Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and its project partner Manitoba Forage & Grassland Association (MFGA) are pleased to announce new research dedicated to help landowners, industry and government understand carbon storage and greenhouse gas release from wetlands.
DUC is the leader in wetland conservation, utilizing sound science and partners with government, industry, non-profit organizations, Indigenous Peoples and landowners to conserve wetlands that are critical to waterfowl, wildlife and the environment.
Funded by the Canadian Agriculture Partnership, DUC and MFGA are measuring carbon dioxide and methane emissions from wetlands located on cattle farms and wetlands found in annual crop fields.
High-tech monitoring towers equipped with sensors called “flux towers” are deployed on farms and ranches near Riding Mountain National Park to measure wetland emissions within the Prairie Pothole Region.
“Agriculture uses a significant amount of land in Western Canada and our study will help inform how different agricultural practices can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” explains Pascal Badiou, lead project scientist from DUC’s Institute for Wetland and Waterfowl Research.
“Scientific measurements are key in protecting and managing the remaining intact natural ecosystems found on prairie farms.”
With results expected in 2023, the study will:
- Generate data necessary to facilitate the inclusion of wetlands and wetland management in national reporting for greenhouse gases (GHG) and carbon sequestration
- Inform offset protocols involving wetland restoration - potentially providing a new revenue stream to beef and crop producers managing environmental on-farm assets
- Lay the groundwork for a long-term monitoring program across the Canadian Prairies
DUC sees these results as a step toward farmers and ranchers monetizing the environmental benefits produced from their good land stewardship.