Forty-one projects will be receiving funding from the $102 million Conservation Trust, with two being from the Pembina Valley Conservation District.

The projects include $4,000 for the conservation of natural ecosystems through education at the Binney Nature Preserve, and $10,000 to transforming watershed action plans into on-the-ground best management practices (BMPs).

Conservation districts have undergone several changes recently, some major being the restructuring of district borders and more focus on watersheds. Though it's a busy time, Manager of the Pembina Valley Conservation District, Cliff Greenfield, says financial support goes a long way in the pursuit of conservation.

"It's an awesome thing for Manitoba to do this. The province put $100 million in an account where conservation agencies can apply for funding to do the things they want to do with the interest from that, so this will be an ongoing thing."

Obtaining funding is an ongoing journey, says Greenfield, and another significant facet of financing comes from the Environmental Farm plan through Manitoba Agriculture. Greenfield explains this funding allows them to work with landowners to implement BMPs on their farms to make their lands more sustainable and simultaneously improve the environment.

Though the change to their boundaries only comes into effect in January 2020, Greenfield says they've been hard at work planning this transition and will hit the ground running continuing to promote their work.

"The projects we do with landowners is probably our best bet in terms of education. We put a project on the ground that the neighbours can see and the farmer can talk about; those are our best advertising moments. Producers talk to each other and see the benefit of some of these projects and how they could implement it on their landscape."

Greenfield says they appreciate their partnerships with the local municipalities, and notes there are plans in the works with the federal government to perform research on local farms called the 'Living Laboratory Project.'