Historic farmland turned into conservation project

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This article was published 22/08/2022 (1280 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ALEXANDER — Transforming a half-section of former farmland south of Alexander into a habitat for native plants and animals has brought closure for the children of the last family who owned the property.

A large cairn honouring Roly and Eileen Hamel now stands at what used to be the main entrance to their farmstead after Ducks Unlimited Canada, the Hamels’ children, grandchildren and other extended family members all gathered to unveil it on Saturday morning.

The farmland is now an official conservation project site. But the dedication was focused on honouring the memory of Roly and Eileen and their efforts to farm the approximate 320 acres sustainably while raising a family and contributing to the economy.

The children of Roly and Eileen Hamel are now spread out across the country, said daughter Barb Saylor, who now lives in Regina. She and her siblings have so many happy memories growing up on the farm and helping their parents run it.

“It was the best time for us to be alive. This was our home and the best place for us to grow up and live,” she said. “We have all since moved on and lost our connection with this land, but having this dedication is emotional closure for all of us.”

The siblings shared stories about growing up on the farm, including swimming in the dugouts, hunting for frogs and snakes, watching a barn cat give birth and trying to spend the night in the loft of a barn, but fleeing after being spooked by strange noises.

She explained her father bought the land through The Veterans Land Act after he left the military. The couple farmed the land between 1947 and 2003, also raising four children: Barb; Sandy Kirkup, now living in Edmonton; Bob Hamel, now living in Calgary; and Don Hamel, now living in Vancouver.

After their father died in 2003, the land was rented out for pastureland. There hasn’t been much development or use since then, Saylor explained, and her father always wanted the farmland donated for conservation if none of his children planned to farm it, leaving a request for conservancy in his will. The children researched organizations and chose Ducks Unlimited Canada.

At the time, Sandy was living in Souris and became the point person to have the land ownership transferred. The transfer was completed in 2019, but the official dedication was held off.

“She kept us informed and sent us the documents we needed to sign,” said Barb. “This has been delayed about three years because, first, we couldn’t get organized, then the pandemic hit. I’m just really glad this is finally happening.”

The land will slowly be returned to its natural state to make it habitat for all species of plant and animal life living in the area, explained Mark Francis, manager of provincial operations for Ducks Unlimited Canada.

This land has both historical and environmental significance for the region, he said. It has been farmed since the 1870s.

Much of the land is already in a natural state, Francis explained, with native grasses returning, along with ducks breeding in the wetlands and moose and deer being spotted in the area. That’s an impressive feat, he said, knowing the land is surrounded by increasingly industrialized farming.

It contains more than 100 acres of unbroken grassland and 72 individual pothole wetlands. The remaining acres are returning to natural habitat.

“I was walking around the property and came across two blue-winged teal broods, which I’m sure were hatched here, so it’s good to see this land supporting wildlife,” he said. “I also saw some sharp-tail grouse and a number of birds in the willows. It’s significant land for plant life and is a crucial site for early arriving waterfowl pairing.”

Some of those grasses and plant life are showing some signs of stress, so Ducks Unlimited Canada will seed some of it with grasses and other plants to speed up and support rehabilitation.

Even as an active farm, the Hamels practised what is now known as mixed farming, which Francis said more farming operations are trying to return to for environmental sustainability.

The Manitoba government is aiming to make agriculture more sustainable to keep it viable and reduce negative impacts, said Deputy Premier Cliff Cullen, the Progressive Conservative MLA for Spruce Woods. He thanked Ducks Unlimited Canada and the children and other descendants of the Hamels for inviting him and their contribution to preserving Manitoba’s legacy.

With so much talk about ecological sustainability, Cullen said it comes down to backing words with action.

“It’s about walking the walk,” he said. “Roly was walking the walk and thinking about the future. We have a great partner with Ducks Unlimited, partnering with them with a number of projects over the years, and we will partner with them again in the coming years.”

The government has also been speaking with residents on what can be done, implementing the Climate and Green Plan Implementation Act, Cullen said. The province has put more than $204 million into a trust fund to invest in future conservation projects.

But for the family, they are just happy their father’s wish has been honoured.

“I think Dad would be quite pleased,” Barb said. “We’ve gone our separate ways since we left the community, so it’s nice to have some emotional closure to our life growing up here.”

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