The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) is pleased to announce they have received $2.58 million from Environment and Climate Change Canada to lead a voluntary, producer-driven project to conserve habitat for species at risk in Saskatchewan.
The Species at Risk Partnership on Agricultural Lands (SARPAL) fund supports projects that engage the agricultural sector in preserving key wildlife habitat. Potential initiatives through this project are designed to fit landowners’ unique circumstances, and will include new and inventive conservation strategies that meet the needs of producers and habitat. The work will take place over five years in southwestern Saskatchewan, in areas covered by the South of the Divide Conservation Action Program (SODCAP Inc.), who will also be involved in the delivery of the pilots.
According to the Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS), a “Grass Bank” is a physical place where forage is made available to ranchers, at a reduced fee, in exchange for tangible conservation benefits being produced on participants’ home ranches. The main goal of grass-banking is to have a community-based conservation plan that provides meaningful benefits for both the environment and participating ranchers. Continue reading
Habitat Management Agreements
A Habitat Management Agreement is tailored to each producer’s operation and the particular critical or important habitat that they are managing. The agreements will be based on an evaluation of each ranch, focused planning exercises, the producer’s objectives and resources, habitat conservation goals, and any other relevant circumstances or conditions that are present. Continue reading
Habitat Restoration
The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) in partnership with the South of the Divide Conservation Action Program Inc. (SODCAP Inc.) has funding available for producers to develop habitat restoration projects that create habitat for species at risk in southwest Saskatchewan. We are seeking cooperating producers to submit bids to undertake a habitat restoration project that meets the outlined criteria. Continue reading
Niche Product Branding
Beef can be branded as environmentally or ecologically-friendly and promoted to specialty markets. Certification programs have been used to market beef raised on grasslands that are managed for conservation purposes. Certification attaches certain attributes to beef products and some consumers value that. Consumers will choose certified products over other products and are willing to pay a premium for them. Continue reading
Results Based Agreements
Results-Based Stewardship’ is a tool that can be used to produce environmental benefits including habitat for species at risk. Results-Based Conservation Agreements are agreements signed with producers that identify and describe specific ‘results’ or desired habitat characteristics that producers can work towards. In exchange for achieving the desired habitat targets, producers are rewarded with financial incentives. Continue reading
Term Conservation Easements
A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement between a grantor, generally a landowner and a registered holder, who could be a conservation organization or a government agency. The terms of the agreement are negotiated to meet the interests of the landowner and the conservation objectives of the holder, with the main objective being to protect and preserve the biological, physical and cultural attributes of the land. Continue reading
For program delivery information, contact:
Tom Harrison, Executive Director, SODCAP Inc.
306-530-1385
ed@sodcap.com
