Ranchers Resist Cut In Grazing Fewer Cattle Allowed On Site In Colville National Forest

Washington cattle ranchers are avidly watching a patch of U.S. Forest Service land in Ferry County.

Though only 90 head of cattle now graze the 20,000-acre Tonata site in the Colville National Forest, what happens here may affect how ranchers can use public land for grazing statewide.

“We’re following it very closely,” said Mary Burke, president of the Washington Cattle Association. “When there’s new and different requirements, federal agencies tend to use those as a precedent.”

In the past, the Forest Service has allowed up to 400 head of cattle on the Tonata allotment. Currently, only one rancher has a permit for 90 head. The Forest Service proposes to keep it at that number and allow a gradual increase to as many as 348 cow/calf pairs only if improvements occur, such as new fencing and restoration of riparian areas.

The Stevens County Cattlemen’s Association appealed the Forest Service plan, saying the proposal for reduced cattle isn’t the best use of the land. The association prefers an alternative allowing for 500 cow/calf pairs to graze the land between June 1 and Oct. 25 each year.

“You can’t just assume that more cows is going to mean more damage,” said Tim Kunka, of the association. “We’ve got land management tools that can help that system.”

A response to the appeal is expected this week from the regional forester’s office in Oregon.

Kunka claimed the cattlemen’s association’s plan was the only one based on scientific range management data. Kunka has a range management degree and formerly worked for the Forest Service.

“Putting less cows out there doesn’t work,” he said. “The land won’t be easier to take care of. You’re still going to have impact areas. You’re still going to have the presence of livestock. The problem is not the cows, it’s the management.”

If managed correctly, more ranchers could use the land with less damage to natural resources, he said.

“Historically there has been a fairly high number of cattle on this particular allotment,” said Wayne Madson, agriculture and natural resource agent for the Stevens County Agricultural Extension office. He agrees that the number of cows shouldn’t be the main issue in deciding how to use the land. “If you have too few cattle, you can cause as much damage.”

But members of the Kettle Range Conservation Group disagree.

That’s why they appealed the first Forest Service decision in 1995 to continue grazing practices as they were.

“It has been our postulation since the beginning that more cows equal more resource damage,” said Tim Coleman, director of the 600-member group. “The ranchers have been saying there’s all this grass out there that’s available and they should be maximizing the utilization of that forage.”

But that tactic damages the riparian areas and endangers sensitive plants, Coleman said.

The conservation group’s appeal in 1995 was remanded back to the Forest Service, which responded by reducing the number of cattle.

“I agree there’s more forage than we’re putting cows out there to use,” said Michael Hampton, district ranger for the Republic Range District. “But we can’t keep those cows up out of the creek using the available grass. We have to use additional measures to protect the riparian area.”

Hampton made the decision to reduce the number of cattle on the Tonata allotment. “Nobody told me what to do,” he said. “I said ‘Here, let’s try this idea, it makes sense.”’ This time, Hampton thinks he got the mix of cattle and land right and that the regional forester will support the assessment. “We expect to be upheld in our decision.”

The current permit holder, Tom Beal, has no plans to increase the number of cattle he grazes on the allotment. “I’m just a small farmer and will probably continue along those lines,” he said.

But he can see why other ranchers are concerned about increasing the number of cows on the Tonata site and ensuring that other allotments are not reduced. “Without public grazing, it’s almost impossible for ranchers to exist here,” Beal said.

, DataTimes