​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Landowner Stewardship Resources

Agricultural Best Management Practices

• OMAFRA's Best Management Practice (BMP) booklets are a series of publications that take a practical, affordable approach to conserving farm soil and water resources without sacrificing productivity. More than 25 topics are covered in the series, including farm forestry management, streamside grazing, managing nutrients (phosphorus) and controlling erosion. (links to OMAFRA)
  
• Vegetable and Fruit ​Washwater Treatment Manual - A guide for managing washwater at packaging facility in a way that promotes environmental stewardship. The guide provides information on why good wash water management is important on the farm and at the packaging facility. NVCA staff worked with the Holland Marsh Growers Association on research presented in the manual, sampling and monitoring washwater pre- and post-​implementation of various water treatment technologies. (links to OMAFRA)​
  
• Horse Owners Stewardship Guide for the Ontario Landscape.  A great workbook to help you self-assess your farm, and highlights ways to improve it and protect the environment.  Based on the Canada-Ontario Environmental Farm Plan. (links to Credit Valley Conservation)
• Manure Storages for Small to Medium Size Horse Farms (links to OMAFRA)
• Manure Management in the Equine Landscape.pdf (source: University of Guelph – Equine Guelph - The Centre for Land and Water Stewardship)
• Trees and Wildlife in the Equine Landscape.pdf (source: University of Guelph – Equine Guelph - The Centre for Land and Water Stewardship)

• Ag Runoff and Erosion Protection.pdf (courtesy of Conservation Ontario) ​
  
• Compost Council of Canada "Soil at Work" (links to CCC)
  
• OMAFRA Best Management Practices Series: Soil Health (links to Government of Ontario) - includes information on amendments, cropland retirement, cover crops and more​
  
• OMAFRA Resources on Agricultural Erosion Control Structures (links to Government of Ontario) - includes design and construction information, list of certified contractors and more
  
• ​Controlled Tile Drainage Fact Sheet (links to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
  
• Controlled Tile Drainage (Video from AgriRisk Initiative under Growing Together 2, Government of Canada, OSCIA, and South Nation Conservation)​
  
 

All about Algae

• Blue-Green Algae Information (links to Government of Ontario)
• Fact Sheet Information about Blue-Green Algae (links to FOCA)
  
  

Cover Crops

Cover crops can increase soil fertility, organic matter, add nitrogen, suppress weeds, nematode suppression, reduce compaction and reduce water and wind erosion.  These cover crop selection tools can help you choose the best species mixes for your farm:

• Midwest Cover Crop Council Cover Crop Decision Tool
• University of Guelph Decision Tool
• Cover Crop Seed Suppliers
  
• Cover Crop Seeds Available
• Soil Manage​​ment (includes links to information on cover crops for erosion control)
• Soil Water Management
• Publication 75, Guide to Weed Control

Flooding - Be Flood Ready

The Government of Canada has launched a new website flood risks: Flood Ready provides an overview of overland flooding, cost of flooding, reasons to be flood ready, quiz on flood risks, step-by-step guide on making properties and communities safer, ways to build flood-readiness into a property, as well as community flood planning steps, tools and government programs.
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Forestry Conservation

Forestry conservation or "tree cutting" bylaws fall under county jurisdiction. Remember to c​all or click before you cut!​

• County of Grey - Forests/Trails
  
• County of Simcoe - Forestry Conservation Bylaw
  
  

The Green Pages: Watershed Business Directory

Business contacts for all your stewardship projects!

• Green Pages Business Directory.pdf​

Dealing with Invasive Species

• NVCA's Invasive Species Pages - information on many of the invasive species that are found in the Nottawasaga Valley
• Managing Invasive Species.pdf (Prepared by Donna Havinga and the Ontario Invasive Plants Working Group)
  
• Landowners Guide to Controlling Invasive Woodland Plants.pdf (courtesy of Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters)
  
• Mistaken Identity? Invasive Plants and their Native Look-Alikes (pdf available from the Delaware Dept. of Agriculture website)
• Invasive Phragmites Best Management Practices.pdf (courtesy of Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources)
• Ontario's Invading Species Awareness Program
  
• Ontario's Most Unwanted!​ Fact sheets and resources from the Ontario Invasive Plant Council
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Mapping Tools

Mapping tools can help view air photos of your property, measure distances, check regulated areas, design your project, check soil mapping, Canada Land Inventory, etc:

• NVCA mapping
• OMFRA Agricultural Atlas (tutorials)
• Dufferin County mapping
• Grey County mapping
• Simcoe County mapping
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Planting for Pollinators

• Selecting Plants for Po​llinators – Manitoulin & Lake Simcoe Region​ (link to Pollinator Partnership) 
• A Landowner's Guide to Conserving Native Pollinators in Ontario (link to Feed the Bees)
• Native Pollin​a​tors on Farms​ (link to Farms at Work)
  
  

Protecting your Soil

• Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) Fact Sheet (link to Government of Ontario)
  
  

Protecting your Water

• What Landowners can do to Protect Water Quality and Quantity​
  

Septic System ​​Inspection & ​Upgrades

• Caring for your Septic System
• SepticSmart! Understanding Your Home's Septic System
  
• SepticSmart! Advanced Treatment Systems — Alternatives to Conventional Septic Systems.pdf
  (Both SpecticSmart! documents courtesy of Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and the MECP through Cataraqui Source Protection Area, Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Region and Quinte Source Protection Region)
  
  

Shoreline Restoration

• ​A Stewardship Guide for the Lake Huron Coastline (2006, published by a group of agencies, including the Huron Stewardship Council)​
  
• Working Along the Shore – A Professional's Guide to Healthy Shoreline Management for Lake Simcoe (2014) - This guide is a must for those that live on a lake. Learn how to protect the lake you love. Features native plant suggestions, low impact docks, and shoreline protection methods. Made for Lake Simcoe, it can be extended to many lakes in Ontario. (Created by the MNRF and theDufferin Simcoe Land Stewardship Network.)​
  

Well Care & Maintenance

• Directory of Licensed Well Contractors (link to Government of Ontario)
  
• Alls Well That Ends Well.pdf
• How to Care for your Private Well.pdf (courtesy of Conservation Ontario)
  
• How to Take a Water Sample for Bacteriological Testing.pdf
• Potential for Groundwater Contamination in Wells.pdf
• Private Well Water Stewardship in Ontario 2008.pdf (courtesy of Water Policy & Governance Group)
  
• Rural Water Wells.pdf (courtesy of Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada)
  
• Well Construction and Decommission (links to MECP)​
  
• Well Testing.pdf
  

Windbreaks​

Woodlot Management & Forestry

• Butternut Tree: Ontario Species at Risk - A Landowner's Resource Guide (links to the ​Forest Gene Conservation Association)
  
• Homeowners Guide to Maintaining Your Trees Following Ice Storms and How to Prevent Future Damage.pdf (courtesy of Forests Ontario)
  
• Landowner Woodlot Handbook Maintenance of Forests Following Ice Storm Events.pdf (courtesy of Forests Ontario)