VERNON, B.C. — Dave and Wanda Casorso of Oliver, B.C., have received the province’s environmental stewardship award.
Presented annually by the British Columbia Cattlemen’s Association, the award recognizes outstanding efforts to improve the land, forage and water on ranch land. Wildlife habitat improvement is also recognized.
The Casorso Ranch is located in the southern Okanagan Valley in one of Canada’s driest regions, receiving about 150 millimetres of precipitation a year. The family has developed a gravity fed irrigation system drawing water from a local creek to support pastures and hayland. To protect fragile riparian areas, they are building fences along creeks and adding more water storage.
In this unique desert environment, the ranch is home to big horn sheep, mountain goats, deer, bears, coyotes and nesting birds as well as numerous rare species and species at risk.
The ranch includes 1,400 deeded acres, 400 acres of leased private land and 70,000 acres of crown land acres. It has about 240 cross cows and has built a local, niche market for its Angus base beef.
