Listening to a rancher talk about their grasslands can be long, drawn-out conversations about the role and importance they play in their operation, or short and sweet answers about how they can’t imagine themselves anywhere else. Either way, it’s always a bit of a love story. The stories of how they learned everything from their parents or grandparents about managing the land and grew up to appreciate the little things like the purple crocus flowers blooming in that warm ray of spring sunlight, only to be covered again by a late snowstorm or watching the calves grow, play and run with their tails straight up on the open prairie in the fading evening light after a hot summer day.
This narrative can change depending on who you are talking to. Ranchers see a resource or opportunity, and the grasslands hold sentimental value from years or generations gone by, on the other end of the spectrum, someone who isn’t raised on the land may look at grasslands and see a lot of nothing, which is far from the truth of these lands. Grasslands have long laid the foundation of our communities while serving a huge cultural role through history. With the increasing loss of grasslands from the threat of cultivation or development, we need to take a step into how the land serves us and the species that call them home.
Grasslands are home to numerous bird species that need the wide-open spaces to mate, nest and raise their young. These birds have evolved to be selective for various grass heights. Some birds, such as the Thick-billed Longspur, may need very short, sparse grass heights and others, such as Sprague’s Pipit, do better in taller grass or alongside forbs. In order to achieve the variety of grass heights, we need large grazing animals. Historically, buffalo were the primary grazers, but now more often than not, cattle are filling that role. Other species at risk that call the grasslands home include Pronghorn, Swift Fox and many other birds, reptiles and insects. All of these species have evolved over time to need the large expanses of grasslands to forage for resources or migrate through the seasons. Much like the birds and animals that evolved here, many ranchers who steward the land long for the vast, seemingly endless horizon Someone else may mistakenly label the landscape as empty or desolate, overlooking the intricate and biodiverse features that grasslands provide.
Closer to the ground, the plant community is also teeming with life and diversity. Wolf Willow and Sage catching your eye with their silvery leaves, Needle and Thread grass dancing in the breeze and the clusters of white flowers from Yarrow are only a few plants commonly seen, however the rich diversity of grasses, forbs and shrubs all play a role in the landscape. The roots of native plants typically reach deep down into the soil where they can store and sequester significant amounts of carbon while stabilizing against erosion and improving water quality.
With cattle and other livestock serving as the primary grazers these days, the need to manage grasslands can be a delicate balance of resources for the land stewards and the wildlife that share the same area. Ranchers can look down and see the different grasses, the water levels of creeks and rivers and the condition of the animals and use knowledge acquired through the generations that came before them to recognize what the land and animals both need. Very few industries have to balance that kind of responsibility of animal welfare and land stewardship, making the tough decisions when needed to serve both.
The relationship between ranchers and grasslands is not only a business handshake for resource management, but a requirement if we want to protect the diminishing landscape. Resources and tools to help ranchers better manage their land or financial incentives to keep grasslands intact are needed due to increasing economic pressures. The goal of the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Foundation is to provide both, ultimately protecting the grasslands and the ranching communities that rely on them through accessible programs that provide real results on the ground.
Author: Mindy Hockley-Anderson