Spring 2018 NCC Magazine

Spanning the lush, vibrant grasslands of Alberta’s southern
foothills, the Palmer Ranch is a place deeply rich in history,
with family connections to the land tightly intertwined with
the practice of ranching. It’s a place where cows graze on grassy
ridges neighbouring Canada’s Rocky Mountains, which tower
majestically in the background. The area still harbours wildlife
species, including large carnivores, that once existed throughout
the Northern Great Plains.
JULIA PALMER.
In 1999, co-owners Scott and Tom Palmer approached the Nature
Conservancy of Canada (NCC) with the idea of building a lasting legacy
on this land. It was NCC’s first large conservation agreement on the
boundary of Waterton Lakes National Park. The project planted the
seed for other collaborations between NCC and ranchers in the area.
Scott’s daughter Julia is keen to continue her family’s legacy by
taking the reins as the manager of Palmer Ranch. Read our interview
with Scott and his eldest daughter, Julia, below.
NCC: Scott, why was it important for you to teach Julia about ranching
and the rancher’s life?
SP: “She came naturally to it. I wasn’t specifically teaching her things;
she was just picking up on it. She had lots of exposure to different ways
of approaching ranching, too.”
JP: “One thing that was really special about growing up with my parents
was that I never had to be a rancher. If I wanted to explore something
else, I could. I just happened to love ranching, so mom and dad made a
point of including me on so many different adventures. I wasn’t always
helpful, and in fact may have slowed down the process, but I never felt
like I was a hindrance. I had something to offer, and I could be part of
the ranch. In ranching, you have this tie to a place that you watch, grow
and change with. You can start to see your influence on it and also how
it shapes you.”
You have this tie to a place that
you watch, grow and change with.
You can start to see your influence
on it and also how it shapes you.
NCC: How have NCC’s conservation efforts on Palmer Ranch influenced
your family’s ranching practices?
SP: “NCC has been really important to us, ranching-wise. It’s given us
a really nice base of grass to produce some grass-fed cattle — the way
it used to be done [by ranchers in the past].”
JP: “It’s been really exciting to have an organization like NCC to partner
with, and it’s been great tapping into the knowledge network NCC has,
such as rangeland health experts in the area. NCC has also been really
open to our suggestions too, allowing us to work collaboratively on
improving and enhancing this property.
Palmer Ranch is a strong example of what can happen
when ranchers and conservationists work together.
“While we’ve absolutely made some
mistakes at times, we’re recognizing and
making the changes by using new strategies
— that’s where NCC has been really important
for us. Working with NCC, we’ve been able to
develop off-site watering systems and change
our grazing patterns by using electric fencing.”
NCC: Julia, why is it important to you to continue
your family’s legacy on Palmer Ranch?
JP: “I love this place. If I could do one thing in
my lifetime well, I want to leave it either intact
or better than it was before. I want to contribute
to a place, a landscape, that has meant more to
me than I could ever put into words.
“Ranching allows me to live here, and I really
hope it is what I’m able to do for the rest of my
life. I don’t have a family at the moment — my
husband grew up on a sheep farm in Scotland
and has a love of farming and agriculture as
well — but we’re hoping to have kids. Perhaps
they won’t want to be ranchers, but I hope they
will always have an appreciation for nature
and for the ranch.”1
To read more about the history of Palmer
Ranch and more from Julia and Scott, visit
natureconservancy.ca/palmerranch.
natureconservancy.ca
SPRING 2018 17