The grasslands in one of the West’s oldest ranches will be preserved from development in perpetuity.
A conservation easement agreement by owners of the historic McIntyre Ranch in southern Alberta, the Nature Conservancy of Canada and Ducks Unlimited assures the 54,000 acres will remain grasslands.
The ranch is about one-third the size of Grasslands National Park in southern Saskatchewan.
The McIntyre Ranch was founded in 1894 when William H. McIntyre sought refuge from an influx of sheep into Utah.
The family had roots in Texas. When the father died and the mother married a Mormon called Moody they moved to Utah.
The move to Utah involved trailing 6,000 Longhorn cattle through Indian territory and surrendering some cattle every time they were stopped by bands.
Their greatest fear, according to a family history in a 1947 edition of the Canadian Cattleman, was stampedes by buffalo herds.
Moody moved the ranching operation to a location 35 miles south of Lethbridge at the foot of the Milk River Divide.
Having reviewed cattle ranches earlier in Alberta he chose to settle near the then tiny Mormon village of McGrath.
The first land, some 23,000 acres, was purchased from the Alberta Railway Land and Irrigation Company. The CPR-owned company was eager to bring new settlers onto what was an area unsettled by white people.
Two more parcels were added in later years.
Buying cattle from neighbouring Saskatchewan and Manitoba, they bought horses from Oregon.
The horses posed difficulties as Oregon horses were trained to go back home when not ridden.
The ranch operated in open range with no fences for years. Annual fall roundups in southern Alberta and into Montana isolated cattle from different herds.
Lethbridge was the nearest trading centre with infrequent trips to the city taking four or five days by wagon.
Cattle drives to sell animals took three days and three nights.
The McIntyres discovered coal on the ranch and developed a mine.
The last McIntyre died in 1947 and an employee, RalphThrall, bought the ranch in 1948.
The ranch is now operated by Ralph Thrall III and three siblings.
The Thrall family has been interested in preserving the grasslands by an easement for 30 years. Conservation programs have been practiced by them. They could run more than the current 3,000 cow herd, preferring to rest the grass and maintain wildlife.
The ranch is habitat for 130 species of birds, some rare and endangered, as well as over 300 plant species, some rare and uncommon. Deer, elk, antelope, coyotes and grizzly bear are among the mammal populations.
The ranch adds to the Nature Conservancy preserves like the 13,000-acre Old Man On His Back ranch south of Swift Current.
Ron Walter can be reached at [email protected].
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
Ron Walter can be reached at [email protected].
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
