Greener Pastures

How the Green Acreages program is supporting landowners’ stewardship goals.

Since 2012, the Green Acreages program has been supporting acreage, hobby farm and recreational landowners who are looking for better ways to care for their properties. From the Green Acreages Guide workbook to cost-shared funding for stewardship projects (thanks to Alberta’s Watershed Resilience and Restoration Program), the program resources enable landowners to not only learn about, but also implement stewardship practices that help conserve and protect the valuable natural assets associated with their properties.

Since 2020, through the program, nearly $50,000 in cost-shared funding has been allocated to 23 stewardship projects across the province. Here’s a taste of what these acreage owners have accomplished with support and project dollars from the Green Acreages program and Land Stewardship Centre.

Stephanie Ayotte of Brazeau County planted hundreds of native shrubs along the back of her acreage, which slopes down into a ravine behind her property and was becoming eroded. The program not only helped motivate her to address the erosion and slope destabilization on her property the project also helped her to learn a lot about native species and gain a greater appreciation for her land and how she cares for it.

Tammie Diesel, from the County of Grande Prairie, built a bioswale as well as a rain garden and exclusion fencing, improving the natural flow of water on her property. While she participated in Green Acreages workshops and accessed the program resources, she saya the program’s best resource was her call with Green Acreages program coordinator Milena McWatt.

Green Acreages resources motivated Ashley Davidson to plant trees, incorporate a rain garden and add a bioswale for flood and erosion prevention on her property in Mountain View County. 

With Green Acreages' support, Taylor Lund planted native woody vegetation to reestablish native forest, and riparian plantings to capture water and help restore natural watershed function on his acreage in the MD of Peace.

Angie Patterson and Wendy Nurcombe are building their property to be a place where they can be in harmony with nature, as part of the watershed. They received funding from the Green Acreages program to plant trees and shrubs to support a diverse range of wildlife, and advice from a professional wetlands consultant to enhance the riparian areas and wetlands on their land.

Patti and Claude Albert from Beaver County used the Green Acreages workbook to guide their vision for their land. As a result, they planted many small native trees and shrubs around a wetland on their property and installed exclusion fencing to keep livestock out of sensitive riparian areas.

Ready to start on your own project? Learn more about the Green Acreages program and then consider applying for funding for your stewardship project. If you still have questions, reach out to Green Acreages Program Coordinator Milena McWatt at milena@landstewardship.org.

Applications for Green Acreages project funding for 2024 are now open.