Alternative land use demands on rangelands are increasing as suburban expansion and energy development continue to rise.� Land managers, owners, ranchers, and future energy developers need to work together to preserve rangeland production and the native species that rely on this habitat.� Topaz Solar Farms, located on the Carrizo Plain in California exemplifies a successful partnership between agriculture, habitat conservation, and energy production. �This 4,700-acre, 550-megawatt passive photo-voltaic solar farm is currently one of the largest solar projects in the world.� Construction practices minimize environmental impacts while preserving natural resources, endangered species habitat, and existing agricultural land uses. Monitoring studies found that native plant species occur more frequently in array fields than on reference sites. �Average vegetation height is significantly greater in arrays compared with control sites. �In 2017, grazing within 3348 acres of fenced arrays supported over 4000 head of sheep while aiding in habitat management for endangered species, invasive weed control, and fire fuel reduction.� Monitoring tracks the federally listed San Joaquin kit fox, and state protected American badger within completed solar array fields.� Site design preserves pronghorn antelope and other animal movement corridors.� Topaz Solar Farms is an example for future energy projects of how collaboration between agencies, ranchers, conservationists, and developers can combine sustainable energy production, rangeland conservation, and rare species protection.
Oral presentation and poster titles, abstracts, and authors from the Society for Range Management (SRM) Annual Meetings and Tradeshows, from 2013 forward.