What is Cows and Fish?We are about:

• being a catalyst for action

• technical assistance

• another approach to resolve landscape issues

• maintenance and restoration of biodiversity

• people, partnerships, and communities

• a process

What is Cows and Fish?We are about:• ecological literacy• sustainable livestock management• landscapes and watersheds

• building stewardship:

literacy attitude shift changes in action

Mission

Cows and Fish Process Elements

Awareness

CommunityBased Action

Tool Building

Team Building

Monitoring

Cows and Fish Process Elements

Mission

Awareness

Management Committee

Alberta Riparian Habitat Management Program

“Cows and Fish” Partners

AAFRD

AENV

CCA

ACC

TUC

PFRA

DFO

ProducersMDs

Counties

ACA

Cows and Fish Process Elements

Mission

AwarenessTeam Building

Cows and Fish Process Elements

Mission

Awareness

Tool Building

Team Building

2.7

7.3

2.9

0

2

4

6

8

lb/acre (thousands

Upland(Loamy-

Excellent)

Floodplain(Sb-Good)

Floodplain(Sb-

Poor++)

Waldron Ranch Riparian Pasture

Cows and Fish Process Elements

Mission

Awareness

CommunityBased Action

Tool Building

Team Building

Cows and Fish Process Elements

Mission

Awareness

CommunityBased Action

Tool Building

Team Building

Monitoring

Riparian Health Assessment

putting all the pieces of the puzzle together

Stream Riparian Health

05

101520253035404550

Percent

Healthy Healthy atRisk

Unhealthy

AlbertaMontanaIdaho

Alberta: based on ~300 sites in southern and central areasMontana: based on ~2,000 miles of streamIdaho: based on ~800 miles of stream

Alberta Riparian Health

Healthy at Risk49%

Healthy 11%

Unhealthy40%

Data for up to 2002; based on ~900 sites

“The future isn’t what it used to be”

Working with Communities: Sharing our experience

Lesson 1

• Producers, local communities and/or watershed groups must drive riparian management planning decisions.

Working with Communities: Sharing our experience

Lesson 2

• Create a team effort.

Working with Communities: Sharing our experience

Lesson 3

• Ownership of riparian grazing and other issues lies with the landowners.

Working with Communities: Sharing our experience

Lesson 4

• Get out and talk to producers and their communities.

Working with Communities: Sharing our experience

Lesson 5

• Learn from landowners!

Working with Communities: Sharing our experience

Lesson 6

• Send a positive message to the general public.