Athens area farm couple honoured for their environmental stewardship
Posted Mar 11, 2010 By Roy Lewis
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EMC News - For their efforts in protecting part of a major watershed in central Leeds County over the last decade, an Athens area farm couple has received a prestigious environmental award.
Roy Lewis, St. Lawrence EMC
EFFORTS REWARDED: Charlie and Kim Sytsma are shown beside cows and their newborn calves on their beef farm near Athens where they have carried out extensive environmental protection work resulting in the couple receiving the Ontario Cattlemen's Association's Environmental Stewardship Award.
Charlie and Kim Sytsma of Eighth Line Farm are recipients of the Ontario Cattlemen's Association's Environmental Stewardship Award, which recognizes outstanding environmental stewardship of Ontario cattle producers, especially those who have taken innovative approaches to environmentally sustainable cattle production. They were presented with the honour on Feb. 24 at the 2010 Ontario Cattlemen's Association Annual General Meeting in Toronto by Sheila Smart of RBC Royal Bank, which sponsors the award along with the cattlemen's association.
"We are very honoured that they selected us for the award considering that there are 18,000 beef farmers in Ontario," said Kim Sytsma.
The Sytsmas have been raising beef cattle for the past 30 years. They have an 800-acre farm on the Eighth Line Road southeast of the village of Athens near the settlement of Glen Elbe. They also rent about 700 acres of land in several locations nearby. At certain times of the year, the operation supports upwards of 500 animals consisting of 220 cows, their offspring, 10 bulls and young cattle, which are raised to about a weight of 1,000 lb. before being shipped to other farms where they are raised to a market weight.
Kim Sytsma, who just retired after serving 15 years as a director of the Ontario Cattlemen's Association, has been well aware of the organization's effort to make farmers environmentally responsible in raising their cattle but at the same time make operations cost effective.
Ten years ago, the Sytsmas started on their environmental improvement program. The main issue for them was separating their cattle from the Elbe Creek watershed but at the same time providing water for the animals. The Elbe Creek drains lands in the eastern section of Athens Township into Wiltsie Lake and finally into Charleston Lake, the largest lake in Leeds and Grenville.
A major part of the environmental effort involved fencing both sides of the Elbe Creek where it is exposed to land where cattle are pastured. The cattle would drink water from the creek but their feces would pollute the stream.
To prevent cattle from entering the watercourse, the Sytsmas fenced both sides of the creek. In total, they have erected about four kilometres of fencing. The government will fund 25 per cent of such projects but the remaining 75 per cent of the cost has to be covered by the farmer. For that reason, the Sytsmas have been carrying out the project in stages.
As they blocked the cattle from entering the water, they also have had to develop alternate ways to water the animals. To do so, they created dugouts or depressions in fields where the cattle were being pastured. One dugout fills naturally with groundwater and rainwater but they had to create four other dugouts in other pastures. These dugouts are filled from the Elbe Creek using an automatic system of solar-powered pumps.
When cattle approach a particular dugout, an electronic sensor starts the pump, which fills a cattle bowl from which the animals can drink.
"It keeps the cattle from drinking out of the dugouts, which would become polluted from their waste and so the systems are healthier for the animals," said Kim Sytsma.
The dugouts and pumps have also allowed the Sytsmas to keep marginal pastureland in production and, in a related project, Charlie Sytsma rebuilt an old bridge which allows cattle to move across, rather than through, the Elbe Creek to gain access to other pastures.
Grateful
The Sytsmas are grateful to Martin Streit co-ordinator of the Leeds County Stewardship Council, who nominated them for the award with support from the Charleston Lake Association and the Township of Athens.
"Charlie and Kim have worked long and hard with the Leeds County Stewardship Council to restore the portions of the Elbe Creek, which runs through their farms," said Streit.
"They have influenced the improvement of the environmental practices of many farmers through their own actions, hosting tours, giving presentations and word of mouth," he said.
"Moreover, they have influenced many other farmers to participate in similar projects, resulting in a vast improvement in the condition of Elbe Creek," Streit added.
'SHINING EXAMPLES'
"Kim and Charlie Sytsma are shining examples of how, through co-operative efforts, real, meaningful environmental improvements can be implemented," said Bill Hallam, president of the Charleston Lake Association.
"The Charleston Lake Association has recognized that in order to keep Charleston Lake healthy, a number of steps had to be taken," said Hallam.
To carry out those steps, the Charleston Lake Management Plan, one of the first in Ontario, was developed. The Sytsmas were one of the first area farmers to get involved in what the Charleston Lake Association referred to as the Stream Rehabilitation Program.
"They are outspoken supporters of this program and have hosted many organizations, including the Charleston Lake Association to demonstrate what can be accomplished through co-operative measures," said Hallam.
"With a strong dedication to protecting the environment, Kim and Charlie have set the example for other agriculture owners to follow to improve the way that farming practices are carried out on private land in order to improve the beef cattle operation to be more cost efficient," wrote John Conley, mayor of the Township of Athens in his letter of support for the award nomination.
"They are a hard-working couple who love their animals and are willing to invest in new practices to help our environment and improve their beef cattle industry," added Conley.
The Sytsmas will go on to represent Ontario at the National Environmental Stewardship Award competition to be held the week of Aug. 8 in Calgary, Alberta.
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