ALUS Peel Project Update
According to the 2021 agricultural census, 31 per cent of land in Peel is used for commercial agriculture. That means farmers manage almost one third of the entire Peel region. With this in mind it’s easy to understand why the work farmers do to manage the land and water is so important. When agriculture and nature meet, it’s a happy reunion that provides us with healthy local food as well as vital ecosystem services like erosion and flood control, carbon storage and climate regulation, pollination and water purification.
Enter ALUS Peel. Officially launched in September at an event in Caledon, ALUS Peel is a partnership between Credit Valley Conservation, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, the Region of Peel and ALUS National to support sustainable farming practices that benefit agriculture and the environment. ALUS Peel opens new funding opportunities for on-farm stewardship and provides annual payments to farmers of up to $150 per acre for the long-term monitoring and maintenance of eligible stewardship projects such as tree planting, native grassland and wetland restoration, in-field soil erosion control and livestock restriction fencing.
Off to a strong start
So far, eight Peel farmers have signed up to participate in ALUS Peel. Of these, six have already launched a project with two more ready to go in the new year. They’re planting trees on lands that are too wet or too steep for farming, creating wildlife corridors between existing natural areas and restoring wetlands. In total, the projects amount to over 10 hectares of naturalized land. This enthusiasm suggests that ALUS Peel is on the way to meet or exceed its three-year target of 30 hectares.
ALUS Peel extends existing financial support for farm stewardship provided by the Peel Rural Water Quality Program.
Visit aluspeel.ca to learn more.
Sincerely,
Your Countryside Stewardship Team