| | Rangeland stewardship by generations of ranchers has helped to sustain crucial habitat for many endangered and threatened species. But the complex and diverse biology of the various species makes it challenging to know how to further enhance voluntary stewardship actions. An ambitious four-year pilot project is taking up that challenge.
Called the Prairie Species-at-Risk Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) project, it began in 2004 and presently focuses on a pilot group of 14 species. The eventual goal is to expand the project’s scope to include the full suite of species at risk that overlap the agricultural prairie landscape.
The project aims “…to work with key stakeholder organizations to build awareness and understanding of what producers on the prairies can do to enhance the compatibility of their activities with species at risk,” says Michele Williamson of Environment Canada. She chairs the project’s multi-agency steering committee, which includes agricultural and environmental agencies of the Government of Canada and the three Prairie Provinces.
“There are many existing non-governmental, provincial and federal stewardship program delivery agencies as well as very effective producer groups,” says Williamson. “We want to enhance the good work they’re already doing by providing them with consistent, producer-friendly information on BMPs to conserve species at risk, that they can then deliver to interested producers.”
Although other land uses also influence species at risk, the project focuses on agriculture. That is because farmers and ranchers assistance is required to conserve Canada’s species at risk. “Agricultural producers can actually steward species at risk on the lands they manage,” notes Sue Michalsky, who is the project manager. “Other land users that impact species at risk can just minimize or mitigate negative impacts.”
The project has two main objectives:
- To develop information on BMPs for prairie species at risk specific to bioregions/habitat types; and
- To provide technical support to extension and program delivery agencies on these BMPs.
Various existing stewardship programs include biodiversity-related BMPs, but Williamson explains that the recommended practices often “…tend to be very generic. However the biology of a species can vary across eco-regions and habitats, and under various land management practices.”
To deal with this remarkable biological complexity, the project team is building a unique database. The database breaks down every agricultural practice on the prairies according to its potential ecological impacts – from positive to neutral to negative – on each species. This is accomplished by reviewing existing studies and expertise, and then breaking out local landscape differences. Once the BMPs for the individual species are established, the project will develop protocols for dealing with situations where the needs of one species conflict with the needs of another.
Collaboration with stakeholder organizations is essential. Through workshops and one-on-one consultations, the stakeholders involved will provide input into the development of BMPs, technology transfer products, and the BMP delivery process. For example, a workshop in January 2007 gathered input from representatives of about 30 stakeholder organizations, such as the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, Alberta Beef Producers, Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, and Ducks Unlimited Canada.
Each stakeholder decides how involved it wants to be in the project. Some organizations, including the AESA Program, have already joined the project’s technical advisory group. “This group of advisors continues to grow as the project gains momentum,” notes Williamson. For more information or if your organization would like to participate in the project, contact Sue Michalsky (306-295-3696; suemichalsky@sasktel.net). |
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