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Skeena Stikine Forest District Range Program |
Range Management InformationRange is considered to be the second major resource managed by the Ministry of Forests and Range. Proper management of this invaluable resource is critical, because society depends upon our rangelands for food, recreation, and wildlife habitat (Campbell and Bawtree 1998).
In order to manage the range resource according to the principles of integrated resource management, the Range Program considers the use by livestock with due consideration of the needs of wildlife, recreational users, the water resource, and a variety of other demands on rangelands.
Range resources are allocated through Animal Unit Months (AUMs), which is defined as “450 kg of forage, measured on a dry matter basis, being the amount of forage that would sustain for one month an average cow of the genus bos with an unweaned calf born in the current calendar year, or for a period longer or shorter than one month, depending on the type of animal, its stage of development, or both”.
Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to Invasive Plant monitoring and control; administration of range tenure agreements; range use planning and monitoring; reviewing and authorizing Range Improvements.
The Skeena Stikine Forest District (DSS) covers the Bulkley, Kispiox and Cassiar Stock Ranges. There were 74 active tenures in the DSS in 2007, authorizing 10,668 AUMs and 47 tonnes of hay. This forage is being utilized by cattle as well as horses.
References: Campbell, C.W. and A.H. Bawtree. 1998. Rangeland Handbook for B.C. British Columbia Cattlemen’s Association. Kamloops, BC |
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