Stewardship and Conservation

Agricultural & Environmental Services - Environment and Conservation

Environmental Farm Plan
- Interested in completing an Environmental Farm Plan? Contact Agricultural and Environmental Services for assistance! We can provide a hard copy workbook, or set you up to access the web book online. For information on what the Environmental Farm Plan is, and how it can benefit your operation, go to www.albertaefp.com

Supporting Landowners in Conservation and Stewardship Program

The Waterton Biosphere Region also has a program to support producers wishing to implement on-the-ground projects to improve their habitat management practices in tandem with conserving local biodiversity.

This program provides funding and technical support for projects that steward wetland, riparian, and grassland habitats, ensure water quantity and quality, provide habitat corridors, or maintain particular habitat features required by species at risk. Project examples include, but are not limited to, off-site watering, riparian fencing, fencing for rotational grazing, beaver coexistence mitigations, revegetation of natural buffers, and pollinator plantings.
For more information on the program and project funding support, please visit www.watertonbiosphere.com/projects/habitat-stewardship

Portable Off-Stream Watering Unit

The Agricultural Service Board of the MD of Pincher Creek supports good stewardship and best management practices. We are excited to promote the use of off-stream livestock watering systems and we now have a fully portable unit available to deploy. We are hoping to demonstrate the benefits that off-stream watering can provide to both herd health and the environment while offering a “try before you buy” option to our producers.
Initial trial periods will be limited to two weeks and priority will be given to those producers that offer a reasonably accessible site and are willing to allow others to view the system in situ. All user agreements will be made at the discretion of AES staff.

Allowing Cattle Direct Access To Surface Waters Can Lead To:
Environmental Degradation:

Damage to banks of ponds, streams, creeks and rivers
Erosion, sediment loading and increased turbidity in water source and downstream
Excess nutrient enrichment of waterways
Rapid growth of weeds and algae

Herd Health Problems:

Sundog Solar Sundog Classic Portable Watering System:

Agricultural & Environmental Services - Services

Deadstock Pick-Up and Removal Program
The MD of Pincher Creek in cooperation with the Waterton Biosphere Region has implemented a program to effectively remove and dispose of the carcasses of cattle, bison, goats, and horses. This program includes the entire M.D. of Pincher Creek (as well as areas of Cardston, Willow Creek and Ranchland).
The purpose of the initiative is to remove these attractants from the landscape and effectively reduce human–carnivore conflict. This is being achieved by the availability of bear-proof bins to deposit carcasses in along with on-site pick up by West Coast Reduction ltd. (when necessary for larger stock and horses) with all costs covered by the program. Intensive Livestock Operations are not eligible for the carcass removal program, but may be eligible for help with on farm composting. If transporting any cattle carcasses to the bins, producers must tag the carcass with a CCIA tag and have a valid CFIA SRM transport permit which is issued at no cost and on an annual basis.
These permits can be obtained online and assistance is available from the MD of Pincher Creek Administration Building. Please let either the bin host, or the M.D. know if you have put a carcass in a bin, so that arrangements can be made for West Coast Reduction Ltd. to empty the bin.
For more information on mitigating conflict with large carnivores, please visit www.watertonbiosphere.com/projects/carnivores-communities

Conservation - Related Links:

Alberta Environmental Farm Plan Company Non-profit company that wishes to help farmers identify environmental opportunities and challenges on their land
Beneficial Soil Management Practices Scroll to bottom of this PFRA link for several documents on preserving and improving soil quality
Cows & Fish - Alberta Riparian Habitat Management Program More commonly referred to as Alberta's Cows & Fish Program, a great resource for stream bank health
Alberta Reduced Tillage Links (RT Links) Excellent resource for minimum tillage farmers
Alberta Conservation Association Working together with Albertans to conserve, protect and enhance our natural biological resources
Nature Conservancy Canada Information on NCC's work in the southern part of our municipality near Waterton Lakes National Park
Alberta's Soil Conservation Act