The Mountain View County agricultural service board is scheduled to receive updates on a number of proposed projects at its upcoming meeting.
One program would see the establishment of a tree seedling project for delivery in 2020.
“West Fraser Sundre Forest Products has offered to provide MVC with pine and spruce tree seedlings for county residents on an annual basis,” administration said in a briefing note to the board.
“Clearwater County has been running a program for the last few years. They charge $0.30 per seedling to cover the cost of administration of the program. They intend to order 10,000 trees for 2019. In June 2018, due to excess supply, MVC was approached to help disperse the trees."
Due to the short time frame the trees were offered to ALUS participants, Legacy Land Trust and some were planted at county parks and campgrounds, members heard.
“Any program in MVC would have to consider a fair way of dispersal, ensuring trees would be planted and cared for, whether it is a shelterbelt project or re-vegetation effort. A tree order would need to be placed in the fall 2019 and the seedlings would be ready mid-June 2020.
“If the ASB approves developing a program next year, pending service level enhancement approval, a proposed program can be brought forward to a future ASB meeting.”
Meanwhile, the board is also scheduled to receive information on a new riparian conservation project the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA) is considering along the Dogpound Creek.
“How the program has worked on the North Raven and Raven River is by ACA either contacting landowners to transfer their existing Buck For Wildlife agreement or by signing a new agreement,” administration said.
“ACA contact all landowners along the creek and participation is voluntary. In contacting all landowners, it allows ACA to reward landowners who are actively conserving the riparian area rather than just the landowners who aren’t.”
The ACA would work with landowners to create a 30- metre buffer along the creek.
“As part of the agreements, they financially compensate landowners for ‘lost’ agricultural lands under the agreement. On the Raven system, exclusion fences were installed using wildlife-friendly specs, off-site watering systems were installed, and there were also bio-engineering projects completed.”
The ASB is also scheduled to review the 2019 strategic business plan at its Dec. 17 meeting in council chambers.
