Summer grazing takes place from May to October on crown rangelands across British Columbia.
The province is unique in that only 20 per cent of rangeland across the province is privately owned. This means granting access to crown rangelands is critical to ranchers for livestock grazing.
Grazing is authorized on Crown rangeland under the Range Act and regulated by the Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA). Heritage grazing leases were administered under the Land Act.
In order to cut hay or graze livestock on these lands, ranchers must have a lease or license and follow a rangeland management plan.
Unfortunately, as longtime rancher Marvin Monical noted, there are issues that go with grazing leases. One of the biggest concerns is property owners located adjacent or right next to Crown land.
“If they haven’t got a regulation fence, which is four strands of barbed wire, keeping our cows on range, then the cows are actually trespassing on their property,” he said. “And if they haven’t got a good perimeter fence they can go through their property and access a major highway or they can get someplace we don’t want.”
The onus is on property owners to make sure that they have a perimeter fence.
A publication put out by the BC Ministry of Agriculture states that “complaints may arise from neighbours who do not understand that in many situations they themselves must incorporate fencing to keep out livestock, regardless of whether animals are straying onto their properties from deeded or Crown land.”
Monical said it is simply a matter of education for people who are new to the area. If property owners are willing to be good neighbours most ranchers are willing to work together to get a good fence up and maintain it.
Joy Gammie said her husband’s family has ranched in the South Cariboo area for over 127 years.
She agreed many people do not realize with the range act, it is their responsibility to fence out cattle. “It’s just the same as any other animal. If you don’t want it in your yard, you need to fence it out.”
Property owners can complain about cattle going on their property but it will not get them anywhere she said. The ranchers lease the grazing rights and pay for the use of it.
Another concern centers around closing gates. After long weekends, Gammie has to go check all the gates are closed. Growing up, it was simple courtesy to leave things as you found them.
“But I don’t think people understand,” she said. “Coming to work last week I stopped and closed gates to the highway. When you’re doing 110 in a small car and a bovine walks out in front of you, I don’t want to be there.”
The loss of the cow and a future calf crop are a cost to Gammie plus the damage to the driver’s car.
Monical agreed.
“It’s not the locals. It’s the people coming up from the Lower Mainland to a summer cabin or just to get away. It’s all education again,” he said. “You find a gate, you close the gate.”
Gammie said they have done a lot of work on the fencing project and making sure gates are easy to open and close. She said it is not like the old days when you were working with looping a strand of barbed wire over a post.
Her words echo Monical’s, “If the gates shut, close it behind you.”
Visit the BC government website for more information.
fiona.grisswell@100milefreepress.net
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