“It’s all about making people realize that there’s more to harnessing a horse than just throwing those straps on and going.” – THERESA EARLY Driving a team of draft horses sure isn’t like driving a car. And according to Elizabeth Tardiff, who jumped at the chance to take the reins in a hands-on draft horse-driving
Hands-On Teamster Lesson At The RMWF
Strategy The Topic At EG&S Panel Discussion
Adecade ago, the notion of paying landowners for the services they provide in maintaining wetlands and critical habitats was so radical that few thought it would ever gain traction among the public or politicians. Now, with the concept firmly established, the only obstacle going forward is funding. “Ten years ago we could barely get people
Cost-Sharing Challenge Proposed
After a decade of talk and pilot projects, how to get the ball rolling? Ian Wishart floated a “controversial” challenge to participants at the MCDA-hosted information session. “There are three levels of government in this country,” he said. “Sometimes I curse them, because getting concurrence between levels of government is probably the biggest challenge in
Better Bang For The Buck Seen In Wetlands
“It’s also 10 times more cost effective potentially than the amount of money we’re investing in Winnipeg’s waste water treatment facility to remove phosphorus.” – GREG BRUCE, DUCKS UNLIMITED In a time of tight budgets and cutbacks, who will pay for preserving wetlands, natural landscapes, water quality and sequestering carbon? Greg Bruce, head of industry
Economic Growth Comes With A Price Tag
“A country could cut its forests and deplete its fisheries, and this would show up as a positive impact on gross domestic product, without registering the corresponding decline in assets.” – MATT MCCANDLESS Avisitor from Mars might observe that despite their appearance of extreme cleverness, humans as the dominant species on this planet have invested
Wetlands A Stew Of Unique Genetics
Every schoolkid has done the hay-infusion-in-a-jar experiment. As it turns out, the myriad critters that appear in water in which hay has been soaked for a few days are just the tip of the iceberg. Rhonda McDougall, director of planning and coordination for Manitoba Water Stewardship, who has spent many summers in hip boots wading
“Nice Guy” Takes On “Activist” Groups
When anti-pesticide groups show up to speak at public meetings, Jeffery Lowes urges all councillors and officials to arm themselves accordingly. “Cover your ass,” said Lowes, director of governmental and industry relations for M-REP Communications, a PR firm that he founded based in Kingston, Ontario. “The second an activist steps into your jurisdiction and wants
No Till No Silver Bullet For Lake Winnipeg Phosphorus Loading
It has long been a commonly held belief that zero tillage is a good way to keep phosphorus out of watersheds. But the latest research at South Tobacco Creek, near Miami, shows that the soil conservation practice aimed at covering up bare dirt with crop residue may be leading to more of the nutrient leaking
Weed Supervisors Discuss Wish List
“If the act is opened up now, what will it look like in the end? There are a number of special interest groups out there that will insist upon having their issues addressed in the act.” – JOHN JOHNSTON Proposed changes to the Noxious Weeds Act, including hikes in special levies and notices to destroy,
Best Of Both Worlds
“Often row crops that we grow just suffer too much growth and yield depression when they are seeded in zero-till conditions.” – JOHN HEARD It’s hard to beat warm, black soil for spring seeding. But under the zero-tillage doctrine, which places great importance on the moisture retention and soil preservation advantages of retained trash cover,
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
