Rangeland Ecology & Management

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MULTISAR - EMPOWERING LANDOWNERS TO CONSERVE HABITAT FOR SPECIES AT RISK
Author
Moltzahn, Lee
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
2018
Body

MULTISAR is a multi-partner program that collaborates to conserve species at risk through voluntary habitat stewardship, while maintaining viable ranching operations in Alberta�s native grasslands. Our primary partners are landholders, the Prairie Conservation Forum, Alberta Conservation Association, Alberta Environment and Parks, Cows and Fish, Canadian Cattlemen�s Association, Canadian Round table for Sustainable Beef, and Alberta Beef Producers (sit on Advisory Team). Funding for MULTISAR is also provided by Environment Canada. MULTISAR provides tools for landholders interested in conserving species at risk. A Habitat Conservation Strategy (HCS) is a detailed, in-depth and free customized ranch plan that balances healthy rangelands with quality wildlife habitat through grazing recommendations and habitat improvements. The process starts with a collaborative agreement between the landholder and MULTISAR and includes detailed wildlife surveys, range inventories, riparian health assessments, and information gathering on current management practices and ranch history. We start this process by overlaying a biophysical grassland dataset on the property. The Grassland Vegetation Inventory (GVI) is a comprehensive GIS product that represents Alberta's new vegetation inventory for the Grassland Natural Region of the province. GVI is comprised of ecological range sites based on soils information for areas of native vegetation and general land use for areas of non-native vegetation (i.e. agricultural, industrial, and residential developments). The GVI polygons form the basis on which all the ground surveys are built upon. The results of the surveys conducted by Biologists, Agrologists, and Riparian Specialists are analyzed and compared with landowner knowledge to create a management plan unique to the property. In consultation with the landowner, recommendations are made that would empower them to maintain and/or enhance native grasslands and habitat that support species at risk.

Language
English
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Conference Name
SRM Reno, NV