The Cochrane premiere of the award-winning short documentary film "Guardians of the Grasslands" is being presented today (Feb. 20) at the RancheHouse Theatre, 101 RancheHouse Road.

The film will be shown at 10 a.m. in advance of the Stockmen's annual general meeting. and at 1:30 p.m.

Both presentations include a panel discussion. As well, Annabelle Ward, of the Cremona 4H Club, will be reiterating a speech included in the document about the benefits cows have on the environment.

A three-minute film on the Waldron Grazing Co-op will also be shown.

Each presentation will last about one hour.

Guardians of the Grasslands is a 13-minute documentary that focuses on the Waldron Grazing Co-op, explores the current state of the Great Plains grasslands, and the role that cattle play in its survival.

The film's promotion includes the catchline, "Sometimes what you thought was the problem is really the solution."

The panel will discuss the origins of the Waldron Grazing Co-op, the changing range management practices since its inception, and plans to protect the native grasslands, explains Scott Grattidge, executive director of the Stockmen's Memorial Foundation.

The panel is formed by Mike Roberts, manager of the Waldron, Clay Chattaway, a longtime director and past chairman of the Waldron Board of Directors, Bill Bateman, past owner of the King Ranch and current Waldron shareholder, and Doug Wray, rancher and forage advocate.

"The Stockmen's Memorial Foundation is always looking to talk about the history and recognize our ranching roots, so besides showing the film that focuses more on the grasslands, we also wanted to talk a bit about the past," says Grattidge.

"The beef industry has been getting a bit of a bad rap in the media lately, and this film definitely tells a different story of how they are the keystone species now that the buffalo are gone in helping preserve the grasslands along the Foothills."

Entry is by donation.

The Stockmen's Memorial Foundation is a nonprofit association that was founded by an act of the Alberta Legislative Assembly in 1980.