A North Cariboo rancher has done a good job of protecting resources while grazing their cattle on public land, according to the chair of B.C.’s independent watchdog for sound forest and range practices.
Dan Storey’s range tenure, located 30 kilometres northwest of Quesnel within the territories of the Secwépemc, Tŝilhqot’in and Dakelh Nations, was randomly selected for audit by the Forest Practices Board.
Auditors found that Storey met the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act after examining range planning and practices for compliance which included looking at maps and the period of use and number of livestock authorized for grazing.
Read More: Cattle helping to manage B.C. wildfire risk with targeted grazing
They also examined compliance with requirements to protect areas along streams and wetlands, upland areas away from streams, drinking water quality, licensed waterworks and fish habitat.
“I’m quite pleased with that and I’m happy that they are auditing because it’s good for them to make sure that we’re doing things right,” Storey said.
His rancher’s range tenure covers just under 10,000 hectares and permits grazing of 620 animal unit months, the amount of forage consumed by a cow in 30 days.
Storey previously lived in Alberta where he was a rancher for most of his life before moving to the Cariboo where land prices were cheaper.
“I’ve had no regrets,” he said.
”Our cows have a pretty good life. They get to tramp around in super natural British Columbia for half the year and the other half of the year we have them at home and feed them really well. It’s a pretty good life than what some folks would like to think.”
Forest Practices Board chair Kevin Kriese said four other range tenures were selected randomly for audit in the Quesnel Natural Resource District.
A report on its findings is anticipated in the coming months.
“We examined BC Timber Sales in Quesnel, so forestry, a year ago,” Kriese said. “We were looking for a kind of tenure we hadn’t audited recently and that was range tenures.”
The Forest Practices Board audits forest and range practices on public lands and appropriateness of government enforcement, reporting its findings and recommendations directly to the public and government.
Read More: Audit of Quesnel BC Timber Sales program finds issues, non-compliance
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