Ducks Unlimited Canada’s, Bryon Wolters, shows a group of realtors its Grizzly Bear North project located south of Vermilion on October 12. Photo submitted
Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) held a Marketing Opportunities in Conservation seminar at Lakeland College in Vermilion on October 12.
Sponsored by the Alberta Real Estate Foundation, sessions were held at Olds College before their meeting in Vermilion. DUC’s Warren Robb presented a group of realtors with information regarding rural wetland properties, the types of projects that could be done there to give the landowner funding and improve the habitat, encouraging the return of waterfowl in the area.
According to DUC, settled areas of Canada have seen a 70 percent decrease in wetlands with some prairie areas seeing up to a 90 per cent decrease of wetlands.
Ducks Unlimited has recently taken a different approach and removed restrictions surrounding their projects. In order to encourage healthy functioning ecosystems, DUC is offering projects including Wetland Restoration Leases, Conservation Easement, and Resolving Land Purchases. The Realtors were eager to see other marketing options and felt the projects discussed could bring potential buyers.
DUC’s, Bryon Wolters, held an afternoon field tour showing the group the Grizzly Bear North project located south of Vermilion. According to Ducks Unlimited Canada’s Cathy MacKenzie, the land was recently sold to a local producer as part of DUC’s Revolving Land Conservation program. The land comprises approximately 130 acres of restored uplands, 2.5 acres of restored wetlands and 28.5 intact wetlands. A conservation easement on the property will protect the wetlands and sustain its function as a grazing and haying source.
DUC states that wetlands protect people from water pollution by cleaning water, protect land from flooding by reducing water sent downstream, protect landowners from drought by holding water when conditions are dry, and protect the world from climate change by reducing greenhouse gases. They also state that wetlands protect wildlife by providing hundreds of species with safe places to eat, sleep and raise their young; as well as providing humans natural places to play, learn and explore.
For more information, you can visit http://www.ducks.ca/places/alberta/.