Photo: The County of Stettler Agriculture Service Board (ASB) heard a report about staff’s removal of a beaver dam this summer. Rural Alberta report/Submitted

The County of Stettler Agriculture Service Board (ASB) heard the department spent much time this summer on pest control. The board meeting was held Aug. 20.

The ASB is comprised of members of county council and chaired by Coun. Les Stulberg.

Assistant Manager of Agriculture Services Farrah Fischer presented the regular department report to the board; Fischer noted roadside weed spraying was currently underway in the “middle third” of the county; she added that the first round was completed and staff was currently on the second rotation.

Fischer stated small site spraying was conducted at transfer stations, gravel pits, hamlets, lake sites and ground areas plus some ratepayer requests to spray private land was accommodated.

She stated that weed inspections were conducted on county land, Alberta highways, the Red Deer River and certain complaint sites, with a note that some complaint inspections were new files while some were follow-up on existing files.

Chair Stulberg noted the report included details of a beaver dam removal; Stulberg asked how staff removed the dam, with the word “explosives” mentioned.

Fischer pointed out a few photos in the package that showed an effectively-built, modestly-sized dam being removed manually by staff. She added that Camrose County helped out for training purposes.

Board members also discussed the department’s completion of provincial monitoring stations for Bertha Armyworm, a major threat to canola crops.

Fischer stated armyworm monitoring stations were located near the Hamlet of Erskine and Village of Big Valley. She stated results were encouraging as only two moths were found.

The report also included details of County of Stettler ASB equipment rental, which noted the skid-mounted sprayer was rented once, the skunk trap was rented twice and the magpie trap was rented once, among other rentals.

Board members accepted the report as information.