The annual Iron Creek Watershed Improvement Society Supper and Information Night was held in Killam on Wednesday, March 29.

The evening featured three speakers, Jeff Renton from Agroforestry and Woodlot Extension Society (AWES), Kerri O’Shaughnessy from Cows and Fish, and special guest rancher Sean McGrath, who talked about his experiences with Alternative Land Use Services, or ALUS.

After dinner, Society Chairperson Don Ruzicka introduced David Samm and Susanna Bruneau from the Battle River Watershed Alliance (BRWA). Ruzicka also talked about the support and benefits the Society has received through the BRWA, and asked Samm, who is the General Manager, to speak a little about his group’s activities.

Samm said that seven or eight years ago, the Iron Creek Watershed group had come up with a great idea of a day program for youth, called Wetlands, Trees, and Forests.

The Society went to the BRWA when the program got
bigger, and it is now offered throughout the Battle River Watershed.

Samm said teacher feedback on the program is excellent, as it fits well into almost every curriculum.

The BRWA is in the process of building a watershed atlas, Samm advised, a 120 page book on the watershed that includes information, stories, and photos from and about the people living within it.

He asked Fred Wilson to carry a message to Carol Wilson. “When Carol was on the board years ago, she’d say biodiversity, biodiversity, biodiversity.”

Samm said that Wilson was instrumental in getting project funding, and praised her vision and determination.

He announced that a page of the new atlas would be dedicated to Fred and Carol for their support. “It’s an opportunity to honour their lifelong commitment to watershed activities.”

Ruzicka then introduced guest speaker Jeff Renton, who is with the Agroforestry and Woodlot Extension Society (AWES).

Renton explained that AWES’ primary goal is to act as a provincial educational service to landowners, which he thinks is the most important facet of the group.

“Planting a tree isn’t as easy as it seems.”

Renton talked about shelterbelt planting, saying that AWES has tree-planting projects in 11 counties this year.

“We develop a plan with the landowner, or we plan and come in and do the planting.”