UPCOMING EVENT: Ladies Livestock Lessons Coming Up

Register today...it's coming fast: June 15 and 16, 2011.

This is one that ranch and farm ladies don't want to miss. Registration is capped at 40 people to make this an even greater learning opportunity.

For information, including agenda and highlights from past years, and an on-line registration form, see the Ladies Livestock Lessons webpage:

http://ladieslivestocklessons.blogspot.com/

Off the Creek "hits the road"

In the last two weeks, along with Cows and Fish, we held two "Community Conversations" about riparian areas in Red Deer County.  They were held on the last two Tuesday evenings, and were well attended (though the second suffered from the latest spring snowstorm...)

The first was held with landowners living beside or near Adams Lake, a small lake in the west part of the County.  The second was with landowners who own land along Gaetz Creek or its tributaries.

The purpose of the meetings was to share ideas about the riparian areas around the lake or along the creek, and to hear what residents had to say about them and wanted to do about them.  We also established 4 clear actions to take in each community, by consensus of those in attendance. 

Some of the actions that will be pursued are:

• Riparian Health Inventories around Adams Lake
• Riparian Health Field days, in both communities
• Education / awareness campaign in the Gaetz Creek watershed.

With the communities, we'll work on taking these and the other action ideas and making them a reality.

Emerald Award Nomination: Congratulations to Off the Creek Landowners!

Red Deer County's Agricultural Services Board has nominated the Off the Creek Landowners for a 2011 Emerald Award!!

The "Landowners" are the 44 people in Red Deer County who have done a total of 55 projects to benefit riparian health.  This has all happened just since 2006, with funding support from the Alberta Conservation Association and the County. 

Info on the Emerald Awards can be found at: http://www.emeraldfoundation.ca/emerald-awards/

Stay tuned...we'll learn in the next few weeks if the Off the Creek Landowners are "shortlisted"...the award winners are announced in June.

Grazing a Sedge Meadow Poll

Thanks to all who "voted" in the Grazing a Sedge Meadow Poll...

This is a topic of interest to me, I plan on looking into it more.  Please send along any resources, experiences or other ideas you have on the topic.

I was googling before breakfast the other day, and found a few interesting articles on the subject...I know there's many more...but I got caught up in reading these...then the kids woke up. 

Here's the links:
http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/factshts/2004-3027.pdf (Cattle Grazing and Its Long-term Effects on Sedge Meadows...Wisconsin)

https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/wnan/index.php/wnan/article/view/1830/2178 (Dry Year Grazing and Nebraska Sedge...California)

http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_other/rmrs_2004_cole_d005.pdf (Response of Mountain Meadows to Grazing by Recreational Pack Stock...California)

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/30702691/WET-SEDGE-MEADOW-HABITAT_-SOUTHERN (a study of the effects of muskox grazing on sedge meadows...)

Off the Creek Poll #1: Grazing a Sedge Meadow

Let's see if we can get some on-line conversation going.  Please respond to the poll I've put up (top right), asking you about grazing a sedge meadow.

Most importantly, please use the "Comments" feature immediately below this post (just click the word), to provide information about why you've responded the way you did. 

Remember, there's no right or wrong.  Everyone brings their own knowledge and experience to this discussion, and each of those is valuable to all of us...

Here's a picture of what I mean when I say "sedge meadow".  I've also put some words describing a sedge meadow below, as a comment.

Thanks for sharing!

Fences

This is a little slide show and some words I put together around 3 years ago.  The narration's a little quiet, you may need to turn up the volume on your computer...

I've learned how to put this on YouTube...hopefully this will address some issues some people had with looking at a Blogger movie...just click this link, and the video should open up in YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a6FoxyhA4o

Please note: since I put this together, many more people have done many more things to look after wetlands, shallow groundwater, native range, riparian areas and water bodies.  I've had the privilege to work with a lot of them.  One of these days, I'll have to update this to include more of the recent projects that people have done.

Exciting Changes to the Off the Creek Program for 2011

The Off the Creek Program provides funding and information to landowners who wish to make changes on their land that benefit the environment and their farm/ranch/land. 

The Red Deer County Agricultural Services Board has approved changes to the Off the Creek Program for 2011.  These changes will benefit landowners who choose to participate in the program.

Some of the changes include:

·        Maximum funding available per project: $4000 ($5000 if you have an Environmental Farm Plan or equivalent)

·        Projects can benefit: riparian areas, surface water quality, native range, or shallow groundwater

·        Eligible Project Expenses: any expense you incur for the project, in the calendar year of the project

·        Funding Retroactivity: if you do a project in 2011, then apply for funding afterwards (in 2011), you may be eligible for funding (but keep in mind: if you apply for funding before you do a project, and your application is approved, you’re guaranteed the funding).

What kind of projects are eligible?

Any project that benefits riparian areas, surface water quality, native range, or shallow groundwater on your land may be eligible.

In the past, the Off the Creek Program has supported riparian fencing projects, stream crossings, off-stream livestock watering systems, portable shelters and so on.  These projects remain eligible.  Some other ideas for projects that may be eligible, include:

·        Environmentally sustainable weed control

·        Septic system improvements

·        Manure Run-on or Run-off projects

·        Manure application projects

·        Soil and Manure Sampling (for a Manure Management Plan)

·        Digging a new dugout or a new well

·        Off-site watering from a ground-water fed dugout

·        Renting equipment that allows you to try out an environmentally beneficial management practice (for example, a portable off-site watering system).

In 2010, the Off the Creek Program supported 14 County landowners in doing 16 projects.  One of these projects, completed by the Warrens along a tributary to the Medicine River, is below.

Landowners in Red Deer County are encouraged to contact me as soon as possible to discuss your project ideas, or if you have any questions.  My phone number is 403.342.8653 and my email is klewis@rdcounty.ca. Information is also posted on the Red Deer County website: www.rdcounty.ca (mouse over “Agriculture”, click “Land and Water Management” then click “Off the Creek”).