Manitoba Conservation Trust: Kirkella Pasture Enhancement
About the Project
Kirkella Community Pasture Association’s Grassland Habitat Enhancement Project received $100,000 from the Province of Manitoba’s new Conservation Trust Fund for a two-year pasture improvement project on the community-owned pasture.
The 4,000 acre pasture is located in the Rural Municipality of Wallace-Woodworth in western Manitoba and has significant environmental and cattle production values. Sitting prominently near the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border just north of the Trans-Canada Highway, the Kirkella Community Pasture project was one of the first announced by the Conservation Trust in 2018.
“The Kirkella Community Pasture is a municipally-owned tract of land that includes grassland, wetland and woodland habitats that have been managed by a municipally-operated grazing cooperative for many decades,” said Garth Mitchell, Wallace-Woodworth’s Chief Administrative Officer. “We see a great opportunity to undertake improvements to the pasture for the purpose of enhancing grazing opportunities as well as the environmental benefits that result from more effective grazing and landscape management practices.”
The project erected fencing to benefit the pasture health for cattle grazing and biodiversity, and installed three dugouts for better water quality and access for cattle. A major undertaking of the project was an extensive mowing program to control woody species which will result in improved grassland utilization for grazing for many years in to the future. MFGA had also provided the project with a pasture review report by experts in rangeland health and from the local Assiniboine West Watershed District who walked the pasture and suggested actions and recommendations around pasture enhancements. According to Alistair Hagan, Kirkella Community Pasture manager, the project was discussed at length within the Kirkella Pasture Patrons committee before settling on the course of action.
Read the Media Release for the wrap up details of this project.
Project Deliverables
According to Tim Sopuck, CEO of MHHC, the Kirkella Community Pasture is a productive, intact tract of grassland, wetland and associated habitats in a highly altered landscape. “Improving the management capability of the area will translate into environmental amenity enhancement as well as improved management and production of livestock,” says Sopuck. “Based on the results of a pasture assessment, this project will deliver a combination of range enhancement activities, including fencing, livestock watering and control of invasive shrubs among other benefits.”
The Project’s Partnership
The project was led by the Rural Municipality of Wallace-Woodworth and Manitoba Forage and Grasslands Association (MFGA), who partnered to match the generous project funding with in-kind work necessary to make the $200,000 project a reality.
“These kinds of projects are a strong fit with MFGA’s mission and vision and we are grateful to the Conservation Trust and the Government of Manitoba for developing a project funding mechanism that gives groups like MFGA the opportunity to work on, partner with other groups and enhance our natural areas, especially grasslands and pastures that producers and ranchers steward every single day via livestock and grazing rotations,” says Wegner, who also farms near the Virden-area. “With the expertise of our producer-led board, we are able to identify and align with the business aspects around the pasture decisions. We know the Kirkella Community Pasture enhancements will be great for conservation and we also fully understand the economic side of the enhancements will be valued and necessary too.”
Funding of the Project
Kirkella Community Pasture was among more than 40 projects and $2.2 Million in Budget 2018 and is now permanently endowed so it can support and inspire important conservation projects for generations.
Province of Manitoba: Award $100,000 from the Conservation Trust Fund
Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation (MHHC): Administer, track and evaluate the project. projects administered, tracked and evaluated by the Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation (MHHC).
Winnipeg Foundation: Manage the fund which is expected to generate about $5 million a year
Media Releases
April 16, 2019 - Kirkella Community Pasture Receives Conservation Trust Funding
Feb 9, 2021 - Kirkella Community Pasture Watered, Scrubbed and Ready to Shine as Nature-Based Jewel