It’s World Soil Day. December 5, the international day to celebrate soil, was first recommended by the International Union of Soil Sciences in 2002. This year, the theme is ‘Caring for soils: measure, monitor, manage.’ With over 95 per cent of our food coming from the soil and soil supplying 15 of the 18 naturally… Read More
Category: Biodiversity Habitat
For the average Canadian, the long, lonely drive along the Trans-Canada Highway across southern Saskatchewan and Alberta is capital B boring. For those not from the Prairies, the seemingly endless, mostly flat landscape can seem underwhelming when you’re used to rolling hills and mountains or cities and towns. But those who take the time to… Read More
Ecosystems are strange and wonderful places, and the ecosystem within canola fields is no exception. It can be easy to overlook the incredible abundance of interactions between different arthropods, including insects and spiders, happening within the canola canopy. Plus, when a farmer or agronomist sees damaged plants, it can be challenging to figure out if… Read More
The Canadian Forage and Grassland Association (CFGA) is set to launch a province-specific, online Habitat and Biodiversity Assessment Tool (HBAT). The $1.2-million project, which began in 2020 with financial support from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) as part of the Canada Nature Fund, was completed in collaboration with national and provincial stakeholder committees, governments,… Read More
Farmers and ranchers are responsible for managing the land they own or rent, including ecologically sensitive areas such as riparian areas and wetlands. These areas aren’t always easy to identify, and some of these areas may currently be cultivated and producing crops. Each province has its own goals on conservation of different areas, and there… Read More
Consultations slated for June 26 and 27, 2024, in eastern Ontario regarding expanding wetland protection on farmland in three watersheds has been abruptly “paused,” following petitions and pushback from residents and landowners in the area. Earlier this week, several petitions were circulating via social media over concerns that the proposed new wetlands designation in three… Read More
It seems that everywhere you go right now, farmers are talking about cover crops. Producers across the country are not only using a diverse plant mix to provide feed for livestock, but also as potential solutions to compaction, a lack of nutrient availability, and to address weed issues in their fields. In this Farming Forward… Read More
There are many priorities that influence how land is used — the need for housing and economic development often drives the conversion of farmland and natural habitat into urban or suburban landscapes, but food security, productivity, biodiversity, crop or livestock prices, renewable energy policy, and of course, NIMBYism are among the many factors that can… Read More
Last month, the Thrall family announced it had reached an agreement to protect the over 54,000 acres of native grasslands in southern Alberta that make up the historic McIntyre Ranch through a conservation easement with the Nature Conservancy of Canada and Ducks Unlimited. This makes the ranch the largest piece of privately-owned grasslands to be… Read More
Seven years ago, Chris Moore and Lyndsey Smith decided they needed more acres if they were going run a viable sheep farm. But rather than buy land, the partners opted to try their hand at solar grazing their Shady Creek Lamb flock at a solar power installation near their Kinburn, Ont., home farm. What started as… Read More