More than 100 people gathered at Springview Farm in Waterford, Ontario, on August 24, 2016, to celebrate the Ontario relaunch of ALUS Canada, a Weston Family Initiative.
ALUS is a national not-for-profit organization that funds farmers and ranchers producing cleaner air, cleaner water, pollinator habitat and other ecosystem services.
Guest speakers included ALUS Canada’s CEO Bryan Gilvesy, the Hon. Diane Finley, MP for Haldimand-Norfolk, Jeff Helsdon representing the Hon. Toby Barrett, MPP for Haldimand-Norfolk, the Hon. Charlie Luke, Mayor of Norfolk County, ALUS Norfolk PAC Chair Chris Van Paassen, and ALUS participant Tracey Boerkamp, who hosted the event on Springview Farm.
“Since 2007, ALUS Canada has invested nearly $1.6M in Ontario’s ALUS communities, where ALUS participants are now devoting nearly 1,800 acres to producing ecosystem services for all Ontarians,” said Gilvesy.
The program is rapidly expanding, with 20 ALUS communities in six provinces, and more coming aboard. In Ontario, ALUS has grown from the province’s original community in Norfolk Country to a total of five programs: ALUS Elgin, ALUS Grey-Bruce, ALUS Ontario East, and ALUS Lambton.
More than 200 Ontario farmers and ranchers now participate, including the event’s hosts, Tracey and Shelley Boerkamp. who have established several ALUS projects at Springview Farm, a 400-acre corn and soy cash crop operation with a golf course on part of the property.
“It’s been wonderful to see the transformation of our property over the years,” said Boerkamp. “We went from a traditional tobacco farm to a more naturalized site where our grandchildren can enjoy all the natural benefits like butterflies, birds and other wildlife.”
Guests toured this re-naturalized ALUS project, where grasses, wildflowers, trees and shrubs were planted on some of the farm’s former tobacco fields in 2008.
The addition of native prairie grasses as a groundcover provided early successional habitat for the native Carolinian tree species species planted in this ALUS project, including 100 balsam fir, 400 white pine, 400 red oak and 300 black cherry.
Today, the flowering plants provide a food source for native pollinators, birds and beneficial insects, helping to boost biodiversity.
At the same time, the combination of grasses and trees provides an excellent control for wind erosion on the fragile sand plain, which helps improve water quality in Norfolk County.
By producing ecological services for the benefit of the wider community, the Springview Farm ALUS project is a perfect example of the ALUS concept, and the ideal place to celebrate the Ontario relaunch of ALUS Canada, a Weston Family Initiative.
Photos by Andrea Husted, Splash Photography.
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- ALUS Canada’s Ontario launch Aug 24, 2016
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- CEO Bryan Gilvesy announces ALUS Canada’s relaunch in Ontario.
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- ALUS Canada CEO Bryan Gilvesy with Jennifer Canham of The W. Garfield Weston Foundation.
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- Guest speakers at the Ontario relaunch of ALUS Canada, from L to R: Jeff Helsdon (representing MPP Toby Barrett), Bryan Gilvesy (ALUS Canada CEO), Norfolk’s federal MP Diane Finley, Norfolk Mayor Charlie Luke, Dave Reid (ALUS Canada Eastern Hub Manager), Casey Whitelock (ALUS Norfolk coordinator), Tracey Boerkamp (ALUS participant, Springview Farm), Chris Van Paassen (ALUS Norfolk Chair).
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- ALUS Canada Board Chair, Chip Pitfield, in the Springview ALUS project.
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- ALUS Canada relaunches in Waterford, Ontario, at Springview Farm, where ALUS has established acres of native plants, trees and shrubs
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- Emcee Casey Whitelock, ALUS Norfolk’s stellar program coordinator, kicks off the Ontario relaunch of ALUS Canada.
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- ALUS Canada relaunches in Waterford, Ontario, at Springview Farm, where ALUS has established acres of native plants, trees and shrubs.
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- Wonderful words of support by Norfolk’s federal MP, Diane Finley, at ALUS Canada’s Ontario relaunch.
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- Jeff Helsdon congratulates ALUS Canada on its relaunch; on behalf of Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett
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- Dave Reid, ALUS Canada’s Eastern Hub Coordinator, at the Ontario relaunch of ALUS Canada.
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- Norfolk Mayor Charlie Luke speaks about the great value of ALUS to his community.
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- Media briefing by Bridget Wayland, ALUS Canada’s Director of Communications.
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- Media interview with Bryan Givesy, CEO ALUS Canada, at the Ontario relaunch of ALUS Canada.
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- Guests toured the Boerkamp’s re-naturalized ALUS project, where grasses, wildflowers, trees and shrubs were planted on some of the farm’s former tobacco fields in 2008.
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- “It’s been wonderful to see the transformation of our property over the years,” said Boerkamp. “We went from a traditional tobacco farm to a more naturalized site where our grandchildren can enjoy all the natural benefits like butterflies, birds and other wildlife.”
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- “Right from the start we were on board with ALUS,” says ALUS Norfolk participant Tracey Boerkamp, of Springview Farm.
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- The event’s hosts, Tracey and Shelley Boerkamp, with their kids, at Springview Farm.
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- ALUS Grey-Bruce Program Coordinator Keith Reid and ALUS Lambton’s Program Coordinator Linsday Buchanan at the Ontario relaunch of ALUS Canada.
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- Court Desautels of the Neighbourhood Group of Companies, and Chris Van Paassen, ALUS Norfolk Chair, at the Ontario relaunch of ALUS Canada.
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- ALUS’ “Bounty of the County” buffet featured polenta with cheese, fresh herbs and corn, breaded eggplant cutlets, and meatballs from Y U Ranch.
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- The “Bounty of the County” charcuterie display featured products from local ALUS farmers.
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- The Hon. Diane Finley, MP for Haldimand-Norfolk, has been a longstanding ALUS supporter.
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- ALUS Norfolk PAC Chair Chris Van Paassen at the Ontario launch.
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- Some of Ontario’s dedicated ALUS team assembled in Norfolk to celebrate our Ontario launch, including Keith and Joni Reid the ALUS Grey-Bruce Program Coordinators, Casey Whitelock the ALUS Norfolk Program Coordinator, Cynthia Tosswill the ALUS Norfolk Assistant Program Coordinator, Lindsay Buchanan the ALUS Lambton Program Coordinator, Dave Reid the ALUS Canada Eastern Hub Coordinator, and Bryan Gilvesy the CEO of ALUS Canada.
