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An Overview Of Our Solution

The South of the Divide Conservation Action Program Inc. (SODCAP Inc.) is a non profit group created to implement a multi species at risk action plan in southwestern Saskatchewan, Canada. Along with one of their board members, the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA), SODCAP Inc. is investigating new and innovative programs that would effectively encourage producers to make species at risk a priority in their management decision making on their ranches. Funding for this particular project is being provided by the Species at Risk Partnership on an Agricultural Landscape (SARPAL) through Environment and Climate Change Canada and runs to 2020. To date, thirty agreements, under various programs, have been negotiated with agricultural producers who own or manage native grassland habitat for multiple species at risk.

Who is this solution impacting?

Community Type

Rural

Organization type

Sin fines de lucro/No Gubernamental

Ecosystem (select all that apply)

Grasslands

Population impacted

6000

Size of agricultural area

1,415,732 ha

Production quantity

350000 beef cows

People employed

eight

Describe your solution

SODCAP Inc. interviewed numerous producers within the Milk River Watershed regarding species at risk programming. The diversity of opinions and ideas derived from the interviews suggest that a ‘one size fits all’ approach would not work for ranchers in this area. SODCAP Inc. developed a variety of approaches to meet the individual needs of their respective operations. Providing an assortment of programming including basic communication of what individual species at risk specifically require for habitat, will help to conserve and maintain habitat for species at risk. Ranchers are proud of the habitat that they provide and are willing to continue to actively manage habitat. Six programming options that are being implemented to cooperatively work with producers who own or manage native grasslands are: Results Based Conservation Agreement Habitat Management Agreements Habitat Restoration Agreements Grass banking Niche Product Branding Term Conservation Easements

Describe your implementation

SODCAP Inc. staff engages with producers who own or manage native grasslands and critical habitat for species at risk. This work includes extension, rangeland and habitat assessments and negotiation of agreements under the various programming options. Results based conservation agreements provide financial incentives to producers who meet or exceed habitat targets, at the site level, for a particular species at risk. These habitat targets for species at risk are measurable and quantifiable, based on the current state of knowledge and within the ecological potential of the range site. By being non prescriptive, these agreements acknowledge that each operation is unique and manages resources in different ways. Habitat management agreements allow for the development and implementation of a management plan based on species at risk requirements, range condition and health evaluations, producer’s goals and available resources. Term Conservation Agreements: Approximately 30% of producers interviewed indicated that they would be willing to entertain signing a conservation agreement for a specific period of time instead of in perpetuity. Habitat Restoration: Restoration of previously destroyed habitat is designed to resemble habitat that reflects the potential of the given range site. A “Grass Bank” is a physical place where forage is made available to ranchers, at a reduced fee, in exchange for tangible conservation benefits being produced on participants’ home ranches. The main goal of grass-banking is to have a community-based conservation plan that provides meaningful benefits for both the environment and participating ranchers. Niche Product Branding: SODCAP Inc. is working with producers who direct market beef and source calves from critical habitat for species at risk. The beef is branded as such. From 2016 through to 2020, SODCAP Inc. in partnership with the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association and funding through Environment and Climate Change Canada

External connections

SODCAP Inc. is a non profit organization guided by a board of directors from industry, agriculture, environmental NGOs and government. Current Board of Directors include members from the Rancher’s Stewardship Alliance Inc., Nature Conservancy of Canada, Saskatchewan Stock Grower’s Association, Sustainable Canada, SaskPower, Crescent Point Energy Inc., Saskatchewan Association Of Rural Municipalities, Local Member at Large, Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment and Environment and Climate Change Canada. Funding for SODCAP Inc. initiatives comes from numerous sources and from several collaborations including Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Growing Forward II, Service Canada and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. These collaborations assist in implementing numerous projects and activities associated not only with the agricultural sector but also the industrial sectors including oil and gas, helium, gravel extraction, to mention a few. These activities are consistent with recovery measures identified in the multi species at risk action plan for the South of the Divide in Southwestern Saskatchewan.

What is the environmental or ecological challenge you are targeting with your solution?

A Multi Species at Risk Action Plan in Southwest Saskatchewan for the South of the Divide was initiated by several government agencies, lead by Environment and Climate Change Canada (www.sararegistry.gc.ca). The South of the Divide or Milk River Watershed is comprised of 52% native grasslands and more than 75% perennial cover. It has over 1 million has of combined candidate critical habitat for more than twenty listed species at risk. While 92% of the critical habitat is public lands, most of this land is managed by private producers. The South of the Divide Conservation Action Program Inc. (SODCAP Inc.) is a non profit group created to implement this action plan. SODCAP Inc. is investigating new and innovative programs that would effectively encourage producers to make species at risk a priority in their management decision making on their ranches.

Describe the context in which you are operating

The South of the Divide is made up of the Saskatchewan portion of the Milk River Watershed and lies within the Prairie Ecozone of southwestern Saskatchewan. The Milk River Watershed of southwestern Saskatchewan comprises 1,415,732 ha and is predominately made up of the Mixed Grassland ecoregion and, to lesser degree, the Cypress Uplands ecoregion. This area is semi-arid natural grasslands with glacial lake plains, sand dunes, badlands and rolling pothole terrain. The watershed drains south through the Frenchman River and Battle Creek into the Missouri River system. With just over half of this area covered by native grassland and over 75% in perennial cover, the SOD supports the largest contiguous tracts of native grassland in the province, and throughout much of the Prairie Ecozone. Over 1 million ha of combined critical and important habitat for 13 species at risk has been designated in the plan with more to add. The area is sparsely settled, with an estimated population of 6647. Communities include Val Marie, Eastend and Consul. All or part of 13 rural municipalities, 10 federal and 3 provincial community pastures, the Grassland National Park are found in the South of the Divide.

How did you impact natural resource use and greenhouse gas emissions?

SODCAP Inc. has currently negotiated fourteen results based conservation agreements on approximately 56,000 acres of native grasslands and critical habitat. Estimated value of these agreements is $153,000 annually. Multiple (between four and seven) species at risk, including Greater Sage Grouse and Sprague’s Pipit, occupy these grasslands where agreements have been signed. These agreements ensure that producers are managing for specific life requisites of the species at risk. SODCAP Inc. has also negotiated seven habitat management agreements and three habitat restoration agreements that will result in habitat improvement for species at risk on 61,000 acres and 500 acres respectively. These projects are cumulatively valued at approximately $200,000 when fully implemented. The agreements are designed and based on species at risk requirements, range condition and health evaluations, producers goals and available resources. Three term conservation easements on approximately 5,000 acres of native grasslands are being evaluated and appraised for value. These term conservation easements will secure habitat for a minimum of 10 years. Two Grass Banking projects and two agreements to brand beef are currently being negotiated.

Language(s)

English

Water

All project are designed to also have healthy native grasslands and riparian systems in place adding to the functional value of these ecosystems as they contribute to capture and utilization of sediments, nutrients and other contaminants to water resources in the Milk River watershed.

Food Security/Nutrition

Beef produced in these areas can be traced back to its sources and activities and habitat quality of the grasslands owned and managed by the producers who sign agreements can be verified by SODCAP Inc.

Economic/Sustainable Development

Approximately $300,000 to $500,000 will be invested, annually, into the local community through agreements with producers. Most if not all, of that funding is retained in the local area, thus contributing to economic development at the local level.

Climate

Grasslands are retained and managed, thus contributing to significant levels of carbon sequestration. Climate change science is predicting increases in extremes such as drought and excessive moisture. Management activities focus on retention and extensive management of large areas of native grasslands which is highly correlated with drought preparedness activities.

Sustainability

Because SODCAP Inc. is taking a multi faceted approach, funding sources will be varied including grants, government programs and market based incentives. We must be aware that SODCAP Inc. is asking producers to make decisions on their ranching and livestock operations that produces habitat for species at risk and provides benefits to community and environment (soil, air and water) that is over and above decisions around forage and livestock production. Being that species at risk and associated habitat is a public good as declared by Canada signing onto the Convention on Biodiversity which was the prequel to the Species At Risk Act, there is an expectation that government should support decision making by landowners that is targeted to

Return on investment

Economic evaluation is and will go on for the next couple of years. However, preliminary results indicate that the current investment by producers into management for environmental reasons including species at risk habitat are greater than any compensation they are receiving by way of agreements that they have signed onto.

How could we successfully replicate this solution elsewhere?

SODCAP Inc. is implementing this project as a placed based or watershed based project that was designed at the grassroots level and implemented upwards. It was designed in consultation with numerous stakeholders and partners. This multi species at risk, multi programming approach is probably the first type of project of its kind implemented in Canada. In order to replicate this type of project, a number of things are required. These would include: • Focal area • An issue that may require both regulatory and stewardship solutions • Stakeholders with a vested interest in the issue that are truly engaged • A bottom up approach to program planning • Adaptive management philosophy throughout the life of the project • Action on the ground with local stakeholders • Dedicated staff

Overview

South of the Divide Conservation Action Program Inc.