What happens upstream is felt downstream
We are all downstream from the watershed.
On Thursday, the Oldman Watershed Council held its ninth annual “Holding the Reins” landowner summit, with close to 100 people from southern Alberta in attendance who share a common concern over land and water conservation in the watershed. Also in attendance were 40 agriculture science students from Lethbridge College.
Cody Spencer, OWC Watershed Legacy Program Manager, said the program is an opportunity to gather people from all different sectors of farming, ranching, along with environmentalists and government officials as well as anyone with an interest in the quality of the watershed. Speakers from all over the province come to speak to those in attendance in a number of different areas of concern.
“They talk about various things to do with agriculture, watershed stewardship and protection of public lands,” Spencer said.
Gerald Vandervalk spoke at the event as a cow/calf operator west of Clarehsolm who shared the benefits and advantages of some of the changes made on operation in regards to stewardship.
“There’s getting to be a larger disconnect between the cities and rural people,” he said. “When I was small, everyone knew someone from a farm. And it’s not like that anymore.
“We just want to manage our land and make it so my kids and their kids come back. So we want something sustainable.”
“I want to show what we’re doing is working, it’s best for the land and our animals.”
While the event is designed as a place to share information, the importance of water in particular is a message that can’t be understated, according to Spencer.
“Water is the most important thing we’ve got,” he said. “The OWC wants to keep drilling that message into people’s heads that this is really important, and that we need to protect it and manage it in a way that is going to help us out in the long run. We all need water.”
Spencer said many landowners are voicing concerns over the use of public lands, and are concerned with the degradation and abuse they say is happening.
“Specifically the farmers and ranchers whose land borders the public land,” he said. “They see the effects of people who ride their quads onto public land, and then tear into their fields and rip that up as well.”
“That’s a big issue for everybody because it shows a lack of respect for the land and everyone else.”
Drought was another concern voiced by some of those in attendance, according to Spencer, as producers have experienced another dry winter.
“At the same time, there’s not much we can do about that,” he said. “It’s a result of climate change or El Nino, or maybe a combination of both.”
Low water levels in the Oldman River are also on a lot of people’s minds as well.
Spencer said it is important for everyone, including those who live in the city, to remember the impact on their lives when something happens in the watershed.
“What happens further upstream from Lethbridge directly affects how our city operates,” he said. “Promoting stewardship of the land, in turn, increases water quality which benefits everybody. We’re all downstream.”
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