Degraded rangelands in southeastern North Dakota are increasing in frequency. Specific problems associated with this case of rangeland degradation are a loss of biodiversity, increasing abundance of invasive species, reduced forage quantity and quality, loss of habitat, and increased risk of erosion. In order to address these problems, and restore rangelands to a healthy prairie ecosystem, an interseeding trial was designed to analyze a variety of pre-seeding treatments including control, burning, herbicide, seeding only, and a burn herbicide combination. 3 reps were used for each treatment in grazed and ungrazed plots. Clipping data was gathered in 2012 and 2013 using .25 m2 quadrats to sample 6 points/treatment/rep ultimately determining changes in production and biodiversity. Analysis of the 2012 clipping data showed significantly higher total production in the ungrazed seed, herbicide treatment than in the ungrazed seed only and ungrazed burn, seed treatments. Grazed seed, herbicide seedbed treatments showed significantly higher production than control and seed only treatments. The 2012 and 2013 results the will be used to provide rangeland technical assistance through media development and consultation with relevant land managers and ranchers. These efforts aim to restore and maintain the biological integrity and increase sustainable production of forages.
Oral presentation and poster titles, abstracts, and authors from the Society for Range Management (SRM) Annual Meetings and Tradeshows, from 2013 forward.