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The Partners in Habitat Development (PHD) program, which was co-founded in 1998 by the Eastern Irrigation District and the Calgary Chapter of Pheasants Forever, is a grass-roots initiative designed to create, enhance and restore wildlife habitat throughout the cultivated regions of southern Alberta, primarily on privately-held land. With a long term goal of working in all 13 irrigation districts, the PHD program currently operates in the Bow River, Eastern, Lethbridge Northern, Raymond, St. Mary River and Western irrigation districts.
As a partnership-based initiative, PHD projects are mutually beneficial to both the landowner as well as providing the land with the required habitat elements to increase and sustain southern Alberta’s wildlife populations. Guided by the expertise of the PHD Wildlife Habitat Technicians, projects and activities are flexible and tailored to the needs of the individual landowners and their farming operations. Trees and shrubs are provided by the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Association (PFRA) at no cost to the landowner. Fencing materials may also be provided by the PHD program in cases where livestock exclusion is necessary. Local students are hired for the summer months to help plant trees, apply mulch, replace dead trees and assist in watering, weeding, and maintenance of sites, all at no cost to the landowner.
Since the program began, many other partners have joined the effort by providing technical knowledge, funding assistance and in-kind support. These partnerships, which encompass a diverse cross section of industry and government as well as both the corporate and private sectors, are the key to the continued success of the PHD program.
For Further Information Please Contact:
Margo Jarvis Redelback - Senior Habitat Technician
Telephone: 403-362-1413
Email: margo.redelback@eid.ab.ca |
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