MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - The county’s agricultural service board (ASB) has approved funding for several ecological enhancement projects in the Little Red Deer River and Kneehill Creek watersheds.
The approvals came by way of motions at one of the board’s recent regularly schedule meeting, held in person and on Zoom. The board is made up of county councillors and appointed members of the district’s agricultural community.
Funding of three projects under the ALUS ecological enhancement program was approved, following presentations by administration outlining the projects.
The board approved funding for 75 per cent of materials to a maximum of $555 for 150 metres of dugout fencing materials on a tributary of Spruce Creek in the Kneehill Creek watershed at E 9-33-27-5.
The board also approved additional funding for 25 per cent of the materials, up to a maximum of $2,125 for the solar watering system for the project, which will support 200 cow/calf pairs.
The board approved 100 per cent of funding for materials up to a maximum of $490 for 100 metres of dugout fencing materials on a property at W 33-30-04-5 along the Little Red Deer River.
The board also approved an additional 25 per cent of materials, to a maximum of $1,875, for the solar watering system for the project, which will support 100 cow/calf pairs.
The board also approved funding for 100 per cent of materials to a maximum of $4,040 for the riparian fencing materials on SW 20-29-03-5 and an additional $2,785 to annual payments for the maintenance of these projects from the 2023 ALUS budget, pending contributions from other funders.
During the ASB’s June 19 meeting, Christine Campbell, senior hub manager with ALUS, updated members on the program’s recent activities and programs.
The ALUS program has grown by 21 per cent since 2021, with six provinces and 38 communities now involved. In all, 1,655 farmers and ranchers are involved, a marked increase from only 220 in 2015.
Total acreage covered by projects now stands at 46,305, compared with 4,746 in 2015.
Current projects include 37,550 acres of wetland ecosystems, 36,185 of pollinator habitat, and 8,861 for trees and shrubs.
Regarding funding, ALUS distributed more than $7.4 million to ALUS communities last year, with an additional $5.8 million invested by farmers, ranchers and communities.
Total income nationally was $17.4 million, including $1.6 million from municipalities, $3.6 million from individuals, $2 million from corporations, and $4.2 (million) from provincial governments.
On the expense side, project expenses were $12.1 million. Other project expenses: scuba(s) monitoring, mapping and database totalled $3.8 million, and administration expenses were $950,404.
Thirty-eight projects were delivered in six provinces as of March 31; 47 per cent or 18 projects, were in Alberta.
Board members made a motion that the local ASB support offer to host the 2023 ALUS Western Hub Conference Sept. 26-28.
Members are also carried a motion accepting Campbell’s presentation as information.
