Range 101
Laila Salm, P.Ag.
Range Officer
Ministry of Forests, Lands, &
Natural Resource Operations
Outline
• mandate of MFLNRO
• What is range and where is it?
• Types of tenure
• Land requirements to support tenure
• Range clients and where they are
• Legislation as it may apply to the city
• Issues
• Importance of range
Mandate of MFLNRO
S4 Ministry of Forests and Range Act
•
(a) encourage maximum
productivity of the forest and range
resources in British Columbia;
• (b) manage, protect and conserve
the forest and range resources of the
government....
•
Mandate of MFLNRO
• (d) encourage a vigorous, efficient
and world competitive
• (i) timber processing industry, and
• (ii) ranching sector in British
Columbia;
• plan the use of the forest and range
resources of the government, so that
the production of timber and forage,
the harvesting of timber, the grazing
of livestock and the realization of
fisheries, wildlife, water, outdoor
recreation and other natural resource
values are coordinated and
integrated.....
What is range?
• Rangelands are lands suitable for
grazing and browsing by livestock
and wildlife.
• They include natural grasslands,
shrublands, wet meadows, forests
and alpine.
• Majority of our range is on forested
crown land
• Primary range around the city is
grassland or open forest
Kamloops district facts
• Total Crown Range
1,057,000 ha
• Grazed Crown Range 1,004,160 ha
• Range Act tenures:
150
• Animal Unit Months (1 cow/calf
grazing for one month)
105,000
•
Livestock under tenure
22,000
•
Grazing lease tenures
114
•
Grazing lease hectares
69,286
Who are our clients?
• The public
• Tenured clients:
– beef-ranching industry,
– commercial horse operators,
– sheep producers,
– guide/outfitters,
– First Nations,
• other land users
Types of tenure
• Grazing licence and permits under
the Range Act
• Grazing leases under the Lands Act
Range Act & Regulations
• covers what is required to obtain and
maintain an agreement for grazing or
hay cutting on Crown range
• Two types of agreements
• Licences -10 year term
• Permits 1-5 year term
• Fees paid are tied to the cattle
market plus a rental charge for use
of the land
Lands required to support
Range Act tenures
• Grazing tenures are issued to
operators with sufficient arable land
to support livestock in the winter
feeding period
• Land is tied to the grazing tenure.
No tenure without a land base with
an arable component
• Subdivision or sale - may or may
not transfer the grazing rights
Lands Act
• Grazing leases are administered
under this act
– Differ from a range act tenure – quasi
private land
– Are for a term of 21 years
– Right to quiet enjoyment
– Can be posted with no trespassing
– Lessee pays taxes on leased land
– Major roads and trails excluded from
lease
Land required for a lease
• Grazing leases are tied to a ranch
base
• Leases provide valuable forage close
to home properties
• If ranch base sells new owner may
apply for a transfer of rights
• Loss of appurtenant land will result
in cancellation of lease
Tenures around the city
• Grazing licence Lac du bois Grasslands Park and
crown land south of the park within city limits
• Grazing leases north of Lac du Bois park
• Grazing leases in the Rayleigh area
• Grazing leases and licences in the Barnhartvale
area
• Grazing leases in the Aberdeen, Petersen Creek
and Rose Hill area
•
•
•
•
Legislation pertinent to
range
Forest and Range Practices Act & regs
–
–
practices
Invasive Plants Regulation
Range Act & regs –
–
tenure
Livestock Act –
–
livestock at large
Livestock Identification Act –
–
marking of livestock
Other legislation
• Trespass Act & regs
–
–
Who has fencing obligations
Defines a lawful fence
• Park Act
–
–
Livestock grazing permitted
access management has been beneficial to
range
• Weed Control Act & Invasive Plants
Reg (FRPA)
Forest and Range Practices Act
Governs forestry and range practices
on the land
FRPA affects range management:
• requires approved plans before
livestock graze on Crown range
• puts the force of law behind
protecting certain values
• Does not apply on grazing leases –
only to crown range
Trespass Act
• Onus is on the private land owner to
fence cattle under tenure out
• Fence must meet the definition of a
lawful fence
The importance of range and
keeping ranches working
• Ranching industry relies on crown
range to provide feed for livestock to
offset winter feeding requirements
• Rangelands offer habitat to number
of species, some of which are rare
and endangered
• Recreational and aesthetic
opportunities for the community
• Ranching industry is an important
part of the economy
Potential Conflicts
• Subdivisions & breaking up of ranch
titles
• Invasive plants
• Off road activity
• litter
• Unauthorized trails
• Fences & cattleguards
• Water for rangelands and for
irrigation
Mitigation of conflict
• Rangelands around the city are fully
stocked and most are critically
important to the ranching community
as well as wildlife.
• Protect high value range and habitat
from urban sprawl.
Support keeping ranches
working
• Help to retain the integrity of high
value agricultural land that is the
foundation of the agriculture
industry and which rely on grazing
lands next to the city
• Work with the ag sector on water
supply issues and simple solutions.
• City provides water to troughs in Lac
du Bois as per Batchelor agreement
Other solutions
• Locate new subdivisions with least impact to
range use
• Require new city subdivisions against tenured
crown land to have chain link fence to prevent
issues
• Continue to enforce littering and off road activity
in the city limits
• Off road activity and unauthorized bike trails
increase the risk of invasive plants, erosion etc.
Managed trail systems provide opportunity and
sustainable networks.
Questions?
Laila Salm
Range Officer
Kamloops Forest District
Ministry of Natural Resource
Operations
1265 Dalhousie Drive
Kamloops
250-371-6581