Agriculture, the cottage and us… Slide 1 Agriculture, Our Cottage and Us: How We Can Make A Difference Photo Credit: Saskatchewan Watershed Authority

Agriculture, the cottage and us… Slide 2 The Economic Importance of Agriculture In Saskatchewan  Saskatchewan Agri-Food exports made up 35% of total Saskatchewan exports in Source: SK Ag, Food and Rural Revitalization

Agriculture, the cottage and us… Slide 3 Partners Helping Producers  Saskatchewan Watershed Authority  Ducks Unlimited Canada  Saskatchewan Network of Watershed Stewards  Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada PFRA

Agriculture, the cottage and us… Slide 4 Nutrients  Phosphate and Nitrogen  Plant and animal nutrients  Create algal blooms  Blue-green algae blooms can be toxic to humans and livestock

Agriculture, the cottage and us… Slide 5 Sediments  Occurs naturally; our activities speed it up.  Suffocates fish, their eggs and their habitat.  Reduces storage capacity in lakes and reservoirs.  Sediments carry always carry nutrients and may carry toxins and other pollutants  Clogs dams and ruins machinery.

Agriculture, the cottage and us… Slide 6 Pathogens  Infectious diseases that are transmitted through animal and human feces.  Pathogens can make humans very ill.  Also destroy invertebrates that are a part of fish diets.

Agriculture, the cottage and us… Slide 7 Pesticides  Move through water, air and soil to reach our water  Non-specific herbicides kill native vegetation as well as weeds  Non-specific insecticides kill invertebrates that fish feed on

Agriculture, the cottage and us… Slide 8 How Producers Are Helping  Zero-till or conservation tillage: reduces or eliminates tilling crop land  Grazing Management: keeps shorelines green, reduces erosion and protects water quality  Volunteer water monitoring: keeps track of substances entering the water Photo Credit: Saskatchewan Watershed Authority

Agriculture, the cottage and us… Slide 9 A Buffer Zone- The Best Idea  Buffer Zones can remove between 70-96% of pollutants entering your water  Keep your septic systems in check  Avoid using pesticides and fertilizers Photo Credit: Saskatchewan Watershed Authority

Agriculture, the cottage and us… Slide 10 It All Boils Down To… Photo Credit: Saskatchewan Watershed Authority

Agriculture, the cottage and us… Slide 11 With Thanks  Canadian Nature Federation & Government of Canada Voluntary Sector Initiative, Agriculture and Agri- Food Canada  Fish Habitat Stewardship-in-Action Program- Fisheries and Oceans Canada  Saskatchewan Watershed Authority  Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada PFRA