Stewardship is a Team Sport ALUS Partnerships in the County of Vermilion River

peaker: Chris Elder, ALUS Canada

Presentation Summary:
ALUS Canada is a community-developed, farmer-delivered program that sustains agriculture, wildlife and natural spaces for all Canadians, one acre at a time. The County of Vermilion River (CVR) was the first municipality to bring ALUS to Alberta in 2010 and has been supporting local farmers and ranchers to produce and manage ecological goods and services ever since. Using the proven ALUS model and funding support from ALUS Canada, ALUS CVR assists producers to provide cleaner air, cleaner water, more habitat for wildlife and pollinators, and improve the productivity of marginal and ecologically sensitive land.

Stewardship does not work in isolation and the ALUS program in the County of Vermilion River owes its success to the partnerships created in the community. The most important of these is the partnership with the local producer. Without these dedicated stewards on the land committing their time, knowledge and skills to improving the environment, ALUS would not exist. The path forward for each ALUS program is managed by a Partnership Advisory Committee made up of local producers and stakeholders, so the direction of the program is in the hands of the community. We also have excellent relationships with watershed groups and other agencies such as Cows and Fish and Agroforestry and Woodlot Extension Society that work closely with us to bring maximum benefit to the producer and the environment. Finally, ALUS CVR has forged a unique partnership with Lakeland College that allows us to impact and work alongside the farmers and scientists of the future.

Biography:
Chris Elder is the ALUS Program Coordinator for the County of Vermilion River. Chris has a Conservation and Restoration Ecology Diploma and a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Environmental Management from Lakeland College. He started with ALUS in 2015 when he took on the program coordinator role to fulfill his Lakeland College practicum requirement. Chris provides technical and financial support to local agricultural producers to develop, implement, and manage environmental stewardship projects on their land. Chris is also a Director of the Vermilion River Watershed Alliance and has played an active role in developing projects across the watershed. Chris is based in Kitscoty, AB.

Hosted by Caitlin Mroz, Stewardship Coordinator, SK PCAP