34 Conservator | spring 2013

Partnerships exist in every area of business and wetland conservation is no exception. Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) has hundreds of projects in Alberta, so we need some help making sure they are maintained properly.

One way we do this is by partnering with the Eastern Irrigation District (EID). The EID and DUC have a long- standing agreement for water conveyance, and more recently, some project operation including repairs and rebuilds of some DUC projects on our behalf.

This partnership is excellent for a number a reasons. It not only saves us the time and money we’d have to spend doing it ourselves, but the EID actually has more expertise than DUC does when it comes to these tasks, so the job is in capable hands.

“Operational partnerships like this one are not always easy, because they usually include some aspect of management,” says Dale Soetaert, head of habitat asset management for DUC in Alberta. “But with the EID’s expertise and the success of past collaborations with them, we are sure this partnership will continue to be mutually beneficial.”

Another example of a mutually beneficial partnership is with the Bow River Irrigation District. While not as large and all encompassing as the agreement with EID, it still covers a large amount of project operations in south- eastern Alberta and takes advantage of shared expertise and concern for our wetlands.

Sharing the load

“You don’t fully comprehend the density and extent of small wetlands in Manitoba’s Prairie Pothole Region until you fly over it. From the air, it becomes very apparent how intercon-nected our watersheds are.”

Gord Mackintosh, Manitoba’s Minister of Conservation and Water Stewardship, made the comment after a wetland tour hosted by Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC). The day included an aerial tour of southwestern Manitoba’s ‘pothole country’, and a brief ground expedition to view DUC conservation projects in the Minnedosa area, followed by a lunch meeting at Lake Irwin.

“It was a great opportunity for us to view what’s happening

in the wetland regions and at the same time

talk about ways we can collaborate,” says Bob Grant, DUC manager of provincial operations in Manitoba, who coordinated the event.

The tour included a flyover of the Brough-ton’s Creek watershed where ground-breaking research by DUC and two universities quan- tified and demonstrated the extent of wetland loss happening on the prairie landscape and the impact drainage has on Manitoba’s lakes, rivers, infrastructure and society.

Wetlands are disappearing as they are drained or diverted for agriculture and urban expansion. It’s not only a problem for wildlife. Wetlands act as water filters, screening out things like nitrogen and phosphorus that would otherwise be deposited into our lakes. When too much phosphorus accumulates in

Same picture, different view: Aerial tour highlights need to stop wetland drainage

a lake, it becomes a haven for algae that can choke out other aquatic life and make it unsafe for humans and wildlife alike. It’s a scary prop- osition, especially in a province known as the land of 100,000 lakes.

“Phosphorus is job one,” says Mackintosh. Reducing phosphorus in lake water levels is a priority for his government. Upstream drainage is a contributing factor, which is why the province is engaging stakeholders like DUC and others to develop the Surface Water Management Strategy. The Strategy will support decision making for the future management of surface water in Manitoba.

Mackintosh praised DUC’s wetland protec- tion work and stressed the importance of ongoing collaboration. “Current and future generations want a clean, healthy and diverse natural environment in Manitoba,” says Mack- intosh. “It’s critical for us all to work together in this.”

western regionpra ir ies