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ALUS Saskatchewan Assiniboine Project (ASAP)
Assiniboine Water Stewardship Association.
ALUS
Program Summary
The Assiniboine Water Stewardship Association ALUS program aims to enhance natural habitats using the ALUS model and is supported by the Saskatchewan Farm Stewardship Association and the Assiniboine Watershed Stewardship Association, both of which focus on sustainable farming practices and protecting source water in the region.
Program characteristics
Province
Saskatchewan
Natural Features
Forest / Treed, Grasslands, Native Grasses, Riparian Areas, Species-at-risk Habitat, Wetlands, Wildlife Habitat
Agriculture Type
Cropland, Rangeland / Pasture
Program Scope
Regional/Local
Conservation Approach
Beneficial Practices, Protection, Restoration, Species-At-Risk Protection
Incentive Type
Cost-sharing / Discounts, Payment for Practices / Conservation / Credits, Recognition, Technical Advice
Delivery Agent Type
NGO
Commitment Type
Infrastructure Installation, Land Conservation / Protection, Management Agreement, Restoration / Re-seeding / Conversion
Commitment Term
Short Term (1 to 10 years)
Program web site
Conservation Goals
The Assiniboine Water Stewardship ALUS program aims to holistically address environment sustainability and agricultural productivity while protecting source water.
Eligible Lands
Eligible lands are those within the Assiniboine Watershed region in Saskatchewan, including those within the Whitesand River, Yorktown Aquifer, and Assiniboine River Advisory Areas, that have marginal land located around or in between wetlands/sloughs.
Additional Details
Flexible, producer-designed projects: Producers choose project types that fit their land, operation, and goals—common examples include wetland restoration, riparian buffers, pollinator habitat, and livestock management fencing.
Ongoing intake: Applications are generally accepted year-round, though annual funding may be fully allocated early.
Easy start-up process:
1) Contact the ALUS Coordinator to discuss your operation and project ideas.
2) The Coordinator works with you to prepare a proposal.
3) Your proposal is reviewed by the Partnership Advisory Committee (PAC)—a local group of producers and technical experts who guide decision-making.
4) If approved, you sign a short-term conservation agreement and move ahead with project implementation.
Cost-share support: ALUS shares project establishment costs with producers, lowering the financial barrier to get started.
Annual stewardship payments: Producers receive annual payments for managing and maintaining their projects for each year of their agreement.
Flexible agreements: Most agreements are short-term (typically 5 years), can be renewed at the end of the term, and include exit clauses if circumstances change.
Commitment
ALUS participants design projects that work specifically on their farm and meet their own stewardship goals. They sign voluntary conservation agreements, typically five years in length, which outline the management expectations and annual payments expected. At the end of the agreement term, the agreement and annual payments may be renewed.
Participants in the Assiniboine Water Stewardship Association ALUS program typically commit to the following:
Seeding Perennial Forage
•Landowners commit to converting marginal cropland to perennial forage cover using a blend of tame grass/legume species
Wetland Conservation
•Landowners commit to conserving existing prairie pothole wetland habitat adjacent to the newly seeded forage
•This must be done in conjunction with Seeding Perennial Forage
Upland Conservation
•Landowners commit to conserving existing upland habitat composing of native trees, shrubs, and grasses adjacent to the wetland habitat
•This must be done in conjunction with Seeding Perennial Forage
Regenerative Agriculture Practices
•Landowners commit to seeding cover crops for grazing, baling, or siling, or intercropping a cash crop with another cash or cover crop, or any practices aimed at promoting the 5 principles of Soil Health
Incentive
ALUS offers a unique payment-for-ecosystem services model.
The producer cost-shares with the program to get the project established, then ALUS pays the producer an annual payment to manage and maintain their project for the optimal production of ecosystem services.
Payment rates vary based on the project type. For more details, please contact the program coordinator.
The Assiniboine Water Stewardship Association ALUS program offers the following rates:
Seeding Perennial Forage
•$65/acre establishment payment
•$35/acre annual payment for 5 years
Wetland Conservation
•Less than 2 acres: $30/acre annual payment for 5 years
•Greater than 2 acres: $20/acre payment for 5 years
Upland Conservation
•$20/acre annual payment for 5 years
Regenerative Agriculture Practices
•$35/acre annual payment for 2 years
Contact Information
For more information, contact Jesse Nielsen at j.nielsen@assiniboinewatershed.com or 306-783-1696
Important to Know
•This program is delivered in partnership with ALUS Canada.
•ALUS Canada supports local organizations in delivering payment-for-ecosystem-services programs in communities across Canada, including in AB, SK and MB.
•Participants receive annual, per-acre payments for creating, restoring, or enhancing natural features such as wetlands, riparian buffers, pollinator habitats, windbreaks, and tree plantings and managing their project to produce a "crop" of ecosystem services that benefit their community.
•The program is entirely voluntary and flexible—there are no legal registrations placed on the land title.
•For more information, visit: https://alus.ca/frequently-asked-questions/