rules. In Alberta, tile drainage systems — like all drainage or […] Read more
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