New project aims to help sustain species at risk

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

The Canadian prairies are home to some of the most incredible and unique species of plants and animals. Unfortunately, some of these species exist in numbers so low they are considered to be in danger of disappearing.

However, thanks to the co-operative efforts of several agencies, a new project is being launched across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba to help sustain these species-at-risk by identifying and promoting beneficial agricultural management practices that will help to keep them safe and sound into the future.

According to Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF) Forage Development Specialist for Ecological Services Dale Weisbrot, the “Species at Risk Beneficial Management Practices” project has two primary intents:

* to develop producer-friendly information packages describing beneficial agricultural management practices for prairie species-at-risk specific to eco-regions and habitat types; and
* to provide technical support to appropriate extension and program delivery agencies to support implementation of beneficial management practices by agricultural producers and land managers.

“The project’s goal is to review current agricultural practices and their impacts – positive, negative and neutral – on Canadian prairie species-at-risk,” Weisbrot said. “That information will then be used to identify beneficial management practices that leverage positive impacts and mitigate negative impacts on these species in each eco-region.”

The project is being funded primarily through the Greencover Canada Program, a Government of Canada initiative to help producers improve land management practices, protect water quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance biodiversity and wildlife habitat. It is directed and supported by a partnership that includes Environment Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food, Saskatchewan Watershed Authority, Alberta Fish and Wildlife, and Manitoba Conservation. Numerous other partner organizations across the prairies are providing technical advice to the project, and plan to assist in disseminating the resulting information to producers.

Sue Michalsky, a rancher from Eastend, is the Project Manager co-ordinating the consultation and overseeing the reviews and reference material design. Michalsky says that consultation will play a big part in the success of this initiative. She indicated that representatives of the federal and provincial agencies involved in species-at-risk issues plan to work with producers and species experts to develop consensus and craft technical information on best management practices.

“The project team is currently seeking producers or other land managers who actively manage for a species-at-risk on their land to act as advisors to the project,” Michalsky noted. “Fortunately, the project has generated a great deal of interest within the agricultural sector, and many individual members of partner organizations have become engaged in providing technical assistance.”

The development of beneficial management practices as they pertain to agriculture will be guided by a number of principles. The practices will:

1. be species-based, ecologically driven in a landscape context;
2. be measurable, based on the best available science and knowledge;
3. encourage stewardship and a co-operative approach that is relevant to producers;
4. be context driven, adaptive to the needs of the species, and flexible;
5. be targeted to species-at-risk, and not wildlife or species generally;
6. consider socioeconomic constraints for producers;
7. consider compliance and regulatory issues; and
8. consider technology transfer applicability.

Once developed, the beneficial management practices will be recommended and promoted to producers and other important stakeholders, whose activities can have considerable impact on the environments of the various species-at-risk. Current land management practices having a negative impact on species at risk will also be identified so that beneficial management practices can be developed to replace them.

The information will also be freely available to government departments, producer groups or NGOs that may be able to help implement the results. Federal and provincial agencies, for example, could incorporate the beneficial management practices and products into their technology transfer initiatives. The information could similarly be provided to help various authorities responsible for environmental assessment and regulatory review in identifying potential mitigation methods.

A Stakeholder Consultation Workshop is planned for January 24 and 25 at the Cypress Hills Provincial Park in Saskatchewan. The workshop will facilitate the provision of feedback by key stakeholders from the prairies on how the beneficial management practice deliverables can be made more meaningful and effective. Any individuals interested in this initiative are invited to participate in the project.

For further information, contact:

Dale Weisbrot, Forage Development Specialist, Ecological Services
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Phone: (306) 787-9476

Sue Michalsky, Project Manager
Paskwa Consultants Ltd.
Phone: (306) 295-3696