STEWARDSHIPSUCCESSSTORIES ANDCHALLENGES

The voice for grasslands in British Columbia

MAGAZINE OF THE GRASSLANDS CONSERVATION COUNCIL OF BRITISH COLUMBIA Fall 2007

2 BC GRASSLANDS

The Sticky Geranium (Geranium viscosissimum var. viscosissimum) is an attractive hardyperennial wildflower that can be found in the grasslands of the interior. The plant gets itsname from the sticky glandular hairs that grow on its stems and leaves.PHOTO BRUNO DELESALLE

BC GRASSLANDS 1

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13 The Beauty of Pine Butte Trish Barnes

16 Ashcroft Ranch Amber Cowie

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2 Message from the ChairDavid Zirnhelt

2 Message from the Executive Director Bruno Delesalle

3 GCC Program and Project Updates

PPEERRSSPPEECCTTIIVVEESS

23 Cultural: Splendour in the Grass Don Gayton

24 Ranching: Grazing and Grasslands Jim White

26 Invasive Plants: Stewardship in the Face of Invasion Jo-Ann Fox

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8 Flora: Prickly-Pear Cactus Peggy-Jo Broad

9 Fauna: Night Snake Mike Serral

OOTTHHEERR

11 Across the Province

21 Partner Profile: Partners in Flight and the CIJV Tanya Luszcz

25 Success Stories: Theory in ActionThe Environmental Farm Plan King Campbell

28 Tribute to Bert Brink Niki Paille

29 Members Corner

32 Personal Landscapes: Homage to Grasslands Kim Slater

IN THIS ISSUETThhee GGrraassssllaannddss CCoonnsseerrvvaattiioonn CCoouunncciill ooffBBrriittiisshh CCoolluummbbiiaa ((GGCCCC)) was established as a society in August 1999and as a registered charity on December 21,2001. Since our beginning, we have beendedicated to promoting education,conservation and stewardship of BritishColumbias grasslands in collaboration withour partners, a diverse group oforganizations and individuals that includesgovernment, range management specialists,ranchers, agrologists, ecologists, FirstNations, land trusts, conservation groups,recreationists and grassland enthusiasts.

TThhee GGCCCCss mmiissssiioonn iiss ttoo:: foster greater understanding andappreciation for the ecological, social,economic and cultural impor tance ofgrasslands throughout BC;

promote stewardship and sustainablemanagement practices that will ensure thelong-term health of BCs grasslands; and

promote the conservation of representativegrassland ecosystems, species at risk andtheir habitats.

GGCCCC BBooaarrdd ooff DDiirreeccttoorrssEEXXEECCUUTTIIVVEEDavid Zirnhelt, Big Lake RanchCHAIR

Bob Brown, Lac le JeuneVICE CHAIR

King Campbell, Salmon ArmSECRETARY / TREASURERMichael Pitt, Pender IslandPAST CHAIR

Bob Scheer, KamloopsLauchlan Fraser, KamloopsBill Henwood, North VancouverMichael Kennedy, LillooetMark Quaedvlieg, KeremeosJim White, KnutsfordBBOOAARRDDBarry Booth, Prince GeorgeLeanne Colombo, CranbrookDarren Dempsey, KnutsfordMike Duffy, 108 Mile RanchJoe Foy, New WestminsterBruce Gordon, West VancouverDoug Jury, KamloopsFrancis Njenga, KamloopsDarrell Smith, InvermereOrdell Steen, Williams LakeHHOONNOORRAARRYY BBOOAARRDD MMEEMMBBEERRBob Peart, SidneyEEXXEECCUUTTIIVVEE DDIIRREECCTTOORRBruno Delesalle, Kamloops

CCOOVVEERRWycliffe Wildlife Corridor, near Kimberley,BC, was purchased by the The LandConservancy in 1999 to augment an existingwildlife corridor owned by the Ministry ofWater, Land and Air Protection. Photo byBruno Delesalle.

MMaaggaazziinnee PPrroodduuccttiioonnBruno DelesallePUBLISHER

Amber CowieMANAGING EDITOR

MAGAZINE OF THE GRASSLANDS CONSERVATION COUNCIL OF BRITISH COLUMBIA Fall 2007

Many definitions of stewardship exist in the literature thatsurrounds the topic. After much research, the GCC choseto define grassland stewardship as the practice of careful-ly managing land use to ensure that natural grasslandecosystems are maintained or enhanced for future genera-tions. Similarly, the North American GrasslandConservation Strategy (2003) defines stewardship as theindividual and corporate responsibility of one generationto maintain the natural inheritance that it has received,both for its benefit and for the benefit of future genera-tions. It is a commitment to conserve and maintain thenatural features of the land. The common threads thatrun through both these definitions are the ideas of caringfor the land, using land in a sustainable manner, and taking on the responsibility of providing a healthy environment for the generations to come.

This issue of BC Grasslands begins to explore the manyfacets of grassland stewardship by presenting a series ofperspectives on stewardship, including the success story ofthe Pine Butte Ranch. It is a story of conservation ranching and a model based on partnership and trust,

bringing a familys vision for succession and long-termeconomic sustainability together with a shared vision forconservation and stewardship of a valued grassland landscape located on the fringe of a growing urban centre.At the other end of the spectrum, we present a complexstory about the historic Ashcroft Ranch, which has beencast into a debate about land use and waste management,issues originating far beyond the ranch gate and its barbedwire fence. Will we choose to dump or not to dump MetroVancouver garbage in the heart of one of BCs great ranches, located in the centre of some of BCs most endangered grasslands habitats? Are the strong stewardship practices being put into effect on the rest ofthe ranch enough to justify the proposed landfill?

Stewardship is a complicated business, particularly in asociety where real dollar values seem to take precedenceover nearly everything else. How can we, as an organization devoted to stewardship, begin to ensure thatBritish Columbians become stewards of their own grassland heritage?

Message from the ChairDavid Zirnhelt

Message from the Executive DirectorBruno Delesalle

When I was asked to be the new chair of the GCC, I didnot have to think twice before agreeing. I was raised in thegrasslands near Williams Lake and I know their impor-tance. I also realized that I needed to know more aboutwhat was happening in respect to their management. Thecreation of the Protected Area at Churn Creek happenedwhile I was a member of cabinet and the Member of theLegislative Assembly (MLA) for the Cariboo-Chilcotin. Iknew then, as I know now, about the need to balance thejudicious and economical use of the grasslands for cattleand ungulates with the protection of the unique attributesof the grassland ecosystems.

My grandfather brought his family to the region lookingfor greener pastures after enduring seven years of droughtin North Dakota. After being away at school and workingin Ottawa for a few years, my wife Susan and I returned tothe Cariboo to raise our family on a piece of the ranch thathad been in our family for 40 years. While we are locatedin the transition belt between the dryland and the wetbeltwhere trees and brush dominate, we have an affinity forthe drier areas to the west and the south where the majorgrasslands are located in our region.

Having spent 12 years in the legislature, 10 of those incabinet serving in the Agriculture and Forestry portfolios,

I hope to assist the GCC to realize its goals by contributingmy understanding of public and government processes. Igot into politics because I knew we could, collectively, do amuch better job of land use planning than was done in thepast and I still think we can do better. As climate changes,many grassland species will need an undisturbed naturalhabitat in order to have a chance at evolving in an environment undergoing rapid changes. We should notexacerbate the threat to so many species by altering thegrassland environment with unsustainable developmentactivities. While development will proceed, it needs to beplanned to ensure that negative effects are mitigated.

One of my primary goals as the new chair is to seeprogress in creating a sustaining financial legacy for theGCC so that not so much time has to be spent securingoperating funds to do the good work set out in our strate-gic plan. The GCC has an ambitious workplan; we nowneed to put the tools we have created, like the PriorityGrasslands Initiative, to work for grassland stewardship.

I invite all readers to recruit another member to ourorganization to help in whatever way they can to assist usin our twin goals of keeping working ranches working andensuring the naturally productive grassland ecosystemsstay intact for generations to come.

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continued on page 27

From the depths of HTML coding to the redcarpet at the Kelowna Heritage Museum, theEducation and Outreach branch of the GCChas been to a variety of places in the past sixmonths to spread the word about grasslandconservation in the province of BritishColumbia.

2007 Symposium SucceedsThe highlight of the spring was certainly thesuccess of our 2007 symposiumPlanningfor Change: Working Together for BCsGrasslands. From June 7 to 9, 2007, the GCChosted its symposium and annual generalmeeting in Kelowna at the Coast CapriHotel. Registrants were treated to a widearray of activities including a field tour atthe Department of National Defense grass-land property near Vernon, BC, which hadeveryone talking about the diminutiveMasters student Katy White wrangling anenormous gopher snake.

Thursday evening was a night of grasslandglitz with a wine and cheese reception heldat the beautiful Kelowna Heritage Museum.The symposium proper featured MikeHarcourt as the keynote speaker. Mr.Harcourt addressed issues of sustainabilityand the importance of considering environ-mental values in urban planning.

The event generated over 30 new mem-bers, elicited a great deal of positiveresponse from the Okanagan region andgarnered numerous publicity opportunitiesfor the GCC.

BC Grasslands Website LaunchedLewis Carroll once suggested that one couldget lost going down the rabbit hole. In thelate summer, it was apparent that it was justas easy to get lost in the inner workings ofthe virtual portals that make up the newlyrevised BC Grasslands website.

To great pleasure and relief, the new website has received numerous complimentsand kudos since its launch early September.The widely accessible, simpler to navigateand easier to use version will form the basisfor the site in years to come. The site is

based around a portal systempre-senting users with introductoryscreens that direct them to specificpages best suited to their needs.Researchers using the site havealready benefited from the sites newdesign.

BC Grasslands Magazine TakesOn-Line SubmissionsThe creation of the new website hasopened up a new avenue for submis-sions to BC Grasslands. A page dedi-cated to upcoming themes and poten-tial feature ideas has been added toallow new and dedicated writers tomull over topics.

The next issue of the magazine in

Spring 2008 will focus on: The Economy ofGrass. The value of grasslands goes beyondaesthetic, historical or societal. The preser-vation of natural capital, or ecological goodsand services, is an increasingly powerfulargument in the protection of these areas.The issue will focus on the values of ranch-ing, recreation, species-at-risk and protectedregions that go beyond the financial fromecological goods and services to culturalheritage.

Public Service AnnouncementsReady to GoOur two public service announcements onfragmentation and development and inva-sive plants are completed and awaiting dis-tribution. The spots are being shoppedaround to various networks in BC. Press kitswill be distributed to the following stations:CBC, the Knowledge Network, Global BC,CFJC-TV, BC-TV, CHBC, CKPG, and ShawTV. Press kits will include: a press releasestatement with three newsworthy and timelystory ideas about the GCC and its programs;a backgrounder page introducing the GCC;clippings from past newspaper articles aboutthe GCC; and copies of our PSAs.

Amber CowieEducation and Outreach Coordinatoramber.cowie@bcgrasslands.org

GCC in Brief

Education and Outreach

Chris Harris Book LaunchChris Harris new collection ofgrassland photography, Spirit in theGrass: The Cariboo-ChilcotinsForgotten Landscape, is nowavailable. Chris is currently in themidst of a provincial book tour. For more information, visitwww.chrisharris.com.

PHOTO RICHARD DOUCETTE

ABOVE Masters Student Katy White introduces a gopher snake to the enraptured crowd at theDepartment of National Defense grasslands near Vernon during the 2007 symposium field tour.

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GCC in Brief

Grassland Stewardship and Sustainable Ranching Program

Planning for Change InitiativeInfluences Policy and PlanningWhat a year it has been for the Planning forChange Initiative! The projectwhich startedout as a small scale workshophas blossomedlike a balsam root flower, with results sprout-ing up all around. Our last magazine outlinedthe initial plans for our North Okanaganworkshop; the delivery of the workshop inMarch strengthened the GCCs relationshipwith the City of Vernon and the NorthOkanagan Regional District planning staff,and has started the tumbleweeds rolling.Councillor Buffy Baumbrough, who attendedthe workshop and was present at the citycouncil presentation by the GCC, moved tohave the City of Vernon support the creationof a provincial park that would protect grass-land ecosystems. As a result, the city is nowworking with the GCC in partnership with theOkanagan Collaborative ConservationProgram (OCCP) to identify high priorityareas for conservation in and around Vernon.

Our second workshop, held in Kamloops inMay 2007, showed invitees from local govern-ments throughout the Thompson-Nicola thatthe GCC and its programs are in full bloom.Workshop feedback indicated that partici-

pantsmostly planning staff and a few elect-ed officialswere engaged and inspired toaction as a result of their attendance. The Cityof Kamloops has initiated a partnership withthe GCC to develop an ecological assessmentfor grassland areas slated for future develop-ment to provide urgently needed informationto the citys planning department. The GCChas hired a consultant to do a field assessmenton areas in Aberdeen, and when the resultscome in, we will use the stages of the PriorityGrasslands Initiative Methodology to providefinal ranking and priority assignment, as wellas recommendations and trade-offs. This proj-ect is very important as it sets a precedent forour future partnerships with the City ofKamloops and other local governments, andprovides an opportunity to further test andrefine our methodology before completing theanalysis for the Thompson-Nicola and northOkanagan regions.

Originally, the next workshop was slated tobe held in the East Kootenay; however, theseeds had spread after our first Okanaganworkshop, and local governments in the southcame knocking asking for our assistance. Withsupport from the Regional District ofOkanagan Similkameen (RDOS), the GCC

held its third workshop on November 28 inPenticton, where the Green Bylaws Toolkit waspresented. This time around, we took theextra step of inviting representatives from var-ious advisory planning committees to showthem how their roles relate to grasslands con-servation through their advisement on land-use planning decisions. Using the successfulteam of consultants from Holland Barrs, withDeborah Curran providing the planning con-tent, we hope that we made even furtherstrides towards grassland conservation in BC.

The East Kootenay has not been forgotten,however. The GCC staff and board recentlyhad a reminder about how precious andthreatened these grasslands are. Our fall direc-tors meeting took us out to the breathtakinggrasslands in this incredible region and gaveus a view of the frightening reality ofincreased development pressure: mainly,housing, recreational properties and golfcourses. The economic struggles the ranchingcommunity is facinghigh grain prices, lowcattle prices, little succession and increasingland valuesare beginning to show, with thebreak-up of large ranches resulting in frag-mented and degraded grasslands. The goodnews is there is still an amazing opportunity

ABOVE An example of fragmentation and development in the East Kootenay, where many grasslands have been divided into small tract properties for housing.

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PHOTO TASHA SARGEN

T

to conserve the grasslands left in this area,with land trusts such as The LandConservancy of BC (TLC) and the NatureConservancy of Canada (NCC) purchasingtracts of grasslands and maintaining conserva-tion ranches. The GCC looks forward to sup-porting local governments and conservationorganizations in this region with tools andmapping for the increased land-use planningpressures they are currently facing.

The Planning for Change Initiative startedout as a little seed that came from a desire toempower local governments to be stewards ofthe grasslands within and adjacent to theirboundaries. Now, the seed is spreading acrossthe country and the grass is looking greener.

Last spring, Tasha Sargent, StewardshipPlanner, profiled the initiative in a presenta-tion at the Land Trust Alliance of BCs annualSeminar Series. A representative from theCanadian Land Trust Alliance (CLTA) askedTasha to present at the national CLTAConference in Ottawa in October 2007. Tashaspoke about the GCCs initiative to individualsfrom all over Canada, and the response wasoverwhelmingly positive. Many felt that thework the GCC is doing is cutting edge andahead of its time, with several people askingfor more information on the workshop model.Feedback like this clearly shows that thepotential for this initiative to facilitate localgovernment stewardship is tremendous.

Progress Made with Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) Coalition The Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) coalition is on itsfifth year and still going strong. In 2007, thegovernment deliberated on this issue andappears to be making some progress on devel-oping a solution. There is strong recognitionamong politicians and government staffregarding the importance of resolving thisoutstanding ORV issue. It is highly unlikely

however, that cabinet will entertain new legis-lation at this stage of its mandate. The mostlikely scenario is a revision to the existingMotor Vehicle (All Terrain) Act, which cur-rently only encompasses snowmobiles by reg-ulation. The existing act could be revisedthrough a statue revision and an Order-in-Council (OIC) to provide a regulatory frame-work that would define and include all motor-ized off road vehicles, requiring them to beregistered upon purchase and re-sale. Thismeans an effective registration system wouldhave to be implemented by ICBC. In addition,a revision to the regulatory framework wouldprovide safety, environmental protection,compliance and enforcement regulations.

The problem with revising regu-lations within an existing act isthat the current act has no statuto-ry provisions for a trust fund, asrequested by the ORV Coalition.This limitation, however, has abright side, as government doesnot need to be part of the trustfund or the management of thefunds. The coalition and its associ-ated members can do this on theirown. If government continues topursue the goal of keeping ORV

registration and licensing revenue neutral andaffordable, this will allow the coalition and itsmembers to push for a funding solution, be-ita trust fund or endowment. These fundswould be managed by a dedicated ORV coun-cil or other body and disbursed for five pro-gram activities as described in the ORVCoalition recommendation report. The trustfund was and continues to be the glue thatkeeps all 18 organizations on the coalitionworking together, but lets not forget that wehave achieved the remarkable feat of gettingdiverse organizations to reach consensus on47 recommendations over a period of threeyears. In addition, some 30 other organiza-tions and associations have signed memoran-dums of support. With this accomplishmentunder our belt, it seems likely that we can sur-mount the challenge of getting general agree-ment on a trust fund or another form of long-term financial stability for this initiative.

Government is currently in a consultationphase that will extend into late December orearly January. By mid January, the ORV coali-tion hopes to have a decision from govern-ment on a proposed regulatory frameworkwith clear future steps. Keep in mind that an

OIC can happen very quickly once all thepieces are together. Stay tuned!

Conservation Covenants Problematic for ALCIn partnership with seven provincial landtrusts, the GCC is continuing its dialogue withthe Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) inregard to problems with placing conservationcovenants that would restrict future agricul-tural development or productivity on landswithin the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR).The GCCs main concern is the important for-age for both livestock and wildlife that will belost forever if native grasslands are convertedto intensive agriculture or subsumed by devel-opment. Maintaining grassland landscapes asnative forage is very important for the ranch-ing community as a whole; however, the ALCwill not usually approve these covenants asthey are held in perpetuity, thereby restrictingany other more intensive forms of agricultureforever. Due to many unresolved issues,including the draft Guidelines for thePreparation and Review of ConservationCovenants in the ALR that were not acceptedby the ALC, the existing committee willexpand its membership to include key govern-ment agencies and begin to look at alternativetools and approaches to achieve similar con-servation and stewardship objectives with theagricultural community. In the meantime, dis-cussions about covenants will continue.

OCCP Officially OpensThe Okanagan Collaborative ConservationProgram (OCCP) celebrated its official signingwith its partners and invited guests at theAllan Brooks Nature Centre in May 2007. With24 partners signed onincluding five localgovernmentsthe OCCP is in the process ofsetting up its structure, which will determinethe focus and priorities of the group. TheOCCP has already begun work on some actionitems, including identifying key priority areasfor conservation in and around Vernon, (asmentioned above), and completing environ-mentally sensitive area mapping for the northOkanagan region. Both of these initiativeshave involved GCC staff; both are very impor-tant for facilitating local government steward-ship of the Okanagan grasslands.

Tasha SargentStewardship Planner tasha.sargent@bcgrasslands.org

Information aboutWorkshops

Our next Planning for Changeworkshop is being held in the EastKootenay in the spring of 2008. For more information, contact Tasha Sargent at 250.374.5787.

BC GRASSLANDS 5

A Practical Tool for Grassland Stewardship The GCC has long recognized the ranchers ofBritish Columbia to be the de facto stewardsof grasslands. As a result, the GrasslandMonitoring Manual for British Columbia: ATool for Ranchers is an important componentof our stewardship program and future exten-sion work with the ranching community.

We are in the final stages of developing andrefining the manual. During the past field sea-son, a consultant team was retained to testand refine the manual for the big sage-blue-bunch wheatgrass; bluebunch wheatgrass;rough fescue; and short awned-porcupinegrass grasslands in their respective regions.The consulting team presented its findingsand recommendations to the provincial tech-nical advisory committee (PTAC) on

November 28, 2007. Decisions were requiredon reference community condition descrip-tions, threshold levels, and scoring for the fiveecosystem indicators: Plant CommunityComposition; Plant Community Structure;Nutrient and Hydrologic Cycling; SiteStability; and Invasive Plants. In addition, aphoto-point monitoring methodology wasrecommended and selected.

In conjunction with a consulting team, asmall committee will take on the task ofrolling all regional manuals into one provin-cial manual and completing all necessarywork to ensure a full draft is ready for layoutand design by February 2008. A final layoutand design of the manual with illustrations,photos and other visuals will be completed byMarch 31, 2008.

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GCC In Brief

Grassland Monitoring Manual

The British Columbia Rangeland Management School is back! The 100 levelcourse will be offered again this winter in the first week of February in Merritt,Tatla Lake, Burns Lake and Fort St. John. The BC Cattlemens Associationencourages producers to come out and improve their understanding of rangemanagement. The cost is $25, which covers materials and lunch. Registrationends January 28, 2008. In the New Year, watch for information regarding theintroduction of a 200 level course that will be composed of a field day in Juneor July. A discussion will be held about the way the Grazing Response Indexcan be used as a tool for producers.

HIGHLIGHTSWhat is it? The manual is a tool for ranchers and rangemanagers to assess the relative condition andecological trend of their grasslands.

How does it work?The manual is designed to be practical andeasy to use, with sections for each major grass-land type. It is based on a field procedure inwhich five questions are answered and severalphotographs are analyzed. The questions arescored and totalled together to determine thesites grassland status.

The five questions are:1) WWhhaatt iiss yyoouurr ppllaanntt ccoommmmuunniittyy ccoommppoossiittiioonn?? (Are the expected dominant grass species present?) 2) WWhhaatt iiss yyoouurr ppllaanntt ccoommmmuunniittyy ssttrruuccttuurree?? (Are the expected plant layers and structure present?) 3) WWhhaatt iiss tthhee ssttaattee ooff yyoouurr nnuuttrriieenntt aanndd hhyyddrroollooggiiccaall ccyycclliinngg?? (Is your litter mass and distribution appropriate for your grasslands type? Are biological crusts present?) 4) WWhhaatt iiss yyoouurr ssiittee ssttaabbiilliittyy?? (Do you have bare soil? Do you have signs of soils movement or erosion?)5) DDoo yyoouu hhaavvee iinnvvaassiivvee ppllaannttss??

The grassland status definitions are:1) RReeffeerreennccee ccoonnddiittiioonn (healthy);2) SSlliigghhttllyy aalltteerreedd (healthy with some caution relative to mid and long-term trends);3) MMooddeerraatteellyy aalltteerreedd (declining health, need to determine cause of decline,needs a change in management); and4) GGrreeaattllyy aalltteerreedd (unhealthy, needs immediate attention, long-term changes required).

Why monitor? MMoonniittoorriinngg iiss aann iimmppoorrttaanntt ppaarrtt ooff ggrraassss--llaanndd hheeaalltthh aass iitt:: provides a basis for informed decisions; allows for early detection of management problems;

demonstrates due diligence; and promotes sustainable grasslands.

ABOVE Judy Guichon tests out the manual in the Lac du Bois grasslands in the summer of 2006.

PHOTO BRUNO DELESALLE

FFoorr mmoorree iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn,, pphhoonnee ((225500)) 557733--33661111 oorr vviissiitt wwwwww..ccaattttlleemmeenn..bbcc..ccaa

RRaannggeellaanndd MMaannaaggeemmeenntt SScchhooooll

BC GRASSLANDS 7

GCC in Brief

Priority Grasslands InitiativeMethodology Unveiled

The big news of this year (perhaps sec-ond only to the employment of new GISAnalyst Ian Mackenzie) was the comple-tion of the methodology for the PriorityGrasslands Initiative. After over two yearsof collaboration with a variety of stake-holders and experts and weeks of finaledits, the Priority Grasslands Initiative:Methodology for Identifying PriorityGrasslands was officially brought to life.The methodology details a means to iden-tify, delineate and rank priority grass-lands, with the highest priority going tograssland ecosystems that have the great-est ecological importance and are most atrisk to loss and degradation.

By categorizing grasslands in eachregion according to their ecological andeconomic values as well as their level ofthreat, the GCC willfor the first timeeverbe able to establish the mostthreatened and most valuable grasslandareas in BC. These results will fill anenormous data and information gap inthe province and will provide a necessary

tool for others working to achieve effec-tive land use planning and decision-mak-ing within British Columbias grasslandlandscape. Already, many local, regionaland municipal governments in the south-ern interior are highly anticipating theresults of the Priority GrasslandsInitiative.

The first stage (initial GIS data gather-ing, preparation and analysis) of themethodology has been completed for theThompson-Nicola and North Okanaganregions. This included mapping thenumerous grassland values as defined inthe methodology and working throughpredictive habitat modeling for the sevenfocal species at risk. The next step in themethodology is the collection and inte-gration of knowledge from top-rankinglocal and provincial grassland expertsthat have on-the-ground informationregarding species-at-risk and habitat con-dition as well as information regardingthe past and current land use. This stageis slated for December and January, withanalysis results to be fully completed forboth regions by April 2008.

There are also plans to verify the priori-ty areas identified. Recently the GCChelped prepare a BC Conservation Corpsproposal that would support hiring a jun-ior botanist and biologist to conduct eco-logical assessments of priority areas andverification of species-at-risk predictivehabitat models.

On the cover of the methodology docu-ment is a photograph of a Prickly-pearcactusa common and representativegrasslands species that grows in low-lyingmats. Surrounding the cactus is an inva-sive species cheatgrass (gasp!). The dis-covery of cheatgrass on the cover of themethodology unsettled some GCC staff.

However, in retrospect it seems fittingthat such a pervasive weed should bepresentas the Priority GrasslandsInitiative considers the good and the badand focuses on exclusion as well as inclu-sion. Although the cheatgrass is a noxiousweed, the analysis cannot simply overlookit as its presence is a reality in the grasslands of BC.

Priority Grasslands Leads to Other ProjectsFollowing the Planning for Change work-shop for the Thompson Nicola region, theCity of Kamloops invited the GCC to par-ticipate in the assessment of the ecologi-cal importance of grasslands and associ-ated ecosystems in the Aberdeen area ofsouthern Kamloops (see Stewardshipupdate for further details).

Terry McIntosh, a specialist in cryp-tograms and expert in grasslands plants(and incidentally, the person who discov-ered the cheatgrass on the cover of themethodology), and Ken Wright, a wildlifebiologist with many years of experience inanimal surveys in grasslands, have beenhired to conduct detailed field assess-ments of the area. The results of Terryand Kens surveys will be integrated with-in the Priority Grasslands Initiative map-ping methodology to highlight the mostimportant ecological areas of the undevel-oped upper reaches of Aberdeen.

Richard DoucetteConservation Plannerrichard.doucette@bcgrasslands.org

Ian MackenzieGIS Analystian.mackenzie@bcgrasslands.org

Conservation of Grasslands Program

ABOVE The Priority Grasslands Methodology wascompleted in the fall of 2007 and is now being usedto identify high priority grasslands in BC.

To download a copy of the methodology, visit:http://www.bcgrasslands.org/projects/conservation/priorityinitiative.htm

Prickly-pear cactus, (Opuntia fragilis), isone of the grassland perennial plants thatmany people love to hate, mostly because ofthe spiny implications of the term fragilis,which refers to the ease with which thespiny pads release from the mother plant.The intriguing method of transportationand asexual reproduction is the root causeof the Prickly-pears bad reputation, sincenot even the most tolerant animal can waittoo long before plucking these little annoy-ances free. However, if their free ride takesthem to a location with sandy to loamy tex-tured, well-drained, soil the successful startof a new cactus colony is almost guaran-teed. These colonies often reach over 30centimetres in diameter and the plantsthemselves are generally up to 10 centimetres tall.

Sure, this plant does have nasty barbedspines that attach relentlessly to our socksand pets when we are out for a stroll butlets pause for a moment and consider some of its more likable attributes. I would be one

of the first to admit that I seek the Prickly-pear cactus out each year and watch it inanticipation until I get the opportunity towitness the glorious show of yellow bloomsthat it displays in June. Their flowers lightup the hillsides and trail edges in such amanner that I cant help but return foranother peek every chance I get until theshow is complete for yet another season.This little gem isnt all about pretty flowersthoughthere is far more to the Prickly-pear cactus than meets the eye.

Ironic as it may seem, a plant that caninduce so many injuries can also help totreat sores and infections. The flesh of theinner pads contains a mucilaginous com-pound that can be used as a poultice verysimilar in nature to aloe vera. This innerflesh can also be eaten raw or cooked, butonly if you are brave enough to harvest apiece to try! The list of useful products cre-ated from this plant also includes a flour-like substance made by grinding the toastedseeds. Many animals fight their way

through its spiky exterior to feast on thefruits of the highly adaptable Prickly-pearcactus and the pads, surely grateful for thequick spreading mechanism of its travellingpads.

The Prickly-pear cactus, like many cacti,can withstand considerable drought, whichmakes BCs grasslands a perfect environ-ment for its habitat. Although the Prickly-pear cacti prefer direct sunlight and a spacewhere they are protected from winter rainand dampness they are very tolerant ofcold. This species has even been known toroot from broken off pads during the heatof the summer into bone dry soils and stillsurvive! The Prickly pear can be found further north than any other cacti speciesin the world.

Prickly-pear is listed as a secure species inBritish Columbia, as a noxious weed inparts of the US, and as extremely rare toextirpated in California. Adaptable, some-what annoying, yet very useful, I can seehow it could be viewed as a weed by some.Perhaps I can even understand that tinyfeeling of relief that Im sure someCalifornians might secretly harbourtowards its absence. It is still, however, oneof my favourite springtime flowers in BCsgrasslands. The occasional prickle in mysocks is well worth the springtime show I soadore. Take the time next spring to walkalong a grassland trail to see the Prickly-pear cactus flowers for yourself and maybe,just maybe, you too will develop a newappreciation for this little wonder.

Flora

PHOTO RICHARD DOUCETTE

Prickly-Pear CactusPPeeggggyy--JJoo BBrrooaadd,, LLaabb IInnssttrruuccttoorr,,TThhoommppssoonn RRiivveerrss UUnniivveerrssiittyy DDeeppaarrttmmeenntt ooff NNaattuurraall RReessoouurrccee SScciieennccee

A painfully misunderstood grassland treasure

8 BC GRASSLANDS

Peggy has a BSc.Forestry from UBC, whichhas led to a strong interest in botany and agreat appreciation for grasslands in theKamloops area.

A painfully misunderstood grassland treasure

BC GRASSLANDS 9

Fauna

But that has all changed since amateur herpetologistHoward Lacey stumbled across one in close proximityto a rattlesnake den he was studying near Kaleden,south of Penticton.

Its not surprising that this little snake eluded detec-tion in BC until almost 30 years ago. Night snakes,(Hypsiglena torquata), spend the bulk of their timeunderground, venturing up to the surface on warmnights only to move from one area to another. Theirability to burrow in the fine accumulated crumbs fromweathered bedrock and sandy grasslands appears to bematched by no other reptile in BC. As predators ofamphibians, lizards and small snakes, Night snakeslurk below the surface in search of hiding prey. Nightsnakes seem to be most abundant where Western

Skinks are common and these probably make up mostof their diet.

The features of Night snakes are also similar to othersmall snakes such as the Gopher snake, Racer andTerrestrial Garter snake. Two quick distinguishing fea-tures are the paired, offset blotches on their backs andthe copper-coloured eye with a vertical pupil.

Night snakes belong to the family Colubridae, whichare typically harmless snakes (e.g. Garter snake), butunlike many of their relatives, they have small fangs inthe back of the jaws and a mild venom to help subduetheir prey. People should not be alarmed though, asthey are adamant about not biting a human hand, evenwhen provoked. Ive even tried to envenomate myselfby prying the mouth open and forcing it to bite but the

Tremors in the grasslandsMMiikkee SSaarreellll,, WWiillddlliiffee BBiioollooggiisstt,,OOpphhiiuucchhuuss CCoonnssuullttiinngg

PHOTO W

ADE ALCOCK

Prior to 1980, if someone offered you $10,000 for your ownwild photograph of a Night snake you would have bought aplane ticket to Arizona or Mexico.

snake refused this opportunity for defense.Some species of snakes have live birth

and others, like Night snakes lay eggs.Oddly, their nests have never been detect-ed anywhere within their range. It was notuntil the early spring of 2007 that matingwas observed in BC. This suggests thatthere is little opportunity for gene flowbetween populations if they copulateshortly after emergence from hibernation.Furthermore, it is suspected that Nightsnakes do not make long distance travelsduring the summer and probably havestrong fidelity to their denning sites.

Much of what we know about Nightsnakes has been discovered in the lastdecade through rigorous but carefulsearches. As of 2007, a total of 52 individ-uals have been confirmed, all south ofPenticton. Night snakes are part of thatsmall shrub-steppe ecoregion in the SouthOkanagan and Lower Similkameen valleys.

The fate of this species is similar to otheranimals in this region. Even the ruggedslopes where they spend most of theirtime are not immune to the impacts ofresidential development and road con-struction. Those snakes that are notdirectly impacted by development can eas-ily fall victim to road traffic and domesticcats. Fortunately some Night snake sitesare on protected lands. Hopefully they areable to persist as the landscape aroundthem is rapidly changing.

NATIONAL PARKFEASIBILITY STUDYDDeebbbbiiee CCllaarrkkee,, CCoommmmuunniittyy LLiiaaiissoonn,, NNaattiioonnaall PPaarrkk//RReesseerrvvee FFeeaassiibbiilliittyy SSttuuddyy

The National Park/Reserve Feasibility Study for the South Okanagan andLower Similkameen is entering its end phases, with final open housesscheduled to be held in 2008.

In 2006, a draft park concept was presented for public and stakeholderreview in a series of open houses. The draft concept has made up the basis ofthe park study. It includes components focused on existing provincialProtected AreasSnowy Protected Area to the west, and South OkanaganGrasslands Protected Area to the east. The Vaseux Lake area to the northwhere a cooperative approach between Parks Canada and the CanadianWildlife Service is envisioned for the existing Migratory Bird Sanctuary andNational Wildlife Areais also part of the park concept. The concept of thispark relies on partnerships with others to advance conservation, whileoffering programs that connect people to these special places. Because thepark concept includes large areas of private land, and many existing usesand tenures, final achievement of proposed park boundaries andmanagement could take decades, based on a willing seller, willing buyerapproach.

Since the 2006 open houses, the project team has been working to refinethe feasibility study and park concept as we: undertake technical studies to assess the possible benefits and constraints of park establishment;

learn more about this complex landscape from traditional users and stewards of the land (including First Nations, ranchers, and provincialagencies), and about the changes currently affecting this area; and

understand more about other national parks and their relationship to localcommunities.

Part of the technical study involves an assessment of social, economicand environmental implications of the proposed park. Over the winter of2007/ 2008, an independent assessment of the social and economicimplications of the proposal will be undertaken by a contracted team ofresource economists. This assessment will use a consultative approachto report on implications locally, regionally and beyond. An independentenvironmental assessment will also be commissioned, and theGrasslands Conservation Council of BC has agreed to play a role in thetechnical oversight of this study.

The social, economic and environmental assessments will provideimportant information for informed public input, and for governments toconsider when assessing park feasibility.

More information on the feasibility study can be found at:www.pc.gc.ca/sols.

PHOTO W

ADE ALCOCK

10 BC GRASSLANDS

Mike was born and raised in the SouthOkanagan and operates a small environmen-tal consulting firm out of Oliver. Snakes andbats are his favourite taxa.

ABOVE Though the Night snake carriesvenom, it will not bite a human hand.

Invasive Plant Council of BC ConferenceJANUARY 22 TO 23, 2008RICHMOND, BCThe Invasive Plant Council of BCs annual general meeting (AGM)and conference is a great opportunity for the wide variety of groupsand individuals in BC who deal with invasive plant issues to gathertogether for an informed and productive discussion. This year, theconferences theme is Preventing the Invasion and will feature ahands-on field tour as well as numerous workshops on good stewardship, restoration and research practices. To register, visit:wwwwww..iinnvvaassiivveeppllaannttccoouunncciillbbcc..ccaa

Building Sustainable CommunitiesNOVEMBER 20 TO 22, 2007KELOWNA, BCThe Fresh Outlook Foundation hosted its second annual BuildingSustainable Communities conference for officials and staff from localgovernments throughout the province. Presenters from all walks ofenvironmental life were there, including the GCCs stewardship plan-ner, Tasha Sargent. wwwwww..ffrreesshhoouuttllooookkffoouunnddaattiioonn..oorrgg

Canadian Land Trust AllianceConferenceOCTOBER 18 TO 20, 2007OTTAWA, ONThe federal conference is getting a special mention in our provincialsection, as for the first time, it featured one of the GCCs own staffmembers as a presenter. Tasha Sargent facilitated a well-attended andwell-received powerpoint workshop on our Planning for ChangeInitiative to people from across the country. To learn more, visit:wwwwww..ccllttaa..ccaa

Columbia Mountains InstituteOCTOBER 11 TO 13, 2007CRANBROOK, BCParticipants in the Columbia Mountains Institute workshop onEcological Restoration in Southeastern BC: Grasslands toMountaintops listened as 20 speakers addressed new initiatives,restoration activities, and research in the region. Posters, displays,field trips, and opportunities for informal networking added to theexchange of knowledge. Themes covered at this conference includ-ed: restoration of grasslands and forests at different elevations; reha-bilitation of mine spoils; and restoration of wetland and aquatic features. wwwwww..ccmmiiaaee..oorrgg

UBCM 2007 ConventionSEPTEMBER 24 TO 28, 2007VANCOUVER, BCThe Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) held its annual convention in Vancouver this year. The theme of the event wasGauging Temperatures and Forecasting Opportunities: LocalGovernment in a Climate of Change. The event featured addressesfrom Stockwell Day, Gordon Campbell and Dr. Thomas Dixon.wwwwww..cciivviiccnneett..bbcc..ccaa

Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation SocietyONGOINGWILLIAMS LAKE, BCThe Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society (CCCS) continues topromote awareness and conservation of the areas valuable grasslands.The CCCS had previously produced the Junction Sheep RangeProvincial Park brochure and now a new brochure, Grasslands of theCariboo Chilcotin, covers the rest of the regions grasslands. Anaccompanying Grasslands of the Cariboo Chilcotin display has alsobeen produced and may be loaned out. wwwwww..ccccccoonnsseerrvv..oorrgg

Stewardship Centre for BC (SCBC)ONGOINGPROVINCE WIDEAfter over a decade of producing technical resources for stewards, theSCBC was incorporated as a non-profit society in 2006, and held itsfirst AGM in February 2007. The SCBC is working to build a steward-ship ethic and to advance stewardship initiatives in British Columbiaby providing a centre for information exchange, communications andoutreach, as well as by fostering partnerships and collaborationamong those participating in stewardship in BC. For more informa-tion about SCBC or stewardship works please visit: wwwwww..sstteewwaarrddsshhiippcceennttrree..bbcc..ccaa

Across the Province

JOANNA REID INHARPERS BAZAAR

In June 2007, GCC member Joanna Reid won theHarper's Bazaar Orange Prize short story contestin London, UK. The task was to write 2,000 wordson the topic of "The Gesture." The story Joannacreated is about a grassland fire. It unfolds in afictional place, that is loosely based on themiddle Fraser (south of Williams Lake). An editedversion of the story will be published in theNovember issue of the UK version of Harper'sBazaar. Along with publication, Joanna alsoreceived a $2,000 prize and a trip to London forthe Orange Prize ceremony.

If you would like to submit an updateabout an upcoming or successfullyheld grassland event to Across theProvince, email gcc@bcgrasslands.org.

BC GRASSLANDS 11

Feature

Ray Van Steinburg has owned the Pine Butte Ranch, located off Highway 95a between Kimberley andCranbrook, since he returned from service in World War II. His ranching operation has always focused ongrassland stewardship and, as a result of his good grassland practices, the Nature Conservancy ofCanada approached him in 2004 to secure his land in perpetuity.PHOTO TRISH BARNES

12 BC GRASSLANDS

Pine Butte Ranch is located in the centre of the RockyMountain Trench between Kimberley and Cranbrook, justnorth of the small settlement of Wycliffe. Unless you havespent time off of the highwayexploring the open Ponderosapine forests by foot or driving the slow roads, like the oneleading to the ranchit is easy to underestimate the scale ofthe trench. Pine Butte is situatedwithin one of its widest sectionsasweeping, grassy landscape nearly 30kilometres across that plays tricks onthe eyes. The wall of the Rockiesdominates the eastern view, visuallycompressing and concealing the lowerreaches of the rolling grasslands.Rounded foothills form a softer pro-file to the west, before they, too, endat the abrupt rise of the Purcellmountainsa thickly forested moun-tain range that is millions of yearsolder than the Rockies.

Pine Butte Ranch radiates out froma distinctive outcrop of rock calledLone Tree Butte. The ranch contains alake, several hectares of irrigated pas-ture, over 250 kilometres of fence andall the modest, tidy trappings of amid-sized operation that has wornaway any potential inefficiencies overthe years: a one story house, variousgarages and sheds, and a three-storybarn built early in the last century.

Pine Butte is one of western Canadas most productive mid-sized ranches. The 300 or so prize-winning HornedHerefords that feed on its 528 hectares (1,306 acres) and theadjacent Crown range often weigh in on the plus side of atonne and are the very emblem of bovine health: with theircurly heads and glistening noses, they lack the bloated belliesthat sometimes give other cows a comical silhouette. Instead,Pine Buttes livestock have been recognized in BC and world-wide for their gainability, how much high quality meat theyproduceone specimen, originally named 2L, and laterdubbed Grand Champion, set a world record as the top

gaining animal in 1980.The ranch is also productive in other ways. It is part of an

important wildlife corridorproviding critical habitat forherds of elk in late winter to early spring, which is the leanestseason of the yearand it harbours a number of BCs redand blue-listed animal species, including badgers and Lewis

woodpeckers. And then there are thegrasses.

Clumps of tough but succulentbluebunch wheatgrass and rough fes-cue, plus the more delicate, slightlyblue Junegrass thrive on the slopes ofthe ranch. These crucial foragespecies are dwindling in BritishColumbia, losing ground to forestencroachment, rural development,poor grazing practices and the per-sistent spread of noxious weeds. Still,Pine Butte, a working ranch, occu-piesindeed, it exemplifiesone ofthe largest and healthiest contiguouspieces of mixed-grass prairie in theEast Kootenay, largely due to thestewardship practices of owner RayVan Steinburg who has been able tobalance healthy grazing with healthygrasslands for years. Van Steinburgsadmirable stewardship prompted theNature Conservancy of Canada(NCC) to enter into a partnership

with the ranch two years ago to ensure that the propertywould be safe from development.

Pine Butte Ranch is absolutely amazing, said DaveHillary, Program Manager with NCC who worked with VanSteinburg, to secure the property. Its the most spectaculargrassland in this area.

BBuucckkiinngg tthhee SSyysstteemmIn 1952, Ray and Mae Van Steinburg took over an abandonedranch near Wycliffe, in the St. Marys Prairie. They wereready to start a family and Ray, disappointed with the taxi-driving business he had set up in Kimberley after returning

STEWARDSHIP STORIES

The beauty of Pine ButteTTrriisshh BBaarrnneess,, FFrreeeellaannccee WWrriitteerr,,TTrriisshh BBaarrnneess DDeessiiggnn aanndd CCoommmmuunniiccaattiioonn

MAP COURTESY NATURE CONSERVANCY OF CANADA

BC GRASSLANDS 13

Feature

from World War II, was looking for a way to make a livingthat would make a difference.

I thought I could help more people by getting into theagricultural business than anywhere else, said VanSteinburg, whose conversation often circles back to his desireto serve his fellow man and future generations.

With moderate experience in ranchinghe was born on afarm in Saskatchewan and worked on some BC ranches

before he joined the militarythe couple developed a ranchmanagement program at odds with the prevailing practices.

Before we started here, there was a management programlaid out for us from Victoria, by someone with the ink notdry on his certificate yet, said Van Steinburg. The programwas far removed from here, far removed from Mother Natureand what she is doing here.

The Van Steinburgs took matters into their own hands withthe intention of increasing productivity.

We changed our pasture management program throughproper grazing techniquestimely grazing on differentspecies, Van Steinburg said. If there is a species that is notwanted for production, there are certain times you can grazethat species and it will wipe it out, or weaken it so the moreuseful growth will come on and do a better job for you.

And how did they know which species were the most pro-ductive at any given time?

Animals know when that feed is ready. We dont. Theyknow what to eat and they know when to eat it, he said.

Over the years, the Van Steinburgs kept to a simple philos-ophy while they implemented water conservation and landstewardship programs, including riparian fencing, off-streamwater developments and pasture rotation.

It starts with the soil, said Van Steinburg. You've got tokeep the bacteria, the bugs, the worms, the bees, the birds

and everybody happy. And if theyre all happy, the soil ishappyand its productive.

CCoonnsseerrvviinngg PPiinnee BBuuttttee ffoorr GGooooddIn 2004, the NCC approached the Van Steinburgs to discussoptions that would secure the ranch from development inperpetuity. Several land trust organizations are active in theWycliffe area and all had recognized Pine Buttes grasslandsas being a crucial component to the health of the largerecosystem.

We were first approached by the East KootenayConservation Program (EKCP), which is a collaborative landtrust organization working in the area, said Hillary. We self-identified as the organization that would take the lead on theproject, based on what the Van Steinburgs indicated theywere interested in doing.

Hillary said that the collaborative approach of the EKCPsimplifies the process for landowners. That way thelandowner doesnt have to navigate the various organizationsthat are out there. It makes it easier for them.

Van Steinburg was as committed to protecting Pine Buttesrare ecosystem as he was to ensuring the land would remaina working ranch.

We looked into this quite a little bit before we made ourmove, he said. Three years ago, we started to enquire intowhich organizations were doing the most in what we thoughtwas going to be the most benefit to the most people eventual-ly. This is why we sat down with the NCCtheir thinking isa little closer to ours.

The impact of grazingwhich can occasionally be damag-ing to sensitive ecosystemsis one aspect that the NCCalways examines before undertaking a project; in the case ofPine Butte Ranch, said Hillary, the grasslands were definitelynone the worse for wear.

By May 2006, the NCC had secured funds from severalorganizations and had purchased nearly 200 hectares of PineButte Rancha parcel that included Lone Tree Butte and itsenvirons. The Van Steinburgs retained access through twosuccessive long-term leases. The area was chosen when NCCbiologist and agrologist Gary Tipper determined the area tobe one of the most ecologically sensitive parts of the ranch.(And, as one of the southern trenchs most visible landmarks,the butte attracts more than its share of interest from realestate developers and ATVers alike.)

In turn, the Van Steinburg family donated a covenant overthe remaining 333 hectares of the ranchall of their titlesto the NCC. The titles still belong to Pine Butte Ranch; thedonation was an eco-gift that nailed down Van Steinburgscommitment to keep the land secure from development.

We have given covenant over all of these titles together,Van Steinburg said. We cant sell any portion of thesetitleswe could sell the whole ranchbut to break it up inpieces to sell it for somebody to come just to sit and look atthe Rocky Mountains: I can't do that and I don't want that.That was the idea going into this.

Funders for the purchase portion of the project included

14 BC GRASSLANDS

PHOTO TASHA SARGEN

T

ABOVE The vistas of Pine Butte are a compelling example of the waysthat good grazing stewardship can improve grassland health.

the Tula Foundation, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation,the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund, the Columbia BasinFish and Wildlife Compensation Program, Columbia BasinTrust and the North American Wetlands Conservation Act.

Pine Butte is one of the provinces great ranchesa suc-cessful family enterprise with a solid record of environmen-tal stewardship, said Christina Munck of Tula.We were par-ticularly struck by the long term commitment we saw tosound management and good conservation practices.

Munck added that Tula was happy to support a partnershipbetween the ranch and the NCC that would help keep thegrasslands productive and healthy.

Other conservation organizations in the East Kootenay likeThe Land Conservancy of BC (TLC) have been working withthe NCC for several years to secure a bigger block of grass-land in the area: another purchase totaling 370 hectares wasmade adjacent to Pine Buttes 164 hectares, which will helpprotect the backbone of a major wildlife corridor.

Since 1995, when the province of BC recognized covenantsas a legitimate tool for conservation purposes, numerousland trust organizations beefed up their existing programs.Now the Land Trust Alliance of British Columbia has nearly30 member trust groups working to meet the increasingdemand for on-the-ground conservation projects from sever-al sectors, including agriculture. The federal governmentsmove in 2006 to eliminate tax on capital gains for certifiedecological gift donations, (though unfortunately for the NCCit was not retroactive), made the vision of land donationseven more attractive to cash-strapped ranchers, who havesuffered numerous economic blows in the last several yearswhile seeing the signs of development getting closer andcloser to their properties.

GGoollff CCoouurrsseess aanndd CCoonnddoossOn the bench above the St. Mary River, not 10 kilometresfrom Pine Butte Ranch, excavators have been busy scrapingthe thin skin of organic matter off the grounds surface toexpose the tan-coloured mineral soil. A water trap (one of sixsuch features planned for a new 19-hole golf course and itsfuture community) has been neatly gouged in a spot oncefavoured by grazing deer. Swathes of forest have beenremoved to make way for 590 properties that will be builtaround the course.

The developments 227 hectares of land were purchasedfrom private landowners; there was no public processinvolved in the deal. The City of Cranbrook wasted no timein applying to the provincial Ministry of CommunityServices for a boundary expansion to encompass the devel-opment, which was granted this past October.

I can't speak for the agricultural community, said Hillary.But I think they see the march of progress and the rapidrate of change as a negative thing. And they kind of want todraw a line in the sandthey see it happening but theythink, its not going to happen on my ranch. They are tryingto keep the agricultural industry viable.

Rising property values are adding another layer of com-

plexity to the work of conservation groups. As one of themain tools they use to secure treasures of biodiversity, likethe well-stewarded Pine Butte grasslands, is outright landpurchase, the organization is more dependent than ever oncreating new partnerships with funders.

Its an ongoing challenge, from the land trust organiza-tional standpoint, said Hillary. There has always been alimitation on the amount of money we have available forconserving land.

But even land prices driven sky high by a real estate mar-ket focused on recreation and leisure activities are not stop-ping people like Van Steinburg from using the availabletoolslike conservation covenantsto protect their land forthe long term. For him, it comes down to the life lessons hebrought back from his time as both a soldierhe saw com-bat at the Battle of Normandy and was the recipient of fivemedals of honourand as a member of a group drafted bythe Canadian government to stay on in Europe after the warto assist in rebuilding and reorganizing.

What are the necessities of life?Van Steinburg asked, countingthem off on his finger. Firstrequirements: Food. Shelter.Clothing. And recreation. Andthats the order in which theycome, too.

May Van Steinburg passed awaylast year. The Van Steinburgs son,Ron, is taking over the ranch alongwith Pine Butte's long-time manager, Hugh McLuckie.

Ray Van Steinburg, now 85, is still busy, whether its lobby-ing government officials to give more support to the agricul-tural industry or hosting border collie championships on thesame field, just behind the Van Steinburg home, where calvesare born every spring.

AA LLaassttiinngg LLeeggaaccyyRanchers face many challenges as landowners. Their liveli-hood is tied up in their land and many factorsfromdrought to low compensation to border shutdowns cancreate disturbances that commonly terminate in bankruptcy.Deals such as the one struck at Pine Butte, in which a ranch-er is paid for a portion of his land and donates a conserva-tion covenant over the rest (retaining access to both) areappealing to more and more ranchers.

I think this is a pretty compelling vision for a landowner,said Hillary. In fact, the biggest problem the NCC faces nowis lack of capacity. Were limited by funding and by people todo our work. Its not like there arent enough projects outthere to dothere are more than enough.

To break [the ranch] upin pieces to sell it forsomebody to come just tosit and look at the RockyMountains: I can't do thatand I don't want that.

BC GRASSLANDS 15

Trish Barnes is a writer and researcher who specializes insustainability topics. She operates Trish Barnes Design &Communication from her home in Cranbrook, BC.

Feature

On the surface, the 4,200 hectare (10,500 acre) AshcroftRanchsituated in the south central interior of BritishColumbiais a healthy working ranch that has been in oper-ation since the middle of the nineteenth century. But theAshcroft Ranch is also a lightning rod that has attracted andinvited pivotal struggles in BCs cultural, economic and envi-ronmental history to play out on its grounds.

From gold rushes to garbage dumps, in every era of its exis-tence, the ranch has been a backdrop to provincial and localefforts to balance good grassland management and deeplyheld environmental values with economic realities.

In the mid-nineteenth century, the ranch suffered extensivedamage from overgrazing during the frenzied race to theCariboo gold rush. Over one hundred years later, in thetumultous energy seeking period of the 1970s, BC Hydro pro-posed the construction of a coal-fired power plant in nearbyHat Creek that threatened the environmental integrity of thearea. (The proposal was later withdrawn due in part tointense provincial protest regarding the air pollution theplant would cause). Currently, the ranch is embroiled in whatmight be the most complex struggle yet. A proposal fromMetro Vancouver (formerly known as the Greater VancouverRegional District) to create a landfill on the ranch for theLower Mainlands waste has stirred up controversy acrossBritish Columbia for nearly seven years. The fate of the ranchwill likely be decided by early 2008.

LLaayy ooff tthhee LLaanndd In 2000, Ashcroft Ranch was purchased by Metro Vancouver(MV). Due to its dry, arid climate, the citys engineers select-ed the site as an ideal location for a new landfill to replace theexisting dump in the nearby village of Cache Creek once itreached capacity in 2008.

The submission of the Ashcroft Ranch landfill proposal tothe Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) caused contro-versy to swell throughout BC. Letters from private citizens,non-profit societies and environmental groups were sent toMV and various concerns were voiced by key interest groups,First Nations, local governments and individual citizens dur-ing the public and private consultations the MV held as partof its application to the EAO. During this phase, theGrasslands Conservation Council of British Columbia (GCC)

came out in opposition to the proposal.The lower and mid-elevation grasslands found on Ashcroft

Ranch are among the most endangered and threatened grass-lands in our province, said Bruno Delesalle, ExecutiveDirector for the GCC. More than 35,000 hectares of nativegrasslands have already been lost to agricultural conversionand urban development in the Thompson and Nicola basinsalone. The location of the proposed landfill in the middle ofthe ranch will fragment these valuable grasslands causingfurther degradation to the surrounding landscape whiledirectly impacting red-listed plant communities and thewildlife that depends on them.

For the GCC, as well as many other British Columbians, theprospect of putting a landfill on endangered grasslandecosystems is unthinkable, said Delesalle.

The mere fact that this proposal is being given any consideration shows that grasslands and range values mustbe given higher recognition and attention in BC, saidDelesalle.

On June 7, 2005, George Abbott, former Minister ofSustainable Resource Management, suspended the AshcroftRanch Environmental Assessment proposal, encouraging MVto put out a call for other possible waste management sites.

By August 2006, 23 proposals had come in. MV commis-sioned Dillon Consultingan independent environmentalconsulting firmto create a short list, which initially includ-ed: (a) the original proposal at Ashcroft Ranch; (b) the cre-ation of a landfill with a bioreactor at Teck ComincosHighland Valley Copper mine near Logan Lake; (c) theexpansion of an existing landfill near Fort St. John; (d) thebaling of solid waste at the existing Coquitlam transfer sta-tion which would be barged to a newly developed site onVancouver Island; and (e) a major expansion of the currentCache Creek landfill. The short-list has since been modifiedto eliminate the baling and barging to Gold River (basedupon a review conducted by MV), and two other alternativeshave been added: the use of the existing Beaver ValleyLandfill in Alberta and the Rabanco Landfill in Washington.

Dillon is currently in consultation with the First Nations,local governments and communities involved in the short-listed proposals. The evaluation is set to be completed byMarch 2008, at which time a recommendation will be made

STEWARDSHIP STORIES

Ashcroft RanchAAmmbbeerr CCoowwiiee,, EEdduuccaattiioonn aanndd OOuuttrreeaacchh CCoooorrddiinnaattoorr,, GGrraassssllaannddss CCoonnsseerrvvaattiioonn CCoouunncciill ooff BBCC

16 BC GRASSLANDS

The Ashcroft Ranch, located in the southern interior grasslands, is a working ranch owned by MetroVancouver that runs over 850 cattle and a profitable hay operation. The ranch is currently the proposedsite for a controversial land-fill project.PHOTO COURTESY METRO VANCOUVER

BC GRASSLANDS 17

to the MV board. MV will then once again seek ministerialapproval from the Environmental Assessment Office and theMinistry of the Environment for the selected project.

TThhee RRaanncchhss OOppeerraattiioonnss Until the recommendation is made, the potential landfill atAshcroft Ranch will remain in a holding pattern. The stew-ardship practices currently in operation on the workingranch, however, have been in effect since the original pur-chase of the property seven years ago.

When MV purchased the ranch in 2000, we made the fol-lowing commitments, said Dawn Ross, Ashcroft RanchProject Coordinator for MV. We wanted to continue theoperation of the ranch, retain contiguous parcels of land,protect and enhance the agricultural integrity and productivity, promote public understanding and hire experienced ranch management.

Ross believes that MV has been successful in fulfilling itscommitments to stewardship and sustainability, in part dueto its decision to retain Paul Ford Ag. Services Ltd. to operatethe ranch. For MV, the environmental protection measuresand stewardship practices that have been introduced on theranch far outweigh the environmental damages that may beincurred by the creation of a landfill. The ranch now runs acow / calf operation with 850 cows, 47 bulls and roughly 50yearlings being held over. Agricultural investments in hayproduction have resulted in an operation that supplies com-mercial and private ranches across the country. A compre-hensive grazing rotation schedule has been put into place onthe ranchs deeded land to prevent overgrazing and extensivemonitoring is conducted on the ranchs grassland and riparian areas to ensure the success of all practices on theranch. As a result, MV has managed to reduce the weeds onthe property as well as to improve the health of the expectedplant communities in the pastures.

Dennis Ranahan, Senior Engineer and Landfill ProgramManager for the MV, said that the implementation of a com-prehensive management plan for the ranch has had aresoundingly positive effect on the ranchs grasslands.

At the beginning of this project, we recognized that thiswould have an impact on the grasslands and thats why wevemade a commitment to improve the agricultural integrityand ranching operations, said Ranahan. Were trying to domore than equal the impact of what were removing from thesystem by improving the surrounding quality.

From the MV perspective, said Ranahan, the benefits oftheir proposed publicly owned site are clearly apparent.When profit is taken out of the equation, said Ranahan, theoperator has the ability to make grassland management aclear priority.

The landfill will occupy no more than five percent of theentire ranch property and it will be completely fenced offfrom the remaining grassland, said Ranahan. Years of modeling and research have gone into ensuring that thegeomembrane liner and leachate collection system will ade-

quately prevent leachate from leaking into the ground orwater supply. From the original purchase of the property tothe present day, said Ranahan, MVs intention has alwaysbeen to protect the grasslands from any possible contami-nants while increasing their overall health through goodstewardship practices.

Maintaining the grasslands and maintaining the herd isfirst and foremost in our minds, said Ranahan. We have putinitiatives in place to not only maintain the grasslands, butalso to maintain the environmental integrity overall in termsof water management, grassland management, while moni-toring any potential impact or pollution we might have. Ourplan is to ensure that as a ranch we can set an example interms of sustainability.

MV has also been working diligently within their ownmunicipality to reduce the strain on landfills by introducingthe Zero Waste Challenge, a comprehensive and strategicwaste reduction plan, said Ranahan. Since 2000, MV hasincreased its recycling rate significantly and measures suchas organic waste recycling, bans on recyclable goods in curb-side trash and education programs are being implemented toreduce the amount of trash going into landfills overall. On alarger scale, MV is also putting together a Request forProposals that will echo that which was put out in 2005only this time, the hunt will be for waste to energy conver-sion projects. Ranahan said MV hopes to establish additionalwaste to energy facilities within the region by 2012 to com-pliment its existing waste to energy facility in Burnaby. Ifexpansion of the program is successful, MV believes its needfor landfills will be significantly reduced. In the interim,however, a landfill to take over the nearly full site at CacheCreek is necessary and the climatic and geographic charac-teristics of the interiors grasslands make them the ideal spot,said Ranahan.

Its a very difficult balance, said Ranahan. The attributesof the area that have attracted the landfill to the interiorgrasslands are the same reasons why we have delicate speciesand an environment that we want to protect. The two are off-set and it makes it really challenging.

TThhee BBeeggiinnnniinngg The village of Ashcroft is a small town of less than 2,000 peo-ple located on the Highland Valley Plateau, approximately340 kilometres northeast of Vancouver. The plateau is one ofthe driest regions of the province with average rainfalls ofroughly 130 millimetres per year. For years, the communitywas ideally located close to Highway 1a major transporta-tion route for both commercial operations and travelers.

FeatureWere trying to do more than equal

the impact of what were removing fromthe system by improving the surrounding quality.

18 BC GRASSLANDS

Both Ashcroft and its neighbouring village Cache Creek grewup as service centres for the highway. Hotels, motels andrestaurants were the staple of the regions economy.

In 1986, the construction of the Coquihaulaa highwaythat shaved kilometers off the trip between interior destina-tions and Vancouver by bypassing Cache Creekproved devastating to the two communities. In a bid to revive thelocal economy, Cache Creeks city council put together a com-plex plan to haul the interiors woodchips to paper mills onthe Lower Mainland and return full of garbage that could bedumped into a newly created rural landfill. MV soon enteredinto a partnership with Wastech Services and the landfill wasopened on February 28, 1989. According to Mayor JohnRanta of Cache Creek, the initial transition from a commu-nity reliant on service sector industries to waste manage-ment had a few bumps, but the end result has been entirelypositive for both Cache Creek and Ashcroft.

Between 1986 when the Coquihaula opened and 1989,when the first tonne of waste was deposited at the CacheCreek landfill, there was strong debate in the community asto what we should do, said Ranta. In 2007, however, Ithink its clear that the experiment has proved to be aresounding success. I think you would be hard pressed tofind anyone opposed to the industry in our local area.

The landfill, which currently employs over 110 peopledirectly and 55 people indirectly and takes approximately 16percent of the waste generated in the Lower Mainland, hasbeen a coup for the small community, said Ranta.Environmental measures such as the creation of a citizensLandfill Advisory Committee that makes weekly visits to thelandfill to act as the publics watchdog (a clause that is alsobuilt into the Ashcroft Ranch proposal) have relieved a lot ofthe initial fears regarding damage to ground water and thesurrounding grasslands. Revenues from the dump haveallowed the council to eliminate their debts and improve theinfrastructure of the town. Surplus funds from the site areput towards a post-closure maintenance fund, (which nowstands at $9 million), that will be used to maintain the land-fill site in perpetuity. According to Ranta, the landfill haseven allowed the council to lower property taxes for citizenswho are now paying less per year than they did in 1990.

Its dramatic what weve been able to accomplish, saidRanta. It would be devastating if either Ashcroft or CacheCreek was not chosen as the final site in this roundnot justfor our local economy but for the state of the environment inthe province. What weve got in Cache Creek is the mostenvironmentally sound solution that could be designed forthe needs of Metro Vancouver.

With the Cache Creek site close to capacity and the futureof the site in Ashcroft unclear, Ranta is worried about theeconomic impact on both villages.

The stall in the process has been difficult for us, saidRanta. It puts some uncertainty into the future well being ofthe local area, which is unsettling and discomforting for local

elected people in both villages. Were working on it every dayto ensure that this industry is kept alive in our town.

TThhee OOppppoossiittiioonn The grasslands of the Ashcroft Ranch have sustained ranch-ing operations for nearly two centuries. In the beginning, theland was owned by the Cornwall family, who came over fromEngland to try their hand at ranching. The Cornwalls settledearly in the sloping valley of the interior grasslands, withapplications for their first water license dating back to themid 1800s.

For members of the Cornwall Watershed Coalition (CWC)

and other concerned citizens across the province, the historyof grassland management and stewardship on the AshcroftRanch is just one of the many reasons the Ashcroft Landfillshould be stopped in its tracks.

Joyce Thayer, an environmental lawyer who runs a privatepractice in the Lower Mainland, was contacted by the CWCdue to her previous work in environmental law in BC. Herprimary frustration with the landfill proposal is that theamount of money and time being spent on investigatinglandfill options is far greater than that being put towardsreducing the waste stream overalleven in this years budget. Though the MV has announced its commitment tothe landfill replacement consultation process and the overar-ching goal of zero waste, significant funds are still being allocated to the Ashcroft Ranch. If those funds were puttowards an aggressive commitment to cutting organic matter

BC GRASSLANDS 19

PHOTO COURTESY METRO

VANCOUVER

ABOVE The grasslands of Ashcroft Ranch are home to many red and blue-listed species at risk.

out of the waste stream, the district could continue usinglandfills in the Lower Mainland without having to shipresiduals to the interiors delicate ecosystems, said Thayer.

Our first goal should be to eliminate the need for a land-fill altogether, but if there is going to be one, they couldnthave picked a worse site, said Thayer. I understand that theranch is operating very well and it could be a positive modelfor that type of operation. So as stewards of the ranch, theyseem to be doing a very good job. But its precisely becausetheyre stewards of the ranch that putting a landfill on thegrasslands is such an abomination.

For Helen Spiegelman, board member of the ProductPolicy Institute (PPI) and former president of the SocietyPromoting Environmental Conservation (SPEC), the issuessurrounding waste management in the Lower Mainland areboth local and global in scale.

When I first found out that we were having our garbageshipped up to the interiors grasslands without permission, Iwas embarrassed and furious at the fact that MV was plan-ning to bury our garbage in your grasslands in my name,said Spiegelman. I want our region to take responsibilityfor its waste and that means the people who generate it asindividuals and businesses need to be told what to do with itand asked if were willing to buy a ranch to hide our waste.Zero waste means managing waste in a cradle to cradlestructurenot just identifying the waste and figuring outwhich landfill it should go to.

The creation of an effective and sustainable waste man-agement model in the Lower Mainland might need to bepainful to be effective, said Spiegelman.

Disposing waste [in Vancouver] is too easy, too conven-ient and too cheap, said Spiegelman. What we have now isan infinitely generous, seemingly limitless system whereeverything we dont want anymore we just put out in theback lane and let someone else figure out what to do with it.And what theyre doing with it is potentially destroying yetanother section of grassland.

Margot Landel is a direct descendant of the Cornwall family, the original settlers of the Ashcroft Ranch. Her family has lived in the area for over a century and thepotential landfill spurred her decision to help found theCWC, on which she acts as a director.

There are huge values beyond economic that need to beconsidered here, said Landel. The natives here often saythat you have to live your life looking seven generations intothe futurebut people here arent doing that. Its certainlytrue that if a landfill wasnt built here, the community wouldsuffer an economic blow. But if you look into the future,how can the action of taking garbage and dumping it intothe ground even be considered?

For Landel, the landfill would compromise every aspect of

the environment that sheand her ancestors before herchose to call home. The increased transport from truckswould have a significant impact on air quality. The potentialfor leachate leaking into the ground and the undergroundaquifer that runs close to the proposed site are also extremely troublesome, she said.

The idea of the Ashcroft Ranch being a stop-gap solutionuntil other methods can be developed is damaging, saidLandel. Its damaging to the people in this area, its damag-ing to the overall air and ground quality in the province. Air,ground and water pollution are all things that we need to beworking to eliminatenot propagate.

Landel is not the only local resident who stands in opposi-tion to the landfill at the Ashcroft Ranch. For Ermes Culos,citizen of Ashcroft, the concept of basing the local economyon taking garbage was flawed from the outset.

Money has been the driving factor here since the begin-ning, said Culos. Neither Ashcroft or Cache Creek wouldstoop to receiving garbage from the Lower Mainland unlessthere was some kind of profit involved. And its trueaproject like this does involve a significant amount of jobsand that is the line we were given from the beginning.Coming from Mayor Ranta, the rhetoric is something alongthe lines of, if we dont have a dump, we will die. But whatthe mayor will not accept as a possibility is that had a dumpnot been created, another industry could have grown thatwould provide even more jobsperhaps tourism. There areall sorts of communities in BC that thrive without dumps.

TThhee EEnndd The proposed landfill at Ashcroft Ranch has been and willcontinue to be a galvanizing issue in BCperhaps in partbecause the issues surrounding the potential dump site arethe same issues that all British Columbians, from the pre-mier to pre-schoolers, are seeking to address in thisprovince. While striving to find a balance between theexcesses of North American living, the delicate environmentof British Columbias grasslands and the struggles ofresource-based rural communities, the proposed AshcroftRanch landfill clearly underlines the pressing need in theprovince to address the issue of waste management andgrassland conservation from all sides.

This is not just a conflict about landfills or the lack ofrecognition given to rare grassland ecosystems in ourprovince, said Delesalle. It is a conflict about the incre-mental loss and fragmentation of ranchlands; the cumula-tive impact and spin-off effects of grassland conversion andthe potential damage from roads, trails and invasive plants.It is also about conservation in a world where growth, devel-opment and dollar values take precedencewhere steward-ship is at odds with current land use trends and basic eco-nomics. It is a complicated story not easily solved, one thatonly society can change at the broadest level.

...as stewards of the ranch, they seemto be doing a very good job. But its pre-cisely because theyre stewards of theranch that putting a landfill on the grass-lands is a such an abomination.

20 BC GRASSLANDS

Amber Cowie is the Education and Outreach Coordinatorfor the GCC. She currently resides in Kamloops, BC.

It was alarming declines like these that spurred grassrootsbird conservationists to initiate Partners in Flight (PIF) in1990 in the USA. Today, Partners in Flight is a coalition ofgovernments, non-governmental organizations, academicinstitutions, First Nations, industry and other citizenswith the common vision to maintain the health of birdpopulations and their habitats. It is active across Northand Central America and developing in South America.PIF has grown to become the landbird component of theNorth American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI).More regionally, PIF represents the landbird component ofthe Canadian Intermountain Joint Venture (CIJV), an all-bird, all-habitat joint venture designed to regionallyimplement NABCI in the Canadian portions of theNorthern Rockies and Great Basin Bird ConservationRegion.

PIF promotes a grassroots approach to keeping com-mon birds common and helping species at risk throughmulti-interest partnerships. It uses the focal species

approach, a habitat-based, multi-species approach to land-bird conservation in which the ecological requirements ofa suite of focal species are used to define an ideal land-scape to maintain the range of habitat conditions andecological processes required by landbirds and many othertaxa.

PIF is currently in the implementation phase of its pro-gram. Quantitative habitat conservation objectives forgrassland and riparian ecosystems are being finalizedusing the focal species approach. This fall, high prioritygrassland habitats for conservation (acquisition, protec-tion, restoration and stewardship) will be finalizedthrough our partnerships. PIFs aim is to provide supportto partners who engage in stewardship to ensure thatlandowners are equipped with the knowledge andresources to maintain key habitat elements for landbirdsacross working landscapes.

Partners in Flight & the CIJVTTaannyyaa LLuusszzcczz,, PPaarrttnneerrss iinn FFlliigghhtt BBCC//YYuukkoonn GGrreeaatt BBaassiinn PPrrooggrraamm MMaannaaggeerr,, CCaannaaddiiaann WWiillddlliiffee SSeerrvviiccee

Partner ProfilePHOTO BOB MCKAY

continued on page 27

Once each year, I get up very early on a June morning and do a Breeding BirdSurvey along a standard 25-mile-long route in the Okanagan Valley. When I beganthis survey in 1973, I used to count about fifty meadowlarks along my route - theywere the commonest species on my list. For the past six years, Ive only heardabout twenty each time, and robins have replaced them at the top of the list.

Richard E. Cannings, An Enchantment of Birds

BC GRASSLANDS 21

ABOVE Western Meadowlarks are just one ofthe bird species the PIF is working to protect.

Nancy Mahoney of the Canadian Wildlife Service, in partnershipwith Simon Fraser University (SFU), BC Parks, the Upland BirdsSociety and rancher Lawrence Joiner, is currently studying theeffects of different levels of cattle grazing on native grasslandvegetation and the resulting effects on CIJV focal bird species likethe Western Meadowlark and the Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse.This summer, researchers counted and measured plants andassessed bird productivity at the OK Ranch near Clinton BC, in theChurn Creek Protected Area and Junction Sheep Range ProvincialPark. At the end of the three year project, researchers hope towork with range managers and ranch operators to develop andimplement Best Management Practices (BMPs) for thestewardship of rangelands to benefit native breeding birds.

CIJV & STEWARDSHIP

22 BC GRASSLANDS

Lemonweed (Lithospermum ruderale) is just one of the many grassland plants that has an enormous culturalhistory. First Nations in grassland regions across the province used its flowers and leaves for a variety ofpurposes including ceremonial incense or dye; as a charm to make it rain; and as part of a ritual to stopthunderstorms. Its roots were often ground up for flour and its leaves were made into a tea to mitigateinternal bleeding.PHOTO BRUNO DELESALLE

BC GRASSLANDS 23

I showed up one morning at the ranch house inSaskatchewan, hoping to meet Peter Butala, this grass man Ihad heard so much about. Luckily for me, he had just finishedmorning chores and was inside having coffee. I babbled anincoherent introduction, about how I was equally interested inPeter the rancher and his wife Sharon, the writer. Peterlaughed and put me right at ease.

Sharons away right now, and I was just about to go have alook at our native grass range, he said. Do you want to comealong?

I jumped at the chance. What followed was a lengthy andalmost magical tour of a good portion of southwesternSaskatchewan, looking at quarter after quarter of conservative-ly grazed native rangeland. The land had been in family handssince the early part of the last century, and Butala family cul-ture strongly emphasized respect for the land. Peter carriedthat tradition forward; he saw grass as the ranchs primaryproduct, and his cattle operation benefited greatly from thatphilosophy. This was tough country we were in: rolling terrain,solonetzic soils, parching summers and brutal winters. But thenorthern wheatgrass, western wheatgrass, blue grama andjunegrass on the Butala range were all in excellent condition.Droughts are a common occurrence in this part of the world,so Peter always kept lots of grass in reserve, preferring to manage from abundance rather than from scarcity. He waswell aware of the proven fact that when native grasses aregrazed conservatively, they produce far more forage than whenovergrazed.

I saw Peter several more times after that first visit. He was aquiet man, I think because he maintained such an active andintimate conversation with his land. There was a luminousquality about him, which I believe also came from his passion-ate attachment to his grasslands.

I mourn Peters recent passing, but I take heart in his lifesvocation of crafting a sustainable grassland culture. If theButalas could build it as individuals, and as a family, then perhaps we can build it as a society.

I dont think it is unreasonable to talk about the need for agrassland culture in BC. Culture, in Robert McKnights defini-tion, is the set of learnings that allows people to operate suc-cessfully in a particular place. The human species has operatedin grasslands since they came down out of the trees, and overthe millennia, we have accumulated quite a body of grasslandcul