In 2009, Punchaw Cattlemen received a $47,000 grant from Northern Development through the Community Adjustment Fund program towards this $96,950 project. This has been a funding partnership of Punchaw Cattlemen's Association, Northern Development, Community Adjustment Fund, and Province of British Columbia
2012-In July 2009 the Punchaw Cattlemen’s Association received funding that allowed them to construct 10,000 metres of fence line. This fence line, in conjunction with two cattle guards will protect the cattle from a nearby busy logging road which serves as a main access to several recreation sites. The fence will serve the primary purpose of enhancing the distribution pattern of cattle during summer grazing and result in improved management of the wildlife habitat and protection of all fish bearing streams. In addition to this, the fence encourages the livestock to spread out over the area to allow new tree plantations to grow to a free-standing stage with less damage being caused. It is also designed to promote the livestock to spread out and graze the uplands of the Chilako River. The cattleguards were installed to keep the herds from drifting down the public roads and also to keep them from mingling.
"Good fences make good neighbours, the cattle guards have solved what issues we had with the roads, this projects completion has made our operations run much smoother."
Charles Poole, President of the Cattlemen's AssociationThe building of the new fence line employed nine people in various capacities over the four months that the project ran with five of those people employed full time for a three month period. Four people were trained on fence building which may assist them in securing work in the future. The fence line and cattle guards represent key infrastructure improvements to the ranchland in the area surrounding Prince George and Vanderhoof. The new infrastructure facilitates more sustainable use of the land that will allow the grazing land to be used more efficiently with less danger of erosion and degradation to the land and also to the cattle themselves. This move towards a more sustainable cattle industry ensures that cattle raising will continue to be an important and viable aspect of the regional economy in the near future and for generations to come.