Conservation plan | Fair compensation sought for conservation measures
Producers attending a recent meeting of the federal government’s environment committee said healthy soil, air and water are important to them, but they want the public to know that taking care of those resources does not come for free.
They urged members on the committee to push for fair compensation and recognition for ecosystem protection.
The federal environment committee toured Canada to listen to groups that use the land. The committee met with energy company representatives and agriculture groups in Calgary May 17.
The final results will be merged into recommendations on a national conservation plan that was first proposed last year in the speech from the throne.
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Ranchers said the symbiotic relationship between graziers and wildlife habitat protection is often overlooked.
“To survive as a cattleman, you have to be a very good businessperson,” said rancher Bob Jamieson of southeastern British Columbia.
“You also have to be a very good ecologist, because we are not ranchers, we are grass managers. If you don’t manage that grass, you lose the basis of your business.”
“What is good for the ecosystem and the land is what is profitable for me,” added rancher Doug Sawyer from Pine Lake, Alta.
Submissions by Alberta Beef Producers and the Western Stock Growers Association (WSGA) said that balance is necessary in a national conservation plan.
It should preserve important natural areas and ecosystems while ensuring that balance is maintained between the benefits to society and the environment and the financial well-being of those living on the land.
As well, significant land purchases or the removal of land from production should not be allowed to be a requirement for adhering to the national plan.
The plan needs to clearly identify priorities and thresholds of areas to be conserved, said ABP manager Rich Smith.
ABP also wants a fair representation of key stakeholders from government, industry and the public when setting priorities, rather than allowing narrow interest groups to have too much influence on decisions, said Smith.
Rancher Norm Ward of the WSGA advised the government to involve people who live and work closely with the land when making decisions. Decisions from a centralized group or large committees are not always workable.
He said landowners assume the economic burden of protecting the environment on behalf of all Canadians, whether they are in the resource sector, agriculture or recreation.
“Consumers of ecosystem services have to realize these are not free,” said Ward, who ranches near Granum, Alta.
Stephen Vandervalk, Alberta vice-president of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association and president of Grain Growers of Canada, said the proposed plan must recognize that better technology and evolving scientific knowledge keep agriculture sustainable and help the environment.
“To be profitable, we have to make sure the ground is better this year than it was last year.”
Grain farmers have switched to minimum tillage to prevent erosion and lower use of fossil fuel.
GPS and precision farming have also lowered their use of farm chemicals, he said.
