MCLEOD LAKE, B.C – Sheep have been grazing forestry cut blocks in northern British Columbia for more than 20 years, but Conrad Lindbloom believes goats are the natural animals for the job.
Grazing the steep, rocky side hills littered with giant tree stumps and fallen logs is a perfect playground for the sure-footed animals.
This summer 1,600 goats ate the vegetation around the newly planted spruce and pine trees of two forestry cut blocks. Grazing the grass and woody plants in the logged and replanted areas allows sunlight to reach the new trees so they can grow quicker.
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“(Goats are) more suited for it, do less damage to the crop of trees and are more agile getting over logs,” said Lindbloom of Beaverlodge, Alta.
Three years ago he took a chance and convinced a logging company to allow him to graze 400 goats on a cut block. More than 60,000 sheep are grazing forestry cut blocks in British Columbia, but no goats.
Lindbloom didn’t know if the goats would graze around the newly planted spruce and pine or chew them off.
“The image of goats was that they eat everything, even tin cans. It was a gamble we took.”
This spring Lindbloom bought every goat he could find on the Prairies to expand the herd to 1,600. Forestry companies pay a set amount per head per day to graze the reforested areas for about four months each summer.
Ryan Bichon, forestry manager for the McLeod Lake Indian Band that owns one of the cut blocks, said the goats have worked well.
Chemical spray is the cheapest way to clear shrub and underbrush from around trees, but the band members don’t want to do that.
“Grazing is one of the alternatives. We decided to give it a shot,” Bichon said. “Grazing knocks the weeds back, but doesn’t annihilate everything. We’re going to continue with the programs.”
Other forestry companies have asked Lindbloom to graze goats on their cut blocks because of the animals’ ability to graze rough areas.
Gathering enough goats is a problem, said Lindbloom, who built his herd a few goats at a time.
“To find another 1,600 goats would be impossible.”
Developing the goat grazing industry beyond a single-family business would give the prairie goat industry a huge boost, he added. With more goats grazing the cut blocks, packing plants would finally have enough goats to begin slaughtering a steady supply of animals for the growing ethnic meat market.
“There’s no reason this couldn’t be a bigger business.”
Convincing bankers to lend money to a new venture in goat grazing was difficult and Lindbloom used his savings to buy the animals, trailers and equipment needed to transport them from his farm in northern Alberta to the mountains of northern B.C. and run two camps.
“The grizzly bears are nothing compared to a bank manager,” Lindbloom said. “It’s been a struggle getting everything together financially, but now it’s starting to pay.”
At each camp a pair of riders and dogs trail the goats to the cut blocks each morning, which can sometimes be a two kilometre trip from the main camp. The dogs and riders spend the next eight hours making sure the goats stay in the forested cut block and don’t wander into the thick timber.
Dennis Schinski of Grande Prairie, Alta., said when feed is plentiful it’s easy work watching the goats eat and play for eight hours. By fall, when the grazing is scarce, it’s harder to keep the goats together and away from the edge of the trees where the bears often sit and watch.
It’s not uncommon to see a black bear sitting at the edge of a clearing watching the goats graze until the guardian dogs chase it away.
“You feel better having the big dogs,” Schinski said. “They’re out to protect the goats and you.”
Laura Talbot of Chilliwack, B.C., said the first time she chased a bear and its cub into the bush from her horse was frightening, but over the summer she learned to enjoy the interaction with wildlife and appreciate seeing bears, coyote and wolves.
“I’m loving it,” said Talbot, who can’t think of a better way to spend a summer than on horseback in the mountains.
“I never thought I’d be herding goats. They’re quite playful. They see a tree and they have to climb it.”
Lindbloom said ideal workers for a summer on the cut blocks must love animals and the outdoors, but not necessarily goats.
“To try and find goat herders you’d have to go to Afghanistan.”
At the end of each day the goats are brought back to camp to a temporary corral where they are guarded by dogs so that the crew can relax.
“It’s a great way to spend a summer,” Lindbloom said.
