Save the Edges SUMMARY REPORT
We are pleased to provide a summary report of the Save the Edges campaign since its inception in 2022. This awareness-focused campaign developed and delivered important key messages on why it’s important to leave public roadside ditches and right-of-ways intact. We encourage everyone to stop trespass farming these edges in return for the multitude of benefits these habitat strips provide including:
- Filtering excess nutrients including phosphorous and nitrogen, preventing them from entering our rivers, lakes and groundwater systems.
- Minimizing overland flooding by storing, slowing and absorbing excess water, helping to protect roads, culverts and agricultural fields.
- Storing thousands of tons of carbon, preventing it from entering the atmosphere.
- Providing homes for pollinators like bees, butterflies, moths and beetles.
- Sustaining species that prey on agricultural pests.
- Providing thousands of acres of habitat for grassland-dependent mammals and birds, including pheasants and grey partridge.
BACKGROUND
In 2019, the United Conservative Party of Alberta (GOA) released a conservation-focused strategy document that reinforced the importance of ensuring that natural capital remains intact for the benefit of wildlife and all Albertans. Specifically mentioned in the document was government’s intention to “take actions against trespass farming”.
It was determined that the best short-term approach to this growing issue would be a campaign highlighting the issue, while bringing awareness of the associated societal costs, including the loss of natural capital and the impacts to local infrastructure. In response to the GOA’s recognition of this issue, Pheasants Forever Canada (PFC) submitted a proposal to deliver an awareness campaign, Save the Edges, in targeted areas of southern Alberta.
On September 24, 2021, Alberta Environment and Parks and PFC entered into a grant agreement. In return for the grant, PFC would deliver an awareness campaign in select southern Alberta municipalities intended to “inform producers and land managers of the value of public roadside ditches and undeveloped right-of-ways for wildlife habitat and other ecological goods and services.”
HIGHLIGHTS
Following are highlights of our activities for the campaign period April 1, 2022 to May 31, 2024.
- Key messages were developed highlighting the benefits of keeping these important edge areas intact.
- Print ads were placed in the focus area, including the communities of High River, Bow Island, Taber, Vauxhall, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Strathmore, Oyen, Drumheller, Claresholm and Brooks reaching 1,035,290 readers.
- A 30-second radio spot was developed and played on local radio in Drumheller, Brooks, High River, Strathmore, Olds, Medicine Hat and Lethbridge reaching 750,000 listeners. In addition, Save the Edges was part of a live on-air radio interview on QR77 and 630 CHED as part of their Alberta Morning News segment with host Kevin Usselman.
- In-person presentations were made to the Alberta Association of Agricultural Fieldmen, the South Regional Agriculture Service Board Conference, County of Wheatland and County of Acadia Valley staff and the Wildlife Society Club at Lethbridge College.
- A field tour showing evidence of trespass farming was completed in the Counties of Foothills and Vulcan with select media members.
- A display unit was developed that has been used at presentations, sporting events and PF Calgary’s annual dinner and auction, viewed by 3,000 attendees.
- Save the Edges has been promoted in PF Calgary’s quarterly E-newsletter sent to 900 members every issue since the start of the campaign.
- Save the Edges stories were featured on the Pheasants Forever Canada website (savetheedges.ca) receiving 3,816 page views from 1,753 users. Stories included Where the Wild Asparagus Grows, Don’t Litter, Year-round Conversation, Where Pheasants Nest and more.
- A variety of social media posts reinforced the Save the Edges key messages with 28,457 impressions on Facebook, 4,157 impressions on Instagram and 1,704 impressions on X.
LOOKING AHEAD
Despite the growth of trespass farming in the past few decades, PF Calgary Executive Director Perry McCormick believes that the Save the Edges campaign has helped to get things moving in the right direction. He says farmers and municipalities are starting to understand the benefits of edges on their properties. “That might not have been the case in the past few decades, but as we learn and grow, we start to understand the benefits of leaving these edges intact”. Recent research featured in Good Edges Equals Good Canola is confirming that edges are providing important economic and environmental benefits.
Although the initial grant has now been completed, Pheasants Forever continues to encourage keeping public roadside ditches and right-of-ways intact. For years these edges have provided some of the last vestiges of habitat for upland game birds and remain a priority concern for the organization.
