Range

Issues:

  • Improper range practices can degrade rangeland health and productivity, and negatively impact other resource values.
  • The viability of industries dependent on range agreements relies on the maintenance of current range agreements and the ability to capitalize on new grazing opportunities.
  • Noxious weed invasion decreases the health, productivity and biodiversity of rangelands.
  • Lack of a comprehensive inventory describing the current condition of rangeland resources.

Goals:

  • A productive and sustainable range resource, which supports natural ecosystem functions, viable plant and wildlife populations, and vibrant ranching and horse-based tourism industries.

Agriculture and Range

Objectives Management Direction/Strategies Measures of Success/Targets Intent
1. Maintain or enhance sustainable livestock grazing on Crown range 1.1 Where appropriate, and restricted to transitory (nonpermanent) range areas, increase forage through seeding suitable seedbeds post-harvest (cutblocks, roads and landings) Sustainable level of grazing (e.g., animal unit months) authorized in range agreements
1.2 Maintain grazing in cutblocks while minimizing damage to tree seedlings
1.3 Encourage, through management, increased cattle use as harvested plantations age and their vulnerability lessens
1.4 Develop and implement a recreational horse use extension program aimed at educating equestrian recreationists about proper range management practices
1.5 Use signs, brochures, maps and other aids to inform equestrian recreationists about proper range management practices
1.6 Incorporate, where appropriate, available First Nations’ knowledge of traditional food, medicinal and spiritual use of plants (e.g., bitter root) and plant communities into range use planning
2. Manage livestock grazing to maintain healthy and vigorous rangeland plant communities Healthy rangelands and properly functioning riparian areas (trend)
3. Manage livestock to maintain and restore riparian areas in a properly functioning condition and, in community watersheds, to prevent declines in water quality 3.1 Rate riparian function following the Ministry of Forests’ range riparian assessment checklists and procedures (as funding permits) Water quality in community watersheds with livestock grazing % level of compliance with RUPs
3.2 Develop a rehabilitation priority list for non-functioning riparian systems
3.3 Implement grazing practices to restore proper riparian function where grazing is shown to be the primary activity influencing the riparian plan community
4. Prevent and control noxious weed invasion 4.1 Encourage implementation of the Weed Control Act as needed Noxious weeds controlled Preference is for no chemical means of control where effective/efficient
4.2 Encourage control of noxious weeds on Crown, private and reserve lands
4.3 Distribute noxious weed information to the general public and encourage reporting and volunteer control efforts
4.4 Where practical, and effective use biological control instead of chemical control to avoid impacts to medicinal plant harvesting
4.5 Encourage proper harvesting of medicinally beneficial weeds (e.g. St. John’s Wort, Canada thistle), where feasible, instead of the use of chemicals as a measure of control
5. Subject to available resources, increase knowledge and information about the range resource 5.1 Determine which areas in the alpine can be used to establish both reference alpine benchmark areas and areas used to monitor changes in the alpine ecosystems when grazing is absent (wildlife and/or livestock) Comprehensive range condition inventory available To provide a catalogue of plant communities, range conditions and/or health, riparian function, range developments, forage use, forage production and other items as deemed necessary to provide baseline data for trend monitoring and management direction. Priority should be given to permanent range types Information will provide direction to Tourism, Recreation, and the ranching industry around new grazing and other opportunities