Conserving freshwater on marginal lands by paying producers for stewardship actions is the goal of the ALUS and Wascana & Upper Qu’Appelle Watersheds Association Taking Responsibility, Inc. (WUQWATR) partnership through a grant from Environment and Climate Change Canada. WUQWATR continues its ALUS program delivery through this grant.
“Projects that environmentally benefit marginal lands are eligible as long as they offer valuable ecosystem services,” says David Sloan, chair of the WUQWATR Board and producer southeast of Regina in the Wascana Watershed.
“This spring if a producer seeds tame forage, creates pollinator habitat, puts up exclusion fencing or restores a wetland, we (WUQWATR) can help fund these types of projects,” says Sloan.
“To be an ALUS project recipient, producers can restore a wetland, reforest an area, plant a windbreak or a riparian buffer, manage for sustainable drainage, or any other stewardship effort on marginal lands and receive a per-acre payment for these environmental benefits,” he stated. “WUQWATR also provides annual payment to maintain them for five or more years.”
Initial project costs are typically split 50:50 through the ALUS program and the producer, but subsequent annual payments are based on the total acres and type of project.
For instance, a producer may receive an annual payment for projects on cropland and for conversion of cropland to perennial forages and for enhanced natural water runs. All for recognition of producer contributions to our ecosystem.
WUQWATR’s watersheds extend from Regina to Humboldt and Central Butte to Tyvan. Contact WUQWATR at info@wuqwatr.ca for more details.
