Agroforestry projects in British Columbia show that trees and cattle can live harmoniously.
The trees provide shade, hold soil moisture and protect riparian areas, while the livestock can control plant growth.
The B.C. Agroforestry Industry Development Initiative is developing projects that integrate trees and shrubs with crops and livestock. Initiatives include shelterbelts, riparian management and growing crops between rows of trees.
Provincial forester Rob Dinwoodie wants the sector to move away from just growing timber to managing B.C.’s public lands for multiple use so that several industries can benefit.
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“One of the key things of forage supply for the ranching industry and people who hold a grazing license, if you do not have the forage, you don’t have any industry,” he told a B.C. Cattlemen’s Association meeting that was held in Vernon May 23-25.
There is considerable competition for productive land in the province, most of which is owned by the crown.
Dinwoodie, who is the northern resource operations ministry’s range officer for the Okanagan-Shuswap district, predicted that the population on privately held land in his district is likely to double in the next 25 years with more vineyards, golf courses and houses. Conflicts have erupted over how much productive land can be developed for urban areas.
He said the timber industry is a major resource for the province. It is well managed and complies with provincial legislation. However, other users, such as ranchers who want to graze their cattle under the tree canopies, feel neglected.
The ministry issues grazing licenses, but it is generally agreed that forage production needs more attention so that range managers and livestock producers know what is available.
Dinwoodie’s district is working on a strategy to analyze land on a pasture by pasture basis to see what kind of plants, wildlife and trees exist. This would help the province develop a database and better use current forage resources.
Werner Stump, president of the North Okanagan Livestock Association, agreed that a better database is needed to resolve some of the conflicts over land use.
“We have this wealth of information on timber growth and inventory to manage the harvests in an area,” he said during an education session at the BCCA meeting.
“We don’t have that yield information for forage to a satisfactory degree or a consistent level across the province,” he said.
“Until we get a solid database we are not going to be able to manage forage on a sustainable basis.”
Stump said timber is tightly managed, but there is no similar planning for forage.
“Forest harvest did not consider the long-term supply or flow of forage.”
