DUC wetland restoration project

Miriam Ostermann
Times Associate Editor

 

Ducks Unlimited Canada’s (DUC) latest objective to restore historical wetland is presenting itself as a golden goose for Wheatland County farmers who could turn their dried sloughs profitable once again.
With 70 per cent, or approximately 6,500 to 10,000 acres, of wetlands lost province-wide each year, DUC is resorting to a new more cost-effective approach to regain nearly 1,380 acres of wetlands in Alberta.
The provincial government’s Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program (WRRP) recently provided additional funding to the organization, to offer farmers in southern Alberta compensation for restoring historically drained wetlands on their property back to its natural state.
Through the additional funds, DUC launched their 10-year lease program that will allow DUC to return the area to a wetland without landowners draining the area or cultivating through it. In turn, farmers retain ownership, manage the area, may restrict access, and continue to use the area for haying and grazing while being compensated at fair market value for the restored wetland area.
“A lot of the time farmers fight with these wetlands year after year trying to make it produce,” said Warren Robb, conservation program specialist for DUC.
“A lot of these lands are saline basins or are partially drained that they can’t farm anyways. What we’re trying to say is ‘we’re not wanting to take productivity away from you, but if you have something that you no longer farm or every year you have to fight with, if we can pay you enough money would you want to restore those?'”
Owing to the WRRP funding, DUC estimated roughly 558 hectares will be restored within three years.
The restoration of wetlands not only provides a more reasonably priced option, but also requires less maintenance.
“Those basins held water for thousands and thousands of years,” said Robb. “So to go back and put dirt back where it was originally is less work than putting in a structure and having an engineer come in.”
In addition to the appealing monetary incentive, the landowners may also reap the rewards through the various benefits accompanying the wetlands, experts said.
Wetlands help with the absorption of excess water in dryer years, buffer soil erosion, act as filters to improve water quality, and release water during times of drought – an issue that is faced by many farmers over the summer.
Furthermore, they slow the release of water into surrounding streams and rivers, provide a water source for livestock and serve as a habitat for wildlife and waterfowl. According to DUC, the land that was formerly considered unproductive now adds a higher return on investment on land.
Over 4,200 landowners are already partnering with DUC to achieve wetland restoration and conservation, with 1,961 projects already completed within Alberta.
The organization, which has 75 years of experience in wetland conservation, has raised $1,288,116 within Wheatland County over the years. Besides the lease program, Ducks Unlimited Canada also has a Revolving Land Purchase Program, where DUC purchases the land from landowners, and takes on restoration of wetland and upland habitat and registration of a conservation easement on the land title.
DUC will then sell the land back to the local agricultural community with the assurance that natural ecosystems and valuable wetland function are maintained. While the wetland restoration projects have been underway throughout Alberta, the funding from the WRRP has significantly increased DUC’s presence in southern Alberta.
Farmers in Wheatland County were asked how much compensation they expect in order to restore the wetlands in their area, and DUC has already approached close to 100 landowners with much feedback in return.
Those interested in participating can contact Warren Robb at 403-461-5204.