That's a two-part question. I'll deal with the second part, as other witnesses have already talked about the unique contributions.
I think there's the in-kind provision of goods. There's the provision of expertise. If we're talking of the forest sector, companies can have particular expertise with respect to forest management. I can guarantee you that if I'm talking to ranchers, they will tell me that they know how to manage grassland habitat, the native prairie, way better than other people do. Absolutely, ranchers can manage native prairie very well because their business depends on it. Those would be the primary ways in which corporations can contribute.
With respect to the landscape approach and kind of roles of government, if I could turn back to that a little bit, there's tremendous interest, I think, at the community level in finding things to do. I think that organizations like the conservation authorities who have an eye on that broader landscape or watershed can help people understand where in the watershed action is needed, and what kind of action is needed, and then find ways to provide those goods and services, or the technical information on what to do.
I think the North American waterfowl management plan is successful because it provides a little bit of context, which then enables that kind of community-based action, or action by environmental organizations or corporate Canada, if you will. I think we need to do a little more of that. I can't get too far into it—it's not secret—but we've been working on multi-species approaches with respect to species at risk, working with provincial and territorial jurisdictions. We do have an action plan that I hope we can post this year under the Species at Risk Act, a multi-species approach that we call “South of the Divide”, meaning southwestern Saskatchewan, and we are working hand in hand, if you will, with the ranching community.
We're also working with the province, I would add. The role of the provinces is critical. With our provincial colleagues we are providing information on the important habitats, the characteristics of those habitats, but also talking about some of the tools—I was actually out west last week—moving beyond simply a plan to the tools that will work for that community. Here I refer to the habitat management tools around habitat restoration, conservation agreements around taking existing habitat and enhancing its values, talking about grass banking on private land and conservation banking on crown land, and whether or not there are opportunities to advance that. If we can move to that level, then I think it opens doors for the agriculture sector, both ranchers and agricultural corporations, to become involved.
