Conservation Northwest

Keeping the Northwest wild Fall 2014 11 Feature: Coast to Cascades survived the last Ice Age but is now disappearing. While we were in India, the government declared 17 percent of the subcontinent to be "wasteland," land that now fails to support both complex eco- systems and human agriculture. Aer the trip we marveled at how intact Cascadia is. Valerie said she had fantasies of buying a small plot of forest and hiring Massai warriors to defend it. Now that you've had a few months experience with Spray Creek, how do you feel about owning it? It has added several dimensions that we love to our lives. Texas Creek Road is home to fantastic neighbors who are rooted in the area and work- ing to foster a thriving community. ey have been incredibly generous with information and assistance. A recent Canadian Supreme Court decision threw open some questions about wa- ter rights, wild lands, and relations between lo- cal First Nations and other residents, which feels a bit daunting. But the questions are important ones, and we're all in for the journey. While protecting habitat for grizzly bears pro- vided the overarching conservation objective for acquiring Spray Creek, what thoughts or benefits come to mind when you think about the place now? We have found ourselves unexpectedly fasci- nated with food production. e cutting edge of agriculture is changing—from approaches that depend on constant petroleum inputs (fertilizers, heavy machinery, etc.) to approaches that mimic natural ecosystems, like leveraging layers of plants and animals to build soil fertility, and maximiz- ing sunlight capture to increase food production. If we want Spray Creek Ranch to inspire others, our model has to work for both humans and oth- er animals, which means it must be both ecologi- cally and economically sustainable. What obstacles did you have to overcome in your effort and deliberations before the purchase? From the get-go, Brian was clear that he didn't want to make the purchase unless we could find a land manager who shared our values and vision: someone eager to work with the B.C. endan- gered species specialists to protect the watershed while exploring a more diversified and sustain- able model of farming on the ranch itself. en we saw a friend at the Conservation Northwest auction who said, "I know the perfect couple for you!" She was right. Tristan and Aubyn Banwell are all-in when it comes to sustainable agriculture. eir pioneer spirit and cu- riosity make them great partners—and great company! In what ways has this purchase added value to your lives? How about your kids' lives? Every summer for more than 20 years, Valerie has spent a few days in August hiking with a group of women friends— all of whom love discovering new places and ways of life. is summer, the group hiked into Stein Provincial Park, next to the Texas Creek Watershed. en they basked in conversations with Tristan about rotational grazing ; with Vroni (a neighbor and Ph.D. student) about the effects of magnetic fields on honey bees; with Sue (another neighbor) about griz- zly bear habitat and genealogies; and with Eckert (another neighbor) about the ins and outs of starting a winery. Our daughters spent a week with us at Lillooet this summer and are in love with Tristan and Aubyn. ey also joke that they appreciate the fact that their somewhat over-focused writer mother can now talk about four subjects rather than just three: politics, religion, contra- ception, and cows. Are there ways—apart from protecting grizzly bear habitat—in which you think your action has added value to the land or local community? rough building the soil fertility and drought tolerance of Spray Creek Ranch, we hope to provide a model of sustainable agriculture that inspires oth- ers. We are deeply respectful of the local St'át'imc First Nation leaders who seek to safeguard not only the grizzly bears, but also native plants and other species that have been critical to their ancestral way of life. We look forward to collabo- rating with them. Thinking ahead 25 or 30 years, can you imagine what outcomes might give you great satisfaction in having had the experience of conservation ownership? ere are so many possibilities. If 25 years from now Spray Creek Ranch is a model of restoration agriculture, if Tristan and Aubyn have created a thriv- ing hub of food production in their community and are loving their lives, if grizzly moms are nursing cubs in Texas Creek, if mule deer are still grazing in the winter, and the feral apricots are still as sweet as they were this summer— what more could anyone ask from life?

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