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VOL. 26 I NO. 1 JULY 2011
Price $3.50
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Lynn Jackson & Harry Hooke
Fort St. James
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FEATURE | Environmental Stewardship Award
32 | July / August 2011 www.beefinbc.ca
is the 2011 recipient of the BC Cattlemen’s
Association annual Environmental Stewardship
Award. Lynn Jackson & Harry Hooke were
nominated by fellow ranchers, Charly and
Lucille Belsham, for being an established ranch
that has made environmental sustainability its
main priority.
Harry and Lynn were both raised on farms,
but each pursued other careers before returning
to the ranching life 15 years ago to raise their
two sons, Jackson and Harrison. The 2000 acre
ranch is located along the Stuart and Necoslie
Rivers in Fort St. James. The ranch is within
the high elevation sub-boreal spruce zone,
which offers a short growing and grazing
seasons. The ranch was started from raw land
that had mostly been logged in the previous
decades. Today the ranch is . The ranch is self-
sufficient comprised of private and leased
lands, along with three woodlots. Canyon Tree
Farms is able to grow all of their own feed on
the 350 acres of crop and pasture land.
Canyon Tree Farms ran Angus cross
commercial cattle for the first four years, and is
now a purebred Angus breeder. Harry and
Lynn pride themselves on the type and quality
of cattle they raise, which is evidenced by an
increasing demand for their purebred bulls and
replacement heifers as well as their consistent
production of AAA carcasses. Recently, Lynn
and Harry have diversified and established a
successful local meat sales enterprise, selling
directly and through the local farmers market.
In addition to the cattle, Lynn and Harry also
have a small herd of paint horses which are
used extensively for working cattle.
The BC Cattlemen’s Association
recognizes Canyon Tree Farms for
implementing environmentally sustainable
management practices on their successful
diversified ranch operation.
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Environmental Stewardship Award | FEATURE
www.beefinbc.ca July /August 2011 | 33
FEATURE | Environmental Stewardship Award
34 | July / August 2011 www.beefinbc.ca
GRAZING MANAGEMENT
Canyon Tree’s grazing management plan has a focus of environmental sustainability. To
achieve this, the grazing systems are a combination of strip grazing and rest-rotational
grazing. On the ranch, miles of electric fencing and solar powered electric fencers have been
installed. The overall goal is to protect the natural ecosystems while improving grass
production and decreasing input costs. Lynn and Harry have found this method leads to better
utilization of forage and builds soil health without the use of commercial fertilizers. The
grazing method has also helped control invasive plants, such as buttercup and thistle, are
almost eliminated from the pastures. Hay fields are not grazed in order to ensure maximum
crop yield. Cattle are winter fed on fields that are either scheduled for restoration or need the
extra natural fertilizer. In the winter, the ranch uses bale feeders to minimize feed waste.
The BC Cattlemen’s Association congratulates Lynn Jackson and Harry Hooke
CLEARING LAND
To reach their goal of environmental
sustainability, Lynn & Harry use an
“integrated resource management plan
with the underlying principle that every
hectare of ground is utilized for what it
is best suited.”
Today most of the land is treed to
some extent with small openings
created through harvesting. These
openings in the forest canopy serve as
hubs where cattle graze and provide
brush control.
4) Finished fields
3) Cleared land ready for seed
CERTIFICATION
Lynn and Harry are keen to adopt new ideas and
certify their ranch and beef products through
available programs. The ranch registered in the
Verified Beef Production program which requires
audits of record keeping for animal health and food
safety protocols. The ranch was the first in their area
to have a completed Environmental Farm Plan. As
part of their commitment to stewardship, the ranch
continues to use their integrated resource
management plan.
2) Cleared land
1) Raw land
Electric fence used for strip grazing
Solar panel for electric fence
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Environmental Stewardship Award | FEATURE
www.beefinbc.ca July / August 2011 | 35
1)
WATER & RIPARIAN MANAGEMENT
Water quality and sustainability are at the heart of ranch management strategies and are showcased in the
environmental projects completed to date. To Lynn and Harry “protecting the water resources is the prime
commitment and everything else falls into place around that.” Because livestock access to riparian areas has been
eliminated or severely restricted a water distribution system has been installed with solar waterers and frost-free
nose pumps.
Lynn and Harry’s biggest environmental challenge is trying to establish channel stability on the Necoslie
River. This river has extreme flow cycles, ranging from virtually dry to a raging torrent. A crossing was installed
but extraordinary river conditions washed it out. Lynn and Harry will continue to install sweeper trees and rip rap
as a means to stabilize the banks. The crossing will be reinstalled to minimize cattle
impacts on the waterway. The Stuart River flows adjacent to the property.
WILDLIFE
The two river systems running through the ranch enhance the biodiversity
already found in the numerous riparian areas. A wide variety of wildlife
including blue and red listed species and migratory birds are seen in the spring
and fall. Endemic populations of moose, deer, and black bears are a common
sight with an occasional visit from a wandering grizzly bear. The numerous
salmon runs enhance habitats for eagles and ospreys which feed and nest along
the rivers, and geese, beavers, fishers, and muskrats make their home in the
waterways. In the winter Trumpeter swans, kept company by a host of ducks,
are seen on the open waters of the Stuart River.
THE FUTURE
Lynn & Harry were one of the first operations in their area
to complete and implement their Environmental Farm
Plan. Their future stewardship plans include: stabilizing
the banks of the Necoslie River, adding more safe watering
sites for cattle and increase strip grazing areas. Jackson and
Hooke are always looking for opportunities to offer value-
added products and increase market share. The family are
active members of the community, involved in their local
and regional cattlemen’s associations, as well as 4-H, and
the Angus Associations.
BEFORE:
Necoslie River banks annual erosion
AFTER:
Stabilization with rip-rap and logs
(frozen Necoslie R. in foreground)
Restricted livestock access to riparian area with
a nose pump waterer
W R
ay
W R
ay
of Fort St. James on receiving the 2011 Environmental Stewardship Award
Home Ranch — Fort St. James
FEATURE | Environmental Stewardship Award
36 | July / August 2011 www.beefinbc.ca
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PDI not included
Offer Expires
July 31, 2011
THANK YOU FROM LYNN & HARRY
We hope that our two sons will recognize that there are rewards for doing a good job,
and in this case the Environmental Stewardship Award is a great honour. We would like
to thank the Environmental Farm Plan program and the Verified Beef Program for
helping us to put into practice many of our plans and ideas. We would also like to thank
the breeders and cattlemen for helping work together through some very tough times.
We would especially like to thank Charly and Lucille Belsham for their on-going
encouragement, support and pearls of wisdom. And finally, we’d like to thank the
community of Fort St. James for their continuing support of the farm gate sales and the
great quality of life we enjoy here.
THANK YOU TO OUR JUDGES & SPONSORS
This award is made possible through the generous financial contributions of our
sponsors: BMO Bank of Montreal, Beef Cattle Industry Development Fund & Check-off
levy, the BC Wildlife Federation and Doug Haughton’s Black Angus Natural Beef.
NOMINEES
Two strong nominations were received for the award this year and the selection
committee found it difficult to chose one over the other. BCCA appreciates the time
given by the selection committee members: Doug Fossen (BC Cattlemen), Barbara John
(Environment), Jim Forbes (Agriculture), and Don Tretheway (Conservation) in
evaluating this year’s nominees. BC Wildlife Federation generously donated a large
framed wildlife print for our other nominee, Agnes Jackson of Napier Lake Ranch in
Kamloops. The BC Cattlemen’s Association acknowledges Agnes and her late husband
Roy for their outstanding stewardship and commitment to the cattle industry.
Stewardship award winners with sponsors. Doug Haughton, Amos Rossworm (BMO),
Harry Hooke, Lynn Jackson, sons Harrison and Jackson, and Doug Fossen (BCCA).
Agnes with her grandchildren