An Ontario farmer in the eastern region is optimistic that a conservation area she established on her land will assist Canada in achieving its nature protection targets. Jackie Kelly-Pemberton, at her modest beef farm near Winchester, has developed a wetland to address manure runoff issues from cattle grazing outdoors throughout the year. The wetland, resembling a natural one, comprises various plants like sedges, bulrushes, and cattails, along with ponds that act as filters for the runoff before it reaches the South Nation River and eventually the Ottawa River.
Kelly-Pemberton emphasized the significance of water quality and the need to manage runoff effectively. The project received support and funding from ALUS, a Canadian organization formerly known as Alternative Land Use Services, which aids farmers in implementing conservation initiatives on their lands.
ALUS President Jordan Sinclair highlighted the potential of nature-based projects on farmlands like Kelly-Pemberton’s to contribute 65,000 hectares towards the national nature protection goals set by the federal government. Prime Minister Mark Carney recently introduced a new nature strategy aiming to protect 30% of lands and oceans by 2030, doubling the current protected areas.
The strategy, unveiled on March 31, involves encouraging private sector investments in conservation efforts and recognizing “other effective area-based conservation measures” (OECMs), safeguarded by local communities and private entities. Carney stressed the need for substantial funding beyond public resources to achieve these conservation objectives. To qualify as an OECM, an area like Kelly-Pemberton’s wetland must have a defined boundary, allow authorities to regulate activities within it, and prohibit actions conflicting with conservation goals, as outlined by Environment and Climate Change Canada.