Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia Eastern Habitat Joint Venture Wetland Stewardship Program 2010-11

Goals and Objectives

The overall goal of the NS-EHJV Stewardship Program is to address provincial wetland conservation and management needs through the development of conservation and stewardship objectives and the application of stewardship techniques.

The following general objectives are identified for the NS-EHJV Stewardship Program:
• Ensure that existing benefits to breeding, migratory and wintering waterfowl and other migratory birds, as well as benefits to other wildlife and people will be maintained on privately owned lands.
• Improve public understanding of wetland ecosystem services.
• Educate both the landowner and user in responsible land use practices.
• Undertake physical improvements on privately owned wetlands to benefit wetland associated wildlife species.

These objectives will be directed at protecting both wetland habitats and biodiversity in Nova Scotia, and communicating the critical ecological role of wetland habitats.

Activities

The NS-EHJV Wetland Stewardship Program will complete Agricultural Biodiversity Conservation Plans for 30 Nova Scotia farms in 2010/11 and influence positive land use changes on 1,200 ha of agricultural lands important for wildlife. This will represent 20% of the NS-EHJV Implementation Plan goal of completing 150 Agricultural Biodiversity Conservation Plans (6000 ha influenced) by 2012. In addition, an expansion of the program will provide an opportunity to re-visit current participants to determine the uptake of the recommendations in their plans and to encourage future participation.

The general intent of ABC Plans is to provide agricultural producers and agricultural support practitioners with realistic and specifically tailored land use options that support biodiversity and conservation/restoration planning. ABC Plans are used to support the conservation and restoration of wetlands, riparian edges and biodiversity on Nova Scotia farms. ABC Plans provide members of the agricultural community with an opportunity to assess how upland and other BMP’s can be adapted to farmland to support wetland and upland conservation. These plans also encourage the discussion of the value of these practices with neighboring farmers.

Successes to Date: Forty-three farms have participated in the ABC Plan project in Nova Scotia in the initial two years of the project. The following table provides a breakdown of the total habitat coverage in these two years. It is also important to note that nearly 50 % of the total participants to date have already enhanced wetlands or have expressed an interest in integrating other biodiversity related BMP’s into the farm operations.

Specific Habitat Products/Results to be Supported by WHC’s Contributions

WHC’s contributions to the 2010/11 NS-EHJV Wetland Stewardship Program will provide partial salary support and expenses for the NS-EHJV Wetland Stewardship Program. The NS-EHJV Stewardship Coordinator will work closely with all partners involved to coordinate the delivery of the NS-EHJV Wetland Stewardship Program and be directly responsible for the delivery of ABC Plans.

Benefits to Waterfowl, Wetlands-Associated Species, and/or Other Wildlife

The NS-EHJV partners estimate that the agricultural eco-districts support about a quarter of NS breeding waterfowl. Recent waterfowl surveys (2008 and 2009) conducted by Environment Canada – Canadian Wildlife Service throughout the Maritimes have shown that waterfowl indicated breeding pair (IBP) densities in agricultural landscapes (2.55 IBP/Km2) are more than two times higher than in forested landscapes (1.09 IBP/Km2). Recent studies have also shown that there are more waterfowl broods on wetlands in the agricultural than forested landscape. Wetlands are more productive in agricultural than in forested landscapes due to underlying soil fertility. The NS-EHJV wetland stewardship and wetland restoration programs identified in the NS-EHJV Implementation Plan are focused in agricultural areas where waterfowl response (e.g. increased breeding and brood rearing) is predicted to be greatest.

Waterfowl duckling survival is also an important limiting factor for the priority waterfowl species identified in the NS-EHJV Implementation Plan. Wetland stewardship and restoration are complementary activities undertaken to directly increase duckling survival and the number of breeding pairs settling in the agricultural landscape by improving the abundance and productivity of brood rearing habitat. The NS-EHJV Program established a goal of doubling waterfowl production from the agricultural landscape. Currently brood rearing and pairing wetlands represent 2.1% of the agricultural landscape in NS. The NS-EHJV partners have established a long-term goal of increasing the number of wetlands such that there area will account for 4% of the agricultural landscape.

The NS-EHJV Wetland Stewardship Program will contribute to achieving the waterfowl population goals for Nova Scotia by influencing positive land use practices to support and maintain critical breeding habitat for NS-EHJV Priority Waterfowl Species (e.g. American black duck, mallard, green-winged teal and ring-necked duck). Stewardship activities are expected to contribute to influencing conservation practices on 6,000 ha and encourage the restoration of approximately 1950 ha of wetlands resulting in an estimated new production of 1575 waterfowl pairs and 1227 waterfowl broods between 2007-2012. One of the primary stewardship tools to assist in achieving these goals will be delivered by the NS-EHJV Wetland Stewardship Program through the development of ABC Plans. As mentioned previously, approximately 50% of the agricultural producers that have participated in the program have incorporated constructed wetlands or have expressed an interest in integrating other biodiversity related BMP’s into the farm operations. These land use actions will result in more habitats conserved for more waterfowl and other wildlife.

Relevance to Habitat Planning, Decision Making and/or Management

The stewardship activities outlined in this proposal complement several waterfowl and wetlands conservation initiatives including the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture, Black Duck Joint Venture and Atlantic Coast Joint Ventures, as well as other initiatives developing under the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI).

Until recently, the general uptake of the biodiversity BMP’s on farms have been slow throughout Nova Scotia and the rest of Atlantic Canada, due in large part to the general lack of "biodiversity resource support” and wildlife habitat information available to farm planning practitioners, agricultural extension workers, and farm producers (2006 Atlantic Agriculture Biodiversity Workshop; 2007 Atlantic Biodiversity Workshop and Farm Tours; 2008 Agricultural Riparian Health and Management Strategy for Atlantic Canada).

The uptake of biodiversity BMP’s on Nova Scotia farms is improving due in large part to the NS-EHJV Wetland Stewardship Program. The NS-EHJV Wetland Stewardship Program continues to provide direct biodiversity related support and wildlife habitat information to Nova Scotia’s farm planning practitioners, agricultural extension workers, and farm producers by directly engaging them in the planning and delivery of farm projects. The NS-EHJV Wetland Stewardship Program continues to seek new partnerships and networking opportunities with the greater agricultural community to promote wetland conservation and increase awareness of biodiversity within the agricultural landscape.

Nova Scotia farmers that have ABC Plan’s prepared by the NS-EHJV Wetland Stewardship Program often seek additional funding to implement the BMP’s identified in their ABC Plans. Funding is eligible to NS farmers to improve biodiversity conservation (e.g. wetland restoration, riparian management, etc.) on their farms through the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture’s Farm Investment Fund and through local conservation groups.

Project Location

The NS-EHJV Wetland Stewardship Program will focus on farmland located in the Valley and Central Lowlands (primarily Annapolis, Kings, Hants and Colchester Counties) and Northumberland and Bras d’Or Lowlands Ecoregions (primarily Cumberland, Pictou and Antigonish Counties). Agricultural activity in Nova Scotia primarily occurs on privately owned family farms. In Nova Scotia, hunters are required to get permission from farm owners to access their land for hunting migratory game birds and other harvestable wildlife.

Valley and Central Lowlands
Over 84,000 hectares of agricultural lands in the region represents approximately 36% off all agricultural lands in Nova Scotia. Approximately one fifth of the land cover in the Ecoregion is comprised of agricultural lands – making it the largest agricultural region in the province.

Northumberland and Bras d’Or Lowlands
Over 69,000 hectares of agricultural lands in the region represents approximately 29% of all agricultural lands in Nova (Table 2). Less than one tenth (~ 9%) of the land cover in the Ecoregion is made up of agricultural lands.

Please click here to view the project location map (pdf file).

Project Contact

For more information on this project, please contact Glen Parsons, Natural Resources Planner – Provincial Biologist, NS-EHJV Program Manager, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources – Wildlife Division, Kentville, NS.

Wildlife Habitat Canada