The Rural Team works directly with rural stakeholders in the Oldman Watershed by providing support to existing rural initiatives and building capacity among rural residents through team meetings and forums throughout the watershed. The team provides financial support to rural watershed and landowner groups within the watershed to help support workshops on riparian weed control, coalbed methane, wind energy development and Best Management Practices.
Rural Team Members
Anne Stevick, Member at Large, OWC Board of Directors
Dennis Lastuka, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Dwayne Rogness, County of Lethbridge
Gerhardt Hartman, Member at Large, OWC Board of Directors
Jamie Puchinger, Member at Large
Jeff Porter, Southwestern Alberta Conservation Partnership
Keith Francis, Member at Large, OWC Board of Directors
Kristie Romanow, Nature Conservancy of Canada
Mark Virginello, Pheasants Forever
Michael Uchikura, Alberta Conservation Association
Autumn Holmes-Saltzman, Ducks Unlimited
Selestia Tomlinson, Member at Large
Shannon Frank, OWC Staff
Tim Romanow, Cardston County
Projects & Activities
Holding the Reins - Landowners Summit for the Oldman Basin
Holding the Reins Summit is an annual event held in Fort Macleod. The event provides basin residents an opportunity to hear about rural issues and initiatives in the Oldman watershed. Presentations are given on a wide range of rural topics and landowner stewardship groups share their expertise, experiences and stories of their efforts to protect their local watershed.
For more information on this event, please contact Shannon at 403-382-4239.
Watershed Stewardship Tour
The Watershed Stewardship Tour showcased the diversity of stewardship initiatives implemented by landowners throughout the basin. The first tour was held in September of 2009. Several sites from east to west were visited. Topics covered wintering site management, rural and urban community driven watershed stewardship partnerships, ecosystem approaches to stewardship, riparian fencing, and biological control of invasive species. Keep your eyes open for future tours.
2009 Tour Details
Blackfoot Challenge Tour 
In mid-August 2008, 30 landowners, individuals from counties and municipalities and members of the OWC Rural Team set out on a journey to Ovando, Montana to visit a watershed organization called the Blackfoot Challenge. This is a landowner-based group that coordinates management of the Blackfoot River, its tributaries and adjacent lands. The Challenge has existed since 1993 and has had 15 years of experience working collaboratively to build trust, partnerships and a culture or working together to successfully solve problems that arise in their watershed. To date they have initiated projects in noxious weed management, protection of landscapes through conservation easements, stream restoration, water conservation, improved fisheries and wildlife habitat, and reduction of human and wildlife conflicts. During our visit, we were given the opportunity to learn about some of the projects that the Challenge has been involved in, some of the lessons that were learned and how to effectively work together to achieve the common goal of a healthy, viable watershed. In 2010 the Watershed Legacy Program provided funding for another tour.
2008 Tour Details
Watershed Legacy Program
The Watershed Legacy Program aims to provide the tools necessary for watershed stewardship groups and landowner cooperatives to take the next steps towards sustainable management of their land, operation, or more importantly the watersheds in which we all rely upon for our quality of life. These tools include funds for stewardship projects in one of 7 key areas, as well as administrative, technical and communication assistance. In 2009 the first project was completed with the installation of riparian fencing and an off-stream waterer. For more information or to apply for funding please contact Shannon at 403-382-4239 or by email Shannon@oldmanbasin.org.
Watershed Legacy Program Brochure
Upcoming Activities
The OWC's Rural Team will be holding their 6th Annual Holding the Reins: Landowner Summit for the Oldman Watershed, on February 7, 2012 at the Fort Macleod Community Hall from 9:00am - 4:30pm.
We hope you can join us!
Contact:
Leta Pezderic at 403-381-5801 or by email at leta@oldmanbasin.org