Ranchers know that well-managed grazing, of appropriate duration and
intensity, benefits the range ecosystem. It now appears that some city
managers are catching on to the concept.
An article and video from Fox31 in Denver this week outlines how the city of
Boulder has contracted with a producer to graze his herd of goats on city
natural areas as a means of controlling weeds. My own town of Fort Collins,
Colo., has experimented with a similar program using sheep, but on a scale
too small to make a difference.
Across the Western states, we see a growing number of city or county-owned
properties, some quite large, managed as "natural areas," which typically
exclude grazing. The idea is to preserve these areas, many of which are
prairie or rangeland ecosystems, in their natural state. The strategy,
however, overlooks the fact that large herds of grazing animals historically
visited these areas, and their activities helped create and maintain the
ecosystem in terms of plant diversity and soil health. Take the animals out
of the picture and eventually the rangeland declines, overrun by weeds and
woody plants.
Fire, of course, is another natural event that helped mold the prairie
landscape. Prescribed burns would be useful on these natural areas, but as
many are adjacent to suburban development, that option is problematic. So,
bring in the ruminants.
I live adjacent to one of these natural areas, which includes 800-some acres
of grassland extending into the Rocky Mountain foothills to the west. Since
the city acquired the land, they have employed a number of management
techniques to restore it to a natural state, without, as far as I can tell,
much success. They have tilled portions of it several times, and planted
winter wheat with the idea that the annual cover crop would crowd out
non-native weeds. Then they followed by seeding native grasses. They've
mowed, sprayed and sawed down brushy plants, but the weeds keep coming back.
Two of the most prominent weeds, virtually covering the area at this time of
year, are field bindweed and yellow sweet clover, which make fairly
nutritious forage for ruminants. So I'm hoping the idea of using livestock
as a range-management tool catches on. I'd love to see a herd of yearling
cattle move through our local natural area in an intensive, rotational
grazing system. Especially in years when forage supplies are tight, I
suspect the city could find a rancher willing to bring in the cattle,
install electric fencing and manage the grazing program for a few weeks just
for the access to feed. As with all city-government decisions, liability is,
I suppose, an issue, and probably would exclude cattle in suburban areas.
They're big, and can pose a hazard if they escape the fence and get out on
the roads. So I suppose sheep or goats would do.
Overall, though, I'm just glad to see a few people outside the livestock
community catching on to the idea that managed grazing benefits the
environment, whether it's on private land, National Forests or suburban
natural areas.
Fuente: Dovers
intensity, benefits the range ecosystem. It now appears that some city
managers are catching on to the concept.
An article and video from Fox31 in Denver this week outlines how the city of
Boulder has contracted with a producer to graze his herd of goats on city
natural areas as a means of controlling weeds. My own town of Fort Collins,
Colo., has experimented with a similar program using sheep, but on a scale
too small to make a difference.
Across the Western states, we see a growing number of city or county-owned
properties, some quite large, managed as "natural areas," which typically
exclude grazing. The idea is to preserve these areas, many of which are
prairie or rangeland ecosystems, in their natural state. The strategy,
however, overlooks the fact that large herds of grazing animals historically
visited these areas, and their activities helped create and maintain the
ecosystem in terms of plant diversity and soil health. Take the animals out
of the picture and eventually the rangeland declines, overrun by weeds and
woody plants.
Fire, of course, is another natural event that helped mold the prairie
landscape. Prescribed burns would be useful on these natural areas, but as
many are adjacent to suburban development, that option is problematic. So,
bring in the ruminants.
I live adjacent to one of these natural areas, which includes 800-some acres
of grassland extending into the Rocky Mountain foothills to the west. Since
the city acquired the land, they have employed a number of management
techniques to restore it to a natural state, without, as far as I can tell,
much success. They have tilled portions of it several times, and planted
winter wheat with the idea that the annual cover crop would crowd out
non-native weeds. Then they followed by seeding native grasses. They've
mowed, sprayed and sawed down brushy plants, but the weeds keep coming back.
Two of the most prominent weeds, virtually covering the area at this time of
year, are field bindweed and yellow sweet clover, which make fairly
nutritious forage for ruminants. So I'm hoping the idea of using livestock
as a range-management tool catches on. I'd love to see a herd of yearling
cattle move through our local natural area in an intensive, rotational
grazing system. Especially in years when forage supplies are tight, I
suspect the city could find a rancher willing to bring in the cattle,
install electric fencing and manage the grazing program for a few weeks just
for the access to feed. As with all city-government decisions, liability is,
I suppose, an issue, and probably would exclude cattle in suburban areas.
They're big, and can pose a hazard if they escape the fence and get out on
the roads. So I suppose sheep or goats would do.
Overall, though, I'm just glad to see a few people outside the livestock
community catching on to the idea that managed grazing benefits the
environment, whether it's on private land, National Forests or suburban
natural areas.
Fuente: Dovers
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