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THE NEED FOR GRAZING FINE FUELS AFTER WET PERIODS.
Author
Swanson, Sherman R.
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
2017
Body

Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) is a highly flammable invasive winter annual. Mega fires create homogenous vegetation that fails to provide habitat for sage-grouse and other wildlife. Resistance and resilience of sagebrush rangelands depend on proactive fire and fuels management. Appropriate livestock grazing for fuels management was elevated by Interior Secretarial Order 3335. Variation in weather creates excess fine fuel in wet years. �Many tools enable harvest of fine fuel with grazing before fire. Big fire years come after one or more very wet years. This lag time provides a window for fall grazing to consume residual fuels. Grazing during summer-winter dormancy greatly reduces risks to perennial plants needed for rangeland resistance and resilience. With strong management, grazing can be a tool for good rather than simply a land use to be restricted for less bad. Some tools and strategies could include: Focused grazing in fuel breaks; Stockmanship; Herded sheep; Protein supplements in a line; Water hauled to troughs placed in a line; Electric fences or permanent fencing; Grazing some pastures more intensely so fires burn only other smaller areas; Growing season grazing with care for perennials by following the green up the mountain; Dormant season grazing when perennials are less vulnerable; Rotating off pastures in spring when cheatgrass becomes less palatable than green perennials. Sources of AUMs/livestock include: Using existing AUMs in targeted grazing; Temporary nonrenewable (TNR) grazing AUMs preapproved with forage production criteria; Stewardship contracting; Retaining calves after weaning; Purchasing stockers and supplementing with protein to increase energy (dry grass) consumption; �Retaining cull cows until spring when prices are higher. Recent drought environmental assessments have missed the mark, planning for climate variability and including the fire problem that is more consequential than drought. Finding durable solutions requires cooperation among diverse stakeholders. Collaboration will improve decisions, relationships, communities and habitats.

Language
English
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Conference Name
SRM St. George, UT
Collection
SRM Annual Meeting Abstracts