Red Deer County shares results of eight-year project: how farmers benefit the environment
Red Deer County will be sharing the results of an eight-year project measuring environmental health on farms and ranches involved in Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS).
In 2015, the County contracted Cows and Fish, also known as the Alberta Riparian Habitat Management Society, to do Riparian Health Assessments (RHAs) on farms and ranches that were adopting environmentally beneficial agriculture practices, including riparian management livestock fencing, alternative livestock watering systems, and rotational grazing practices.
Riparian areas are the ecological zones immediately beside lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands.
“Healthy riparian areas benefit everyone by providing valuable ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, water quality enhancement, flood protection and habitat for pollinators and wildlife,” said County officials in a release.