Frederic Serre
The Advocate

An ambitious land development program led by a consortium from Ottawa, the Quebec government and a federation within the Union des producteurs du Québec has selected 32 agricultural businesses in 24 municipalities in the province as participants to promote biodiversity.

In making the announcement on Sept. 2, the UPA’s Fédération de la Montérégie and ALUS Montérégie announced that more than 20 hectares of additional farmland will be developed this year to promote biodiversity and support the resilience of communities. The program is being spearheaded by ALUS and the Montérégie federation.

ALUS, which stands for Alternative Land Use Services, is a community-developed, farmer-delivered non-profit program that provides support to farmers and ranchers to enhance and maintain ecological goods and services, or what could also be called “nature’s benefits,” on their property.

The areas selected include Acton, Brome-Missisquoi, Haut-Saint-Laurent, Jardins-de-Napierville, Maskoutains, Pierre-De Saurel, Rouville, Roussillon, Vallée-du-Richelieu, and Vaudreuil-Soulanges.

“This will have a real impact on the environment and the quality of life of citizens,” said Julien Pagé, vice-president of the Fédération de l’UPA de la Montérégie and president of ALUS Montérégie.

The program includes creating wider riparian strips, multifunctional hedges, biodiversity islands, flower strips and meadows for pollinators, and setting aside plots for delayed hay mowing for farmland birds.

“By creating environments that are favourable to wildlife and flora, we are strengthening the resilience of our farms and communities in the face of climate change,” Pagé said. “These actions today are sustainable investments for future generations.”

Through ALUS, Pagé said, federal and provincial governments, committed businesses, and philanthropic foundations are investing in agricultural projects to generate positive environmental, economic and social benefits in their communities, one acre at a time.