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ALUS Red Deer County
Red Deer County
Red Deer County
Program Summary
ALUS Red Deer County offers producers a practical way to start or expand conservation efforts without long-term commitments. Led by a local Partnership Advisory Committee of farmers, ranchers, and technical experts, the program supports projects like wetlands, riparian buffers, and wildlife habitat.
Producers receive cost-share support to establish projects and annual payments for management and maintenance, all under short-term (typically 5-year) agreements that fit the realities of a working farm or ranch. ALUS is a simple, flexible way to step into stewardship—or complement other long-term conservation tools like easements.
Program characteristics
Province
Alberta
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
Payment for Practices / Conservation / Credits, Cost-sharing / Discounts, Recognition, Technical Advice
Delivery Agent Type
Municipal Government
Commitment Type
Restoration / Re-seeding / Conversion, Management Agreement, Land Conservation / Protection, Infrastructure Installation
Commitment Term
Short Term (1 to 10 years)
Program web site
Conservation Goals
The ALUS program in Red Deer County focuses on restoring and protecting wetlands, riparian areas and native grassland which imrpoves water quality, reduces soil erosion and creates better wildlife habitat. The project types also help increase biodiversity, support carbon storage and contribute to more sustainable farming practices.
Eligible Lands
Eligible lands include those within Red Deer County that are particularly environmentally-sensitive or are marginal for agricultural production (due to slope, soil, size, or any other factor).
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 Red Deer County ALUS program typically commit to one or more of the following:
Alternative Livestock Shelter
•Landowner commits to creating a livestock shelter that keeps livestock from sheltering in forest areas and riparian zones next to water bodies.
Riparian & Forest Management Fencing
•Landowner commits to establishing fencing to help control how livestock use riparian and/or forest areas. The fencing does not have to completely exclude livestock from the riparian or forest areas.
Convert Marginal Cropland to Permanent Cover
•Landowner commits to converting marginal cropland into permanent cover to help increase buffer zones between productive cropland and permanent water bodies. Permanent cover can include native or non-native perennial grasses or other forage.
Alternative Livestock Watering Systems
•Landowner commits to creating a watering system for their livestock that provides an alternative to livestock drinking directly from a stream, river, lake, or wetland.
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.
Contact Information
For more information, contact Ken Lewis at 403-505-9038 or klewis@rdcounty.ca
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/