AAFC-PFRA Alberta / British Columbia

AAFC-PFRA partners with provincial agriculture departments in Alberta and British Columbia, rural municipalities, the agricultural industry and others to promote sustainable land and water use. AAFC-PFRA delivers service to clients by way of district offices located throughout Alberta and B.C.'s Peace River Region.

AAFC-PFRA's primary focus is to provide information and targeted funding to promote sustainable land and water use and drought risk management. AAFC-PFRA promotes and supports efforts by rural people to manage land and water resources in an environmentally responsible manner, making these resources available for both current and future economic opportunities. AAFC-PFRA regional and district staff work with individuals, organizations, private industry, educational institutions and various levels of government to address key land, water and drought-related issues.

AAFC-PFRA provides current information, supports targeted research, and provides limited financial incentives to local group initiatives (e.g. watershed groups, aquifer protection groups, research agencies) in the following priority areas:

Sustainable land use and land management

• support community based action (watersheds)
• land use planning (integrated resource management, environmental sensitivity analysis, water quality protection)
• resource inventory
• soil suitability
• riparian management
• seasonal feeding areas
• range and grazing management
• soil conservation
• shelterbelts/ wildlife habitat

Key projects supported by AAFC-PFRA include:

• Oldman Basin Water Quality Initiative http://www.agr.gc.ca/pfra/offices/oldmanwq.htm
• Agricultural Environmental Stewardship Initiative (AESI): The objective of the AESI is to help propel the farming industry toward its goal of balancing production with environmental stewardship. Funding is administered through industry-led Canadian Adaptation and Rural Development (CARD) program councils, and AAFC is working with the provinces and industry to develop an integrated plan for managing financial, environmental and on-farm food safety risks. The AESI will help develop and implement integrated environmental planning at the farm level and will target plans that integrate soil and water quality, habitat, biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions. Funding is directed to the development of a wide range of tools, including whole farm assessment instruments, training materials, workshops, demonstration farm and other pilot projects.
• Land management, riparian management, and water quality protection projects in British Columbia. In partnership with Ducks Unlimited, the Jackson Slough Project is being carried out in the B.C. Peace River area and showcases riparian management and remote watering systems. In partnership with the Peace River Forage Association of B.C., demonstrations are being presented showing watering systems for grazing management and water quality protection (remote watering systems, pasture pipelines etc.).

Examples of projects being carried out with partners:

• Alberta's Community Riparian Program (CRP). The program's goal is to protect sensitive riparian areas in the province. For more information, visit: http://www.agfoodcouncil.com/serve/riparian.html
• Alberta Cows and Fish Riparian Habitat Management Program. For more information, visit: http://www.cowsandfish.org/
• North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance. For more information, visit: http://www.nswa.ab.ca/
• Southern Alberta Regional Strategy, Alberta Environment. For more information, visit: http://www3.gov.ab.ca/env/irm/irm_strategies.html
• Mountain View Waterways Restoration Project. A producer-driven group is addressing water quality issues in several watersheds in central Alberta that eventually drain into the South Saskatchewan River. For more information, visit: http://www.albertawatersheds.org/
• Conservation Based Management Zones in the MD of Foothills No.31
• Land Use Core Action Team (LUCAT). For more information, visit: http://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/ministry/apmc/council_connect/ccv2n1a.html http://www.landuse.ab.ca/Speeches/candace_vanin_peter_aschenmeier_speech.pdf
• Sheep River Watershed Management Information System. For more information, visit: http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/nrcanonline/rural_e.html http://www.fcm.ca/scep/case_studies/land_use/okotoks_landuse_sum.htm

AAFC funding supports projects that promote sustainable land management. Projects that have received funding in 2002/03 include:

• Grazing management planning and implementation (e.g. financial support for pasture pipelines) in areas within the MD of Wainwright, MD of Provost, and Cypress County
• Surface water quality protection projects in watersheds such as the Little Red Deer River, Medicine River, Beaver Creek, Lac la Biche, and in the North Saskatchewan River Basin
• Research into the impacts of agriculture on water quality

Reliable water supplies

• water sourcing, development and management
• water source protection (surface water and groundwater) from overuse or contamination
• drought risk management of water supplies
• water conservation

Key projects supported by AAFC-PFRA include:

• Drought information. In partnership with the province, 34 new drought monitoring stations have been established across Alberta. This network is called the Drought Net.
• Groundwater studies for counties and municipal districts in Alberta. For more information, visit: http://www.agr.gc.ca/pfra/water/groundw.htm
• Management and groundwater protection plans for aquifers such as Grimshaw aquifer and Milk River Aquifer (includes well plugging, water well survey and monitoring)

AAFC's Rural Water Development Program (RWDP) supports projects that promote sustainable water development and management. Examples of projects that have received funding include:

• Well plugging programs proposed by rural municipalities such as Flagstaff County, MD of Provost, MD of Wainwright, Kneehill County
• Regional groundwater studies for Red Deer County, MD of Pincher Creek, Cardston County, Wheatland County, Clearwater County, Ponoka County, MD of Lesser Slave River, Yellowhead County
• Development of a water management and protection plan for the Whisky Valley Aquifer (Warner County)
• Monitoring of water levels at key locations within a rural municipality to determine or confirm trends in aquifer water levels (County of Paintearth, Yellowhead County)

Protect and improve agricultural biodiversity and conserve natural biodiversity

• shelterbelts: AAFC-PFRA partners with Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and the province's municipalities to provide tree materials and planning for the Agroforestry (Shelterbelt) Program. For more information, visit: http://www.agr.gc.ca/pfra/shbgene.htm
• agroforestry
• range management

AAFC-PFRA Programs in Alberta and British Columbia

Financial assistance is available for rural water development and management projects through AAFC-PFRA's Rural Water Development Program (RWDP). In Alberta, the RWDP is used to support group projects that assist in protecting surface water, protecting groundwater, assist with drought risk management, or assist with grazing management. Why groups?....because a group approach can be more effective in protecting land and water (e.g. in one watershed, or in one aquifer). Individual projects are also currently supported by the Alberta Farm Water Program.