The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) has partnered with GreenUP to explore the possibility of bringing the Alternative Land Use Services program to the Peterborough County and Kawartha Lakes region. An event has been scheduled for Thursday, October 29th in Peterborough to inform the public and to gauge interest for the program in the community.
Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) is a non-government program that recognizes that stewardship best practices on private land benefit the entire community. The program provides incentives to farmers and rural landowners to enact projects and practices that protect waterways, provide habitat for endangered species, plant native species, and any other initiative that benefits the ecosystem as a whole. A wide diversity of species like insect pollinators, birds, small mammals, and white-tailed deer will benefit from ALUS projects.
An important feature of the ALUS program is that it is farmer-driven and locally administered. A steering committee made up of local landowners and other community stake-holders provides direction for the program and makes all decisions about how it is implemented in each of its active regions.
OFAH believes the program can play an important role in the restoration of game habitat on private lands. OFAH biologists have expressed frustration at the limited scope of some programs that target single-species for protection, but fail to take into account the need for a holistic, ecosystem-based approach to habitat management.
“As a long-time supporter of the ALUS program in other areas of Ontario, the OFAH has witnessed firsthand the benefits it generates for wildlife, the farming community, and society as a whole,” says Matt DeMille, Manager of Fish and Wildlife Services at OFAH. “A wide diversity of species like insect pollinators, birds, small mammals, and white-tailed deer will benefit from ALUS projects. We are excited about the possibility of working with local partners on community-led and farmer-delivered habitat conservation initiatives.”
The ALUS program is currently active in four regions in Ontario and in five provinces across the country.
Meet an ALUS Producer – Bonnieheath Estate (Norfolk Ontario)
The project in Norfolk County was the first to be established in Canada and has been running continuously since the pilot project in 2007. It has since grown into a county-wide program involving more than 175 farm families with more than 1,200 acres enrolled in the program. Approximately 10% of farmers in Norfolk County have received incentives to restore wetland habitat, plant tall-grass buffers along streams, and create pollinator habitat — among other projects.
The other three ALUS programs currently active in Ontario include the municipality of Bayham, Grey and Bruce Counties, and Ontario East (Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry, Prescott-Russell). All three of these regions recently completed three-year pilot projects and are moving on to establish permanent ALUS programs.
Bryan Gilvesy is the Executive Director of ALUS Canada and a rancher in Norfolk County. He believes the Peterborough and Kawarthas region would be an ideal destination for the ALUS program.
“The region has a tough-to-beat combination of a strong agricultural heritage, a community that understands and values its natural resources, and a vibrant and progressive farming sector,” Gilvesy says. “It’s a perfect fit for ALUS.”
Funding for ALUS comes from a variety of sources including municipal, provincial and federal government, private foundations, angler and hunter groups, stewardship councils, and agricultural and environmental groups. ALUS has many supporting partners that have generously donated in-kind support. The national ALUS organization is able to support regional projects with funding, especially in their early phase, but regions are also encouraged to develop partnerships with local champions.
Creating Pollinator Habitat in Ontario
If you are interested in learning more about the ALUS program and how it might benefit our community, please plan to attend the information session on Thursday, October 29th at the Mario Cortellucci Hunting and Fishing Heritage Centre at 4601 Guthrie Drive in Peterborough. The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and refreshments will be served.
The guest speakers will be Chris Van Passen, a farmer from Norfolk County, and Dave Reid, the Ontario ALUS Hub Manager. Van Passen has been involved with the program since it was founded in Norfolk County. He was a tobacco farmer for thirty years and now farms cash crops and boards horses. He is currently chair of the Norfolk ALUS Partner Advisory Committee, and will speak about the work he has done protecting wetlands on his farm.
There is no cost to attend the event. To register, please contact Dawn Sucee at OFAH at dawn_sucee@ofah.org. If you have questions about the program and would like more information prior to the event, please contact Henry Bakker at GreenUP at henry.bakker@greenup.on.ca or 705-745-3238 x207.
