Reading Time: 4 minutes Sometimes, you don’t know what you’ve got until you have a wildlife habitat assessment done. That was the case for Melissa and Murray Downing, who were among the first to participate in a relatively new initiative by the Alberta Conservation Association. “We learned a lot about the different species that exist here,” said Melissa who […] Read more
Using a conservation assessment as a springboard
Program offers a check on wildlife and ranch health, and works with ranchers to make improvements
Warning issued about coyote parasite
Reading Time: < 1 minute A disease expert is warning rural Albertans to take precautions in order to avoid a parasite commonly carried by coyotes, reports the e-newsletter from Alberta Beef Producers. The tapeworm doesn’t seem to affect coyotes but its feces contain the parasite’s eggs and when rodents ingest some of the droppings, they develop a growth on their […] Read more
U.S. reports world’s first deer with COVID-19
Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. government said Friday it had confirmed the world’s first cases of COVID-19 in deer, expanding the list of animals known to have tested positive for the disease. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported infections of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in wild white-tailed deer in the state of […] Read more
A bird’s-eye view of majestic raptors
Reading Time: 3 minutes If you’re on the internet and looking around for something to interest the kids, why not check out Alberta Conservation Association’s ferruginous hawk cam? The ferruginous hawks, which live on nesting platforms in the Milk River area, have been on camera since 2018 and viewers have seen some cool things, such as parents feeding the […] Read more
Albertans urged to squeal on wild pigs
Reading Time: < 1 minute Anyone spotting wild boars is asked to report the sighting to the Alberta Invasive Species Council, which has launched a campaign called Squeal on Pigs. Anyone who sees the wild pigs or comes across damage they have caused is urged to either call 310-FARM, email [email protected], or use the EDDMaps app (Early Detection and Distribution […] Read more
Award-winning ranch builds conservation into its business plan
Soderglen Ranches South recognized for its environmental efforts with top stewardship award
Reading Time: 3 minutes Good stewardship is good business, say the winners of the 2021 Alberta Beef Producers Environmental Stewardship Award. “Environmental stewardship is simply a way of protecting the environment and our investment at the same time,” Elan Lees, business manager of Soderglen Ranches South, said in an email interview. “If we do it right, we may be […] Read more
Native pollinators want to be your buddies
Some simple things can make your land more attractive to pollinators
Reading Time: 4 minutes There’s no denying that native pollinators are important — and there are things you can do to encourage these keystone species to come live on your land. Native pollinators are critical for forages and crops, agroforestry specialist Luke Wonneck said during a recent Foothills Forage and Grazing Association webinar. “Pollination is plant sex. Because plants […] Read more
How do you view hunting on your farm or ranch?
Conservation groups seeking view of rural landowners on allowing hunters on their property
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Alberta Conservation Association wants to find out the views of rural landowners when it comes to allowing hunters on their land. While hunters can and do cause problems for farmers and ranchers, many welcome them and the role they play in wildlife management, the association said in a release. “No matter what perspective you […] Read more
Grasslands Conservation Guide available
Reading Time: < 1 minute Birds Canada has produced a 69-page guide to help landowners learn more about financial incentive programs available to preserve, enhance, or restore grasslands and important prairie habitats. The guide outlines available programs, including ones available in Alberta. Some offer funding for projects while others offer assistance in protecting habitat and species that rely on grasslands. […] Read more
Zoo takes steps to save beloved, but highly endangered, Prairie bird
Reading Time: 4 minutes Many rural landowners in their elder years may remember the odd and captivating sound made by greater sage grouse males as they courted females. But the once-common sound — variously described as a soft booming, burbling or popping — has been rarely heard for decades as the greater sage grouse population fell to fewer than […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
