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Photo: Kristin Cuss
The Counties of Flagstaff and Paintearth are a mix of livestock and cropping operations throughout. The AESA program in the two counties offers something for all agricultural producers by including pasture management, riparian area management, nutrient management and integrated crop management in the program.
“Our main program priorities focus on pasture management, both tame and native, and riparian management, “explains Kristin Cuss, Rural Conservation Technician for the Counties of Flagstaff and Paintearth. There are also some secondary projects that focus on nutrient management and integrated crop management. “Our program has a really big advantage with the Battle River Research Group (BRRG) in our area. The more we can partner on projects, the more effective our programming is.”
Cuss feels that one of the most successful programs they offered last year was a Pasture School Series, which ran for six weeks one night a week. Cuss partnered with Jenifer Heyden of the BRRG. “We thought this was one of our best events throughout the year,” says Cuss. “We heard a lot of good feedback from the producers who attended. Providing information on one topic per session was received really well by producers, and they felt the information they got was valuable.” The Series covered a range of pasture management topics, such as range health, plant identification, stocking rates and carrying capacity, and included a tour of a local producer’s rotational grazing system. The program will be offered again this coming year, focusing on more advanced topics.
“We also partnered with the Iron Creek Water Improvement Society (ICWIS) for the last session of the Pasture School, focusing on riparian health,” explains Cuss. The Society is a producer-organized group, supported by AESA, BRRG, Cows and Fish Program and others. “Another successful event organized by the Society was the Wood and Water Pancake Breakfast,” says Cuss. “The breakfast was followed by presentations focusing on the importance of trees on our landscape for water quality, quantity and agricultural production. We also promoted the PFRA program for planting shelterbelts and wildlife plantings, which is another priority for us.”
The ICWIS conducted a Riparian Health Inventory in their watershed in 2001, and recent funding has received to revisit Iron Creek this summer. “This is one of the first watershed groups in the central region to go back and re-conduct a Riparian Health Inventory with Cows and Fish,” says Cuss. “This reassessment is really important to the ICWIS, and will provide a really good indication of what is going on in our landscape.” The comparison isn’t just a reflection of changes in management practices, but also climate. “We’ve had a drought since the first Inventory, so it will be interesting to see what has happened.”
Cuss partnered with the Chinook Applied Research Association (CARA) to hold a Women’s Grazing School last fall. “Grazing Schools for Women have been gaining in popularity and we wanted to hold a school locally. We had an amazing response, and plan to hold an in-field follow-up school this summer.” Cuss notes that in the planning of the school, they invited some of the local women to participate and provide ideas for topics and speakers. “Although we have to balance their ideas with our program objectives, I think the more we can include the topics they identify, the more success we have.”
Several Alberta Environmental Farm Plan workshops were held over the winter, with the program continuing to gain momentum. “We also partnered last year with the Counties of Camrose and Stettler and the BRRG to hold a Manure Management Course in Camrose,” says Cuss. Other events included a Soil Quality Day and a Pesticide Applicator’s Course, which provided the opportunity for participants to gain credits toward their certification.” A similar event is being planned for the coming year, with a focus on crop diseases, weeds and pests, which will also offer accreditation.
For more information, contact:
Kristin Cuss at (780) 384-3635 or email: kcuss@flagstaff.ab.ca |
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