East Kootenay Rocky Mountain Trench
The Land Conservancy’s Kootenay Region is found in the south-east corner of B.C. and covers East, Central and Boundary Kootenay Regional Districts. This is a mountainous area interspersed by major rivers, long narrow lakes, and valleys. Wildlife ranges from Grizzly Bears, lynx, wolves and elk to Yellow Rails, trout, and Northern Leopard Frogs.
The Kootenays contain 8% of B.C. land zoned as Agricultural Land Reserve. Dam construction in the 1960’s led to flooding of much of the Columbia Basin’s prime agriculture land and wildlife habitat. Despite this loss, between 1986 and 2006 the amount of land farmed in the Kootenays increased by 31,077 hectares.
Most agriculture in the Kootenays focuses on beef and field crops (e.g. hay), with only a minor number of farms producing fruit, vegetables, or berries. In 2002, the Boundary Economic Development Commission identified ranching expansion, turkeys, goats for dairy and artisan cheeses as viable enterprises for the area.
The Kootenays are home to interesting initiatives such as the Kootenay Grain Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) project. This is the first grain CSA in B.C., and is helping create a secure and sustainable grain supply for the area.
In the Kootenays, farming and ranching share land with grasslands, forests, wetlands, and rivers that provide habitat for a wide variety of plants and animals (e.g. East Kootenay Trench). B.C. grasslands are a scarce and fragile ecosystem, home to nearly one-third of B.C.’s endangered species (e.g. American Badger). Farmers and ranchers work with organizations like the East Kootenay Conservation Program and the Grassland Conservation Council to undertake activities such as managed grazing, water conservations and habitat protection.
TLC Conservation Partners in the Kootenays work with the local ecosystems to support themselves while respecting their environment.
TLC Conservation Partners – Kootenay Region
Other Resources
To find a farmers’ market in the Kootenays, visit the B.C. Association of Farmers’ Markets
Indigenous peoples have long made use of the natural abundance in the Kootenays. For more information, visit the B.C. Indigenous Food Systems Network
