Taking a Group Approach to Watershed-Based Environmental Farm Plans

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

The new Saskatchewan Agri-Environmental Planning Group (AEGP) for the Lower Assiniboine and Lake of the Prairie Sub-Watersheds is working to implement conservation initiatives for their portion of the east-central region of the province.

“Under the Agricultural Policy Framework to which Saskatchewan committed a few years ago, there is funding available under the environmental section to carry out individual environmental farm plans (EFPs) as well as area-level watershed-based environmental farm plans," explains Todd Jorgenson, Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF) Forage Development Specialist and a member of the technical support contingent of the AEGP.

Because of the size of the Assiniboine River watershed, a smaller area was selected to be able to logistically implement an EFP. Partners include SAF, Ducks Unlimited Canada, the Yellowhead Regional Economic Development Authority, and the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority with help from local producers. The significance of the Lower Assiniboine/Lake of the Prairies Environmental Group Plan, explains Jorgenson, is that it will strategically focus attention on issues specific to that watershed. Two public meetings—in Langenburg and Wroxton—have just been held for producers within the watershed.

"We will be sending a report on these meetings to the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA), which will review it within their group and determine which beneficial management practices (BMPs) are best-suited to this particular area," says Jorgenson. "We want to make sure that producers have the opportunity to implement these practices in the upcoming year."

At the two public meetings, producers were told about the EFP process, and their input was solicited. A biophysical inventory of the area was displayed, which formed the basis for identifying land use issues. The issues were prioritized and discussed in the context of how an EFP and BMPs would address them.

"Most of the concerns that emerged dealt with forage and riparian area management, which relates to BMPs such as establishing buffer strips, seeding forages, cross-fencing, alternative water development, or simply improved range-forage management practices," says Jorgenson.

“The benefit of the area plan is that, if you are a producer in that watershed, you won’t have to go through an individual farm plan to access cost-shared funding administered by the PFRA to help implement BMPs. Producers in the area can just contact the Yellowhead REDA in Langenburg (306-743-5177) to discuss the area EFP and the BMPs that would be applicable to the individual farm. As part of this project, we will be hiring a full-time technician. He or she will be based in Langenburg, and will be the main contact for the project."

The EFP's steering committee is comprised of Jorgenson, representatives from Ducks Unlimited and the local REDA, as well as a Saskatchewan Watershed Authority specialist, and will provide overall direction for the project. The Lake of the Prairies Conservation District in Manitoba is also involved as a partner in this project.

It is expected that, by the end of the process, there will be nine such projects in the province.

For more information, contact:

Todd Jorgenson
Forage Development Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
(306) 786-5859