Monitoring of rangeland grazing is crucial for its conservation, sustainability and ecosystem functions. The Jicarilla Apache Nation in Northern New Mexico has 879,661 acres, primarily rangelands for cattle, sheep, horse and wild life grazing. The primary objective of this study is to assess and compare forage utilization data collected in 2010 and 2017. Moderate levels of grazing intensity are correlated with soil stability, forage production, wildlife habitat, and diversity of native plants. Heights of ungrazed and grazed range forage species were measured to determine average utilization percentage. Cages were established in each of the 120 range units to determine ungrazed height. Grazed forage height data, 20 replications spaced 10 meter apart, along a transact were converted to percent of weight utilized by means of Utilization Gauge, which was developed from height-weight relationship curves. Forage utilization percentage data for 120 range units, three range use types, and 10 forage species were analyzed using GLM procedure in SAS. Results indicated that average forage utilization percentage ranged from 9 to 64 on summer ranges, 7 to 48 on winter ranges and 4 to 62 on continuous (year round use) ranges. Range units with Crested Wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum), Blue Grama (Bouteloua gracilis) and Western Wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) were heavily utilized (> 50%) and have major soil erosion implications. Average utilization percentage ranged from 21 to 58 for crested wheatgrass, 9 to 63 for Blue Grama and 5 to 62 for Western Wheatgrass. Other grasses such as Squirrel tail (Elymus elymoides), Galleta (Pleuraphis jamesii), and Alkali Sacaton (Sporobolus airoides) were utilized only 11 to 28%. Regression models to calculate optimum animal unit months were developed.
Oral presentation and poster titles, abstracts, and authors from the Society for Range Management (SRM) Annual Meetings and Tradeshows, from 2013 forward.