A snapshot of ALUS’ growth over the past year.
ALUS brings together farmers and ranchers, local community leaders, environmental organizations, generous supporters and a dedicated national staff, with everyone working to improve the environment in communities across the country. Last year was unlike any other, and we want to thank everyone involved in ALUS by sharing a snapshot of the progress we made despite the historic challenges presented by 2020.
Thanks to our local partners and participating farmers and ranchers for making a difference.
Working Together
The ALUS family is strong and growing. More than 240 farmers and ranchers signed up last year. This brings us to more than 1,100 ALUS participants across Canada.
We also welcomed 4 new communities to the ALUS family last year, This brings us to a total of 31 ALUS communities in six provinces: PEI, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. We can’t wait to welcome even more communities in the coming months!
Follow us on social media and subscribe to our e-newsletter to stay informed about several new ALUS communities we plan to welcome over the coming months.
More Acres
Farmers and ranchers enrolled close to 5,400 fresh acres in the ALUS program last year, an increase of 20% from the year before. There is now a total of more than 32,100 acres—or 130 square kilometers—devoted to the production of cleaner air, cleaner water and more wildlife habitat through ALUS.
In most cases, these acres represent ecologically sensitive, marginal agricultural land that has been turned over to ALUS wetlands, woodlands, grasslands and pollinator projects, often in combination.
Thank you for making a difference for wetlands, pollinators and wildlife.
More Pollinators
ALUS added more than 4,400 acres of pollinator habitat this past year, for a total of close to 25,000 acres of native tallgrass prairie, hedgerows, riparian zones and other special projects that help shelter, feed and propagate wild pollinators.
More Trees
Likewise, there was an 18% growth in tree- and shrub-planting projects this past year, for a new total of nearly 6,100 reforested acres across Canada.
This includes shelterbelts, ecobuffers and plantations of mixed native species that help support Canadian wildlife, sequester carbon, produce cleaner air and reduce soil erosion, helping to protect water quality in lakes and rivers.
More Wetlands
Together, we added more than 4,300 acres of wetlands and wetland-related projects to the ALUS network the past year. In total, ALUS participants now manage more than 26,300 acres of wetland-related projects across the country.
These projects are important for reducing the negative impact of droughts and extreme flooding on Canadian communities, as well as for sustaining wildlife and for filtering water impurities before they end up in local watercourses, helping produce cleaner water for communities downstream.
More Funding
Thanks to many generous supporters, ALUS and the New Acre Project provided a record $2.3 million to communities, farmers and ranchers last year alone. In total, since 2016, ALUS has disbursed over $12 million in funding to ALUS communities, an investment that is multiplied by the farmers, ranchers and communities on the ground.
As a national charitable organization, ALUS raises funds from public and private sources to support local ALUS programs across the country, while corporations also contribute to the growth of ALUS through the New Acre™ Project. Consult the list of all our supporters here.
Making a Difference
By working collectively through ALUS, we are all making a bigger difference on the ground year after year. Thank you, everyone, for coming together to make a difference with us.
Stay informed about ALUS funding and subscribe to our e-newsletter
