By: Bob Underschultz
Looking for your next favourite tree? Then look no further, cause the ponderosa takes the cake! Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) is native to the western United States and central and lower British Columbia and can grow in hardiness zones 3-7 (that means central and southern Alberta!).
Curious about how to develop water harvesting features on your property?
Coen Farms, Adaptive Habitat and AWES will be hosting a two part workshop on how to build and vegetate Earthworks and Water Harvesting features on your property!
Join Takota Coen from Coen Farm and Rob Avis from Verge Permaculture for a 3-day webinar hosted on zoom August 24, 26 and 27, 2020 from 3-6pm. To follow the webinar series, AWES, Takota Coen and partners will also be conducting a 1 day tour and field day September 12, 2020 from 9-4pm at the Coen Farm.
Learn how to design and implement low tech, low cost, nature-based earthworks that can build more effective and efficient water cycles on your land. The webinar series will include a mixture of presentation and activity time, and the field day at Coen Farm will include a farm tour, willow staking, and a ceremony conducted by a Maskwacis Elder. Participants will have an opportunity to observe previously constructed water harvesting earthworks on the farm, including swales, dams and wetlands.
Participants must have attended the webinar series in order to attend the field day.
All mandatory COVID-19 restrictions will be in place for the field day, including maintain social distancing, hand sanitizer provided onsite, and food will not be provided for the day.
Please register on Eventbrite before August 22, 2020. Cost is $30 for the webinar series, and $40 for the combined webinar and field day.
Join Beaver County and the Agroforestry and Woodlot Extension Society (AWES) for an informative evening of Shelterbelt and Eco-buffer management strategies on March 10, 2020 from 3pm-8pm at the Holden Community Hall (Holden, AB).
AWES staff will present best management practices for existing shelterbelts and ecobuffers, including conducting tree health assessments, and managing health issues such as pest, disease and environmental damages such as winter die off.
Learn to:
This will be an chance to discuss opportunities available for funding and project development in addition to establishment, species selection and site preparation among other topics.
Come prepared for an outdoor field component. Weather permitting we will visit a nearby shelterbelt or wooded area to discuss management and rejuvenation options.
Free workshop, dinner included.
RSVP by March 2, 2020 on Eventbrite or by contacting AWES at 780-643-6732 or info@awes-ab.ca
AWES is heading south for the winter!
Join AWES staff and Wheatland County as we embark on a Shelterbelt and Ecobuffer learning journey, February 22, 2020 from 1-430PM at the Wheatland County Administration Office.
During the workshop participants will learn about:
• The Benefits of Shelterbelts and Ecobuffers
• How to establish and rejuvenate shelterbelts on your property
• Optimizing your design for pollinators, fruit production, water quality enhancement, and mitigating high winds and flooding
• Tips and Tricks to ensure maximum success in your planting project including plant choice, ordering, site prep, planting, and mulching
Participants may choose to design a shelterbelt or ecobuffer for their property with the help of the Agroforestry & Woodlot Extension Society.
This will ALSO be the first opportunity for local landowners to apply for Wheatland County’s new Shelterbelt and Eco-Buffer funding program!
Refreshments will be provided, and there is no cost to participants!
Simply register with Wheatland County’s Gay Mowat at 403-361-2166 or at gay.mowat@wheatlandcounty.ca by February 19, 2020
Join the County of Paintearth, The Agroforestry and Woodlot Extension Society, Battle River Research Group and the Battle River Watershed Alliance on July 15th, 2019 for a workshop about Shelterbelts and Eco-buffers, and how they can be designed to provide these services to your land!
This workshop includes:
Throughout the evening we’ll be helping you develop your own tree planting design using worksheets and other resources provided
Dress for the weather! Please bring rain gear and rubber boots/hikers
Light super and refreshments will be provided
There is no charge for this event, however registrations are required. Please register by Friday July 12th via the Battle River Research Group or by calling 780-582-7308
Get the most out of YOUR woodlots and forested areas!
Join the Agroforestry and Woodlot Society in conjunction with the Municipal District of Lesser Slave River at the Flatbush Community Complex on Monday June 17th, 2019 for a day of woodlot management benefits and techniques.
At this workshop private landowners will learn:
Plus: Outdoor Field Visits in the afternoon:
Guest Speakers: Mr. Con Dermot (Vanderwell) and Mr. Roy Schmelzeisen (ACA)
Presentation: MD of LSR – Livestock Grazing & Firesmart Treated areas ; Weeds of Distinction
Lunch and Refreshments Provided
Register by June 10th for space and lunch considerations with Noel St Jean, RPF at 1-780-245-5540 or nstjean@awes-ab.ca
Register with Chris Elder, ALUS Coordinator, before September 12th to reserve your spot by contacting him at (780) 852-7844 or celder@county24.com
Are you a farmer, rancher, or acreage owner with a “riparian area” – that is, land that borders some sort of water feature? Perhaps you have a stream running through your property, a small pond out back, or even just a wet spot in your cropland. If you do, then the next question is: are you managing your riparian areas to their full potential?
From September 21-22, 2018, the Agroforestry and Woodlot Extension Society is partnering up with Cows & Fish and Vermilion River County to deliver a mini-course that aims to help landowners manage their riparian areas in ways that maximize the environmental, social, and economic benefits to themselves, their community, and the greater watershed. Examples of these benefits include improved water quality, moderation of floods and droughts, erosion reduction, wildlife habitat, forage production for livestock, recreational opportunities, and alternative enterprises such as timber, firewood, fruit, nuts, mushrooms, and medicinal plants.
The course will begin with a brief background on riparian areas and their importance within the larger watershed. Participants will then get the chance to visit a riparian area in Vermillion River County, where they will learn how to conduct a site assessment for determining riparian health and potential to provide functions, goods, and services. Back in the class, participants will be given maps of their own riparian areas and other tools to help define a vision and management plan. Course staff will support this exercise through presentations and one-on-one technical assistance on potential management practices that landowners may wish to consider (e.g. to provide opportunities for sustainable grazing, fruit or timber production, wildlife habitat, etc.), and an additional field visit, weather permitting. The course will end with participants having the opportunity to share their vision and management plan with other participants to receive further feedback and insight.
In short, this course includes
• Two full days of instruction/active participation on riparian area assessment, restoration and management. This includes site visits to nearby riparian areas each day, weather permitting.
• Printouts of background information and management tools, including a course workbook, relevant informational factsheets and manuals, laminated maps of participants’ properties, and more
• Lunch and snacks/refreshments for both days
The fee for this course is $20 per participant. This fee has been greatly reduced, as the majority of course costs are being covered by a grant from the Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program (WRRP), administered by Alberta Environment and Parks. The primary objective of WRRP is to increase the natural ability of the province’s watersheds to reduce the intensity, magnitude, duration and effects of flooding and drought through watershed mitigation measures. Widespread implementation of the riparian restoration and management practices taught in this course has the potential to mitigate flooding and drought throughout the watershed while also providing direct benefits to landowners.
Are you a farmer, rancher, or acreage owner with a “riparian area” – that is, land that borders some sort of water feature? Perhaps you have a stream running through your property, a small pond out back, or even just a wet spot in your cropland. If you do, then the next question is: are you managing your riparian areas to their full potential?
From July 23-24/2018, the Agroforestry and Woodlot Extension Society is partnering up with Cows & Fish and Mountain View County to deliver a mini-course that aims to help landowners manage their riparian areas in ways that maximize the environmental, social, and economic benefits to themselves, their community, and the greater watershed. Examples of these benefits include improved water quality, moderation of floods and droughts, erosion reduction, wildlife habitat, forage production for livestock, recreational opportunities, and alternative enterprises such as timber, firewood, fruit, nuts, mushrooms, and medicinal plants.
The course will begin with a brief background on riparian areas and their importance within the larger watershed. Participants will then get the chance to visit a riparian area in Mountain View County, where they will learn how to conduct a site assessment for determining riparian health and potential to provide functions, goods, and services. Back in the class, participants will be given maps of their own riparian areas and other tools to help define a vision and management plan. Course staff will support this exercise through presentations and one-on-one technical assistance on potential management practices that landowners may wish to consider (e.g. to provide opportunities for sustainable grazing, fruit or timber production, wildlife habitat, etc.), and an additional field visit, weather permitting. The course will end with participants having the opportunity to share their vision and management plan with other participants to receive further feedback and insight.
In short, this course includes
• Two full days of instruction/active participation on riparian area assessment, restoration and management. This includes site visits to nearby riparian areas each day, weather permitting.
• Printouts of background information and management tools, including a course workbook, relevant informational factsheets and manuals, laminated maps of participants’ properties, and more
• Lunch and snacks/refreshments for both days
The fee for this course is $20 per participant. This fee has been greatly reduced, as the majority of course costs are being covered by a grant from the Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program (WRRP), administered by Alberta Environment and Parks. The primary objective of WRRP is to increase the natural ability of the province’s watersheds to reduce the intensity, magnitude, duration and effects of flooding and drought through watershed mitigation measures. Widespread implementation of the riparian restoration and management practices taught in this course has the potential to mitigate flooding and drought throughout the watershed while also providing direct benefits to landowners.
Register at now via Eventbrite to reserve your spot for the course!
Any questions, Contact Daniela at Mountain View County 403-335-3311 Ext 204, email darcher@mvcounty.com
Do you have riparian areas on your land? Join the Agroforestry and Woodlot Extension Society, Cows & Fish, and Brazeau County for a mini-course that will give you ideas and tools to maximize the economic, social, and environmental benefits provided by your riparian areas. Examples of these benefits include improved water quality, moderation of floods and droughts, erosion reduction, wildlife habitat, forage production for livestock, recreational opportunities, and alternative enterprises such as timber, firewood, fruit, nuts, mushrooms, and medicinal plants.
This course includes:
You will leave the course with a draft version of your own Riparian Management Plan!
Register now via Eventbrite to reserve your spot in the course!
If you have any questions, please contact Dawnia McCann from Brazeau County at 780-542-7777.
