Through the Norfolk ALUS Pilot Project, farmers in Norfolk County are eligible to enrol up to 20% of their worked (marginal) agricultural land to be restored into patches of healthy, functioning ecosystems for the provision of ecological goods and services. Examples of this include wetland creation in low, wet areas of a field where annually, optimal yields are not being reached; or retiring field edges (headlands) adjacent to water courses to establish deep rooted, perennial grass and forb (Tallgrass Prairie) buffers.

In its inaugural year (2008), the Norfolk ALUS Pilot Project engaged 23 farm families on 27 farm properties. Projects completed on farm established:

• 133.67 acres of Tallgrass prairie, one of Canada's most endangered ecosystems comprised of deep-rooted native grasses that sequester carbon, stabilize soils, and support an abundance of wildlife including:
  • 26.8 acres of Tallgrass Prairie Pastures
• 46.49 acres of native reforestation (35,000 trees) providing carbon sequestration services, erosion control, and wildlife habitat; including 3.48 acres of windbreaks
• 28.64 acres of Oak Savannah, a rare eco-type of Tallgrass Prairie and native tree species
• 2.09 acres of wetland creation, including the establishment of wetland plant species, designed to restore food sources and habitat for migratory birds and waterfowl
• 1.39 acres of pollinator habitat in the form of Pollinator Hedgerows - perhaps the most groundbreaking effort of the Norfolk Pilot, the pollinator hedgerow is aimed at finding solutions to restore populations of native pollinators
• 5.63 acres of domestic grass buffers

The Norfolk ALUS Pilot Project's successes did not stop there. ALUS has just wrapped up its second planting engaging 37 farm families on 37 farm properties including 5 additions made to sites planted in 2008. This season projects completed on farm established: 151.25 acres of Tallgrass Prairie including: 24.32 acres of Prairie Pasture comprised of a four blend grass mix (Big Bluestem, Indian Grass, Switchgrass, Little Bluestem) and 8 different forb species providing a high value nutritional forage 11.32 acres of Tallgrass Prairie riparian buffers; deep rooted prairie grasses stabilize soils mitigating erosion while the above ground growth slows water flows and provides shade along stream edges 62.57 acres of Tallgrass Prairie seeded with a blend of over 20 wildflower species to restore pollen sources for a variety of different pollinators including bees, butterflies, moths, etc 53.04 acres of the four grass mix including Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem, Switchgrass, and Indian Grass 3.92 acres of windbreaks including 1.77 acres of pollinator hedgerow (see above description) 68.16 acres (46, 701) of native Carolinian reforestation including 10 acres of Oak Savannah creation (see above for description) 2.84 acres of wetland creation and expansion 0.84 acres of domestic grass buffers 2.08 acres of payments for existing land restored post 1990