Chinook Ranch Ltd.

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Welcome to Chinook Ranch Ltd!

We are a family run cow/calf/yearling operation located southwest of Longview, Alberta.

Chinook Ranch was originally purchased by James Allen Hughes in 1946. James Hughes Sr. emigrated from Herefordshire, England in 1928. He was the first generation to farm Chinook Ranch.

Then in 1970 James C. Hughes Jr., the second generation, took over managing the ranch.

Today, Stephen & Velva Dawn Hughes, are the third generation to proudly manage the operations of Chinook Ranch, accompanied by their daughters: Kayla, Josie and Erin.

They currently run over 500 head of Angus based cattle over the slopes of the ranch.

The unique natural advantage afforded to Chinook Ranch is in the name- mother nature gently blows the snow off of the grasslands allowing the cattle to graze year round with low levels of protein supplementation depending on the age class of the animal.

The water source originates from underground springs and aquifers using solar panels to pump the water into the man- made troughs (we recycle large used tires from mining trucks from Sparwood). Any surface water is utilized carefully according to sound riparian management principles.

Chinook Ranch is a very eco-friendly business. Some of the ways that we are contributing to the Green Factor are by using solar powered water pumps to supply the cattle with fresh water, we don't use herbicides to control unwanted plants- we control them by mowing them, we have planted the previous farmland back into its natural grassland state, we recycle all of the materials that we can, and are continually looking for environmentally friendly ways to run our production more efficiently.

Family Preserves Chinook Ranch

Calgary Herald Article June 25, 2011

Stephen, Velva Dawn, Josie, Erin Hughes & Jim Hughes & Karen Davidson

On top of the steep, rolling green hills which weave through his 2,000-hectare ranch, Stephen Hughes looks south, and likes what he sees.The snow-capped Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains rise majestically toward the sky.Endless tall grass darkens as it dances in the wind. Mule deer and moose mull about, spectacles of natural beauty for his three daughters to admire.But when the 43-year-old, third-generation rancher turns his head to the north, the trouble begins.There are houses on the horizon.What Hughes is witnessing worries him: the urban sprawl to the northeast, signalling a threat to the landscape, wildlife, and his family's way."It's depressing," said Hughes, wearing a purple checkered shirt and a white Resistol cowboy hat."My grandfather's goal -he didn't put this place here for us to sell it off, piece by piece."And so, Hughes decided to protect his land -even if it meant losing out on millions.On Friday, the Nature Conservancy of Canada announced a conservation easement with the Chinook Ranch in the Bow Natural Area of Alberta, built on land owned by the Hughes family since 1946.

It is here where Hughes's father, Jim, was also raised.In exchange for relinquishing the right to development -an endeavour potentially worth tens of millions of dollars -the Hughes family ensures that some 1,050 hectares of the ranch's land will be preserved by the NCC, a national, nonprofit organization.

Hughes and his wife, Velva-Dawn, said they agreed to the easement because even though they had some financial hardships stemming from rising ranching costs and the mad cow disease outbreak in 2003, they couldn't bear the thought of losing their property to subdivisions and oil rigs.The couple said they wanted to protect their land primarily for their daughters: seven-year-old Erin, 11-year-old Josie, and 14-yearold Kayla."For my girls, who are starting to grasp what we're doing, I think it makes their decisions down the road easier," said Hughes, who ranches cattle with year-round grazing."It's a better legacy to leave behind than a bigger bank account."

Bob Demulder, vice-president of the Alberta region of the NCC, said the relationship is best defined as a partnership because the Hughes family still controls their own land.Over the past decade, through easements and land ownership, the organization has served to conserve over 70,000 hectares in Alberta."You do need to maintain some of the wild spaces for broader conservation values," said Demulder."

Gifts to Canadians Award

“Conserving this place is aligned with the special connection each of us has to this land.” ~ Stephen Hughes, landowner and NCC donor

The conservation of properties like Chinook Ranch doesn’t happen without the commitment of ranchers like Stephen Hughes, his wife Velva Dawn and his father, James Hughes. The Hughes family established their home here in 1950. Three generations of Hughes now live on Chinook Ranch. All of them have a deep love and connection to the land.This gem of a property has been conserved because of the strong values that the Hughes family have for the land. “Ensuring that this land remains in its current natural state is something that matters to us. This was more than just a business decision, conserving this place is aligned with the special connection each of us has to this land,” notes Stephen.

Chinook Ranch is nearly 5,000 acres (2,000 hectares). Much of it was conserved under a conservation easement with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) at the end of December 2010. This significant conservation project was comprised of both an easement (made possible through the support of the Government of Canada’s Natural Areas Conservation Program) and the donation of an easement by the Hughes family, with the generous financial support of other supporters, including Ross Mackenzie, Neil Silver and others.Combined, the Hughes family has donated $2.69 million in both easement value and financial support towards this project.

Neil Silver donor to Stewardship Foundation NCC Chinook Ranch

The overall conservation project is valued at over $4.5 million.The Hughes family’s commitment to conservation extends to how they carefully steward their lands: the property has been managed using skin-grazing techniques in the growing season (leaving cattle to graze a maximum of two to five days in an area) to not only prevent overgrazing, but also to control the spread of invasive species into native habitats. In addition, the property is primarily grazed in the dormant season. These strategies help protect the ecological integrity and sustainability of the property’s native plant communities.These native plant communities are vital components of the web of life. Moose, White-tailed Deer, Mule Deer, Cougars, Black and Grizzly Bears are regularly seen on the property, not to mention a wide variety of birds, squirrels and other wildlife.

Jim & Barb, Stephen & Velva Dawn Hughes were the proud recipients of the 2003 Environmental Stewardship Award from the Alberta Beef Producers. The Hughes family's priority is to strive to balance the natural habitat of the range to coexist with the cattle.

Stephen Hughes is actively involved in the Prairie Heritage Beef Group. This group is eco-committed and is about long term visions and the sustainable management of land and water resources.

It is about maintaining family values and generating fair returns for agriculture.

It is about multi-generational ranches that have pride and honor in producing beef that you can trust and savor.

What makes Prairie Heritage Beef special?

The way plants, animals, and people relate is crucial to the health and wellness of the world we all share.

A part of our commitment to ranching is harmony and balance with nature, we have chosen to raise beef

"the old fashioned way"

• no artificial growth hormones •

• no antibiotics •

• no animal by-products