Meristem: Crop Science

A new project is looking for Alberta farmers and ranchers who want to build a more comprehensive habitat plan for their farming operation. In the process they will have the opportunity to build a greater understanding of biodiversity on their land.

"Natural Advantage, The On-Farm Wildlife and Biodiversity Planning Service," is a pilot project currently being offered free of charge to help producers develop plans to protect and manage wildlife habitat on their land. The project, sponsored by Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC), plans to work with 60-80 producers on farms of different sizes and in different geographical areas to participate in the program in the coming year.

"We are finding a number of producers who want to better understand their habitat assets," says Kim Schmitt, director of the project. "There are many reasons for this. Some are seeking to differentiate their farm operations by demonstrating high stewardship and sustainability standards. In other cases knowledge of the link between aesthetics, diversity, wildlife habitat and land value are the drivers. Others are moving in this direction out of a sense of commitment to stewardship values and quality of life in general."

Schmitt adds that whatever their reason, he hopes that this initiative will add value by shining a light on producers' habitat assets. He says that integrating habitat management into farming operations now could well result in significant reward in short, mid and longer terms.

The program helps producers systematically analyze their farm's situation. Areas for integration into their farms are identified, and producers are then able to pinpoint opportunities for improvement. Participants are then encouraged to make changes using funding assistance available through the Canada-Alberta Farm Stewardship Program (CAFSP). In order to apply for stewardship funding, participants must have completed the Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) process.

Participation in the EFP program is a prerequisite to the Natural Advantage stewardship initiative, says Schmitt. DUC manages the project with funding support provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Greencover Canada Program.

The service is intended to be a simple process for producers, without a big time commitment, says Schmitt. DUC biologists will work with participating farms and ranches to help producers identify, map and classify wildlife habitat on the property.

Initially, biologists will conduct a phone interview with producers to see how their farm or ranch will fit into the project. Following that first discussion, aerial photos will be gathered to map out habitat on the farm.

DUC biologists will then spend a half day with the landowner examining key habitat areas on the property. Biologists also complete a rapid condition assessment. Digital photos, representative of each type of habitat, are used to support the communication process and are included in the final report.

In the end, the producer will receive a comprehensive written evaluation based on the data gathered, including resource materials and contact information to assist with the implementation of recommendations in the report.

"This will offer a more thorough look than most producers will likely have done in the past," says Schmitt. "Hopefully, through this process producers will gain a better understanding of their habitat and how cropping and farming practices affect it. It all comes down to developing a better understanding of the biodiversity on their farms and ranches."

Schmitt says with the increasing awareness of the full value of on-farm habitat on private land together with the public's interest in protecting habitat, this project has the potential to grow into a larger initiative. "We plan to develop a network of conservation-minded farmers and ranchers that can help lead to the adoption of other beneficial management practices," he says.

While the project is well underway, there are still spaces available. In order to be considered for the program, interested producers should contact Brett Boukall at 403-348-5258, or Jolene Hillson at 780-439-5145. A letter of understanding will get the process started, with assessments completed over the summer and early fall.

Ducks Unlimited Canada is a private non-profit organization that supports the conservation, restoration and management of wetlands and associated habitats. These habitats benefit waterfowl, other wildlife and people.

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New project to support stewardship of on-farm wildlife habitat