The effects of cattle grazing on post-fire recovery of herbaceous vegetation were evaluated during 3 growing seasons between 2003 and 2005 in the Northern Great Basin Experimental Range, 34.8 miles west of Burns, Oregon (4593 feet altitude). The experiment was conducted in 5, 12.6-ha blocks where 6 treatments were applied in 2.1-ha plots for each block. The plots were burned in late Sept – early Oct 2002, killing 90% of the Wyoming big sagebrush. The treatments were grazing the first 2 summers after fire (Summer 1), grazing the 2nd and 3rd summer after fire (Summer 2), grazing the 2nd and 3rd spring after fire (Spring 1), grazing the 3rd spring after fire (Spring 2), burn no grazing after fire, and unburned not grazed. Summer grazing treatments were applied in early August, and the spring grazing treatments in early to mid May. Vegetation measurements (canopy cover, density, number of species, standing crop, herbage yield, and perennial grass seed production) were taken 2 years pre-treatment and 4 years post-fire using 6 permanent 50m transects within each treatment. Annual herbaceous yield was determined by separating current year’s growth from standing crop for perennial grasses.
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