Feeding a Sustainable Toronto
This goes out to all of my fellow meat eaters out there, when was the last time you enjoyed a beef tartar, a beef hamburger, or a premium-grade steak dinner? As much as we enjoy the luxury of consuming delicious beef, I believe most of us aren’t aware of the instrumental impact cattle has on sustaining one of Canada’s most important ecosystems.
Fortunately, I recently had the opportunity to spend an evening with Beef Farmers of Ontario and Farm & Food Care Ontario to learn more about one of the most endangered ecosystems in Canada - the Canadian Great Plains grasslands - and the role of cattle in protecting it. Here are some of my takeaways from the evening:
1. Grasslands is one of the most diverse but at the same time delicate ecosystems. Sharing a fact I learned from the evening: “Canada’s grasslands are home to over 1000 specifies of animals and insects.” It is not only home to creatures such as the pronghorn, the swift ox, ferruginous hawk and greater sage-grouse, it also supports migratory birds passing through from the southeastern Alberta, according to the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
2. Most people (including me) don’t know grasslands is an endangered ecosystem. While coral reef and national rain forest are usually the topic of the mass media, not enough focus is being placed on grasslands and the catastrophic effects it could bring to our environment such as flooding, degradation, and decreased biodiversity.
3. Cattle, through grazing, sustain the grasslands and the species that call it home. Grass has so much more than what we are able to see above ground. Its underground body is a complex root system that nurtures the body and supports the land it grows on, such as building organic matter through CO2 recycling. Cows, and cattle in general, act as the keystone species to the topsoil element of the entire grasslands ecosystem. They allow the grass to regrow through grazing, an activity originally performed by bison to sustain the health of its landscape.
I also got a chance to attend the screening of a Ducks Unlimited Canada’s short-documentary - the Guardians of the Grasslands. From which I’ve learned a devastating fact: “74% of our Canadian grasslands are already gone.” Though it might be too late to go back from this number, we need to recognize and spread awareness about the importance of cattle as the preserver of this ecosystem before it’s completely gone. I also learned that our local farmers are extremely well-equipped with information and best-practices to this matter. So the next time you have any questions about this topic, don't hesitate to reach out to your local farmer!
All photos are taken by Huy Tran except for the final photo. Final photo's credit goes to Diego Romeo on Unsplash.
