Land Stewardship Program

With the support of the Ontario government’s Great Lakes Local Action Fund, the County of Lambton is working in collaboration with the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority (SCRCA) and Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) to launch a Land Stewardship pilot program in 2025.

This program works to increase and support local environmental stewardship efforts. As part of its mission, outlined in the County's 2024-2027 Strategic Plan, the County of Lambton is committed to practicing sound environmental principles that are transferable from one generation to the next, and that promote and protect local waterways, shorelines, marshes, agricultural lands, and other components of the natural environment.

Funding and timeline

The program provides matching grants to farmers and landowners of up to 50 percent to a maximum of $10,000 to help offset the cost of implementing land stewardship projects on their properties. Program funding can be combined with other sources available through the conservation authority.

Funding requests will be considered for projects occurring between February 15, 2025, and December 31, 2025 that align with the SCRCA and ABCA conservation goals within their respective watersheds/jurisdictions, and help to protect and improve the health of the Great Lakes.

Eligible projects

Eligible projects include:

• Rural stormwater management and wetland management plans
• Community projects (tree planting)
• Well decommissioning
• Cover crop incentive
• Forest management plans and woodlot enhancement
• Wetland restoration incentive programs (including phragmites management)
• Erosion control
• Living snow fences, windbreaks, riparian buffers, and woodlot expansion/increasing wildlife habitat connectivity

These project types were selected for their ability to mitigate the impacts of climate change locally, build soil resiliency, reduce agricultural and rural impacts to water quality, and reduce financial barriers to project adoption and uptake.

How to apply

To apply, please contact the local Conservation Authority based on the location of your project. If you're not sure which Conservation Authority to contact, please check the watershed area maps linked below:

• St. Clair Region Conservation Authority watershed map
• Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority watershed map