Alternative Land Use Service (ALUS) Lanark is expanding to include all of the Mississippi-Rideau watershed.
The expanded program will help farmers complete ecosystem projects such as reforestation, windbreaks, riparian buffers, wetland projects, grassland and pollinator habitat, delayed cut/grazing, and clean water projects. Project costs are eligible to be covered partially or in full. Some may even be eligible to receive annual payments for their ecosystem contributions.
The new program will cover 8,500 square kilometres, encompassing 31 municipalities home to nearly one million people. The program bolsters the value of agriculture and ecological sustainability in the region, which remains the backbone of many local communities.
“We’re thrilled to expand this partnership with ALUS to reach even more farmers across the watershed,” Sommer Casgrain-Robertson, general manager of the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA), said in a press release. “We’ve seen a steady uptake from Lanark farmers, and there is a growing interest across the watershed. We’re grateful to local farmers for all they do, so we’re excited to provide additional incentives so they can complete more conservation projects that improve the health of our watershed, our communities and local farmland.”
The program is administered jointly by the RVCA and the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA). Under ALUS Lanark, a total of 44 projects created 320 acres of habitat enhancements on 19 properties.
Mississippi-Rideau is home to many notable features including the Ottawa, Rideau and Mississippi River, as well as parts of the Canadian Shield and the Great Lakes Basin. This provides ample opportunity for new sustainability projects.
“The farmers know these projects can enhance their operations including their water management, and ALUS makes it possible to take the leap,” Sally McIntyre, general manager of the MVCA, said in a press release.
ALUS Mississippi-Rideau will continue to be guided in its decision making by a Partnership Advisory Committee (PAC) to ensure local priorities are addressed through approved projects. Half of the committee are local farmers who, in partnership with the other committee members (local elected officials, environmental experts, etc.), determine which projects are prioritized for funding.