Rangeland Management and Conservation
Post by Clemson Montana Summer Program student Melissa Ferral
To wrap up the third and final week of the Montana Prairie Ecology class, the topic of rangeland management was explored in depth along with its role in the Montana ranching communities. The management of the rangeland involves many different factors and variables that will not only affect the land and grasses but also the health of the cattle on that land. This week, the nutrition and health of cattle was evaluated along with how to put together a comprehensive ration formula plan, which allows for a more organized and efficient nutrition spread for the cattle. Another important aspect of a cattles' health is grass and many ranchers rely upon the seasonal grasses to feed their cattle for most of the year; this is what makes a grazing plan so vital.
Within a grazing plan the main factor is, of course, the grasses that inhabit the land but there is much more to consider that can drastically aid not only the health of the land but also the future of a ranch. There are several different types of grazing strategies with one of the main ones being continuous grazing in which the cattle will be grazed continuously, but this can lead to several problems such as overgrazing. The introduction of a grazing plan will aid in putting an end to overgrazing and everything that goes along with lack of proper management. The main component of the plan that we did in class involved comparing various forms of rotational grazing and their respective advantages and disadvantages, such as simple rotational versus intensive rotational. Regardless of whether one chooses a simple or more complex plan, the true value of each plan shines through in the form of grass health; in one of the examples we did, the standard grazing time was four days with a rest time of twenty days for regrowth. Some situations will vary, however, due to factors such as amount of cattle, age of cattle, weather, condition of land, etc…
In cases such as these, the amount of time or grass given to the animals will have to be altered in order to satisfy the requirements of the animal. This sentiment also extends to supplements, which may be provided to animals if they are lacking any certain minerals or vitamins. The process of making these nutrition and grazing plans taught me much about the relationship between the native grasses and cattle and just how much work goes into these animals. Despite the learning curve and the work, these methods of management definitely have their rewards, allowing for healthy grass and sustainability of the land for future use. I believe that every rancher or anyone looking to involve themselves in any sort of ranching operations can benefit in some way from this knowledge.
Also in regard to useful knowledge that benefits both land and wildlife is that of fires, more specifically controlled burns. The issue of wildfires has been a hot button topic in Montana due to their severity and catastrophic effects. The intensity and speed of these fires has led to a negative stigma surrounding them and the State of Montana has invested millions of dollars into the suppression of any type of fire. This, however, is a problem as fire is a vital part of regrowth and many species of plants are adapted to fire. Jeff Hermanns is a Montana DNRC forester who explained the complex issue of fire and why it is so difficult to begin controlled burns. Controlled burns are a type of management technique to aid in regrowth of a successional ecosystem. The problem in Montana, Hermanns explained, is the lack of management plan has led to a build-up of detritus and debris that acts as fuel for fires; add this to the fact that there hasn’t been any sort of attempt at controlled burns in at least 50 years and it can lead to a horrific natural disaster that destroys not only the landscape for years to come but also people’s livelihoods. When speaking with Jeff Hermanns, we were able to witness the after effects of Hall Creek wildfire which occurred about 30 years ago and the land is still recovering. The land where the fire burned had no trees and was almost bare save for the grasses attempting to establish their roots which had been growing for years before the fire. The burn also destroyed people’s properties, completely robbing them of any shelter, comfort or home they once had.
Controlled burns are useful, true, but there are other ways to manage the fires without pure suppression. One such example would be to thin out trees so that the fire may not be likely to spread. Two of the most common trees in this area of Montana are the ponderosa pine and juniper trees, one of which has evolved to become resilient to fire while the other is incredibly flammable. Juniper trees are flammable, much more so than their pine neighbors, and by thinning a stand of juniper trees, one is able to stagger a wildfire and perhaps wrangle it under control. A perfect real-world example of this is the 2012 Doll fire which occurred near Roundup and was able to be stopped due to the thinning of the forest, which robbed the fire of any fuel.
The implications of these management techniques could benefit not only wildlife and the natural landscape, but also the ranchers that live off the land. By focusing on sustainability in rangelands, the cattle and every subsequent future generation will benefit from the management plans. By understanding the relationship between livestock’s nutritional requirements and the rest period for grasslands, a more comprehensive plan can be formulated. The path now concerns educating and spreading this information of grazing plans so that it becomes common knowledge; however, if it is used or not depends upon each individual rancher. The topic of controlled burns should also be handled carefully not only in regard to planning burns but also when speaking to the public. The techniques of natural resource management are constantly in motion and the prospects are always growing; the real question comes in the form of how they will shape the future of ranching on the prairie.
Within a grazing plan the main factor is, of course, the grasses that inhabit the land but there is much more to consider that can drastically aid not only the health of the land but also the future of a ranch. There are several different types of grazing strategies with one of the main ones being continuous grazing in which the cattle will be grazed continuously, but this can lead to several problems such as overgrazing. The introduction of a grazing plan will aid in putting an end to overgrazing and everything that goes along with lack of proper management. The main component of the plan that we did in class involved comparing various forms of rotational grazing and their respective advantages and disadvantages, such as simple rotational versus intensive rotational. Regardless of whether one chooses a simple or more complex plan, the true value of each plan shines through in the form of grass health; in one of the examples we did, the standard grazing time was four days with a rest time of twenty days for regrowth. Some situations will vary, however, due to factors such as amount of cattle, age of cattle, weather, condition of land, etc…
In cases such as these, the amount of time or grass given to the animals will have to be altered in order to satisfy the requirements of the animal. This sentiment also extends to supplements, which may be provided to animals if they are lacking any certain minerals or vitamins. The process of making these nutrition and grazing plans taught me much about the relationship between the native grasses and cattle and just how much work goes into these animals. Despite the learning curve and the work, these methods of management definitely have their rewards, allowing for healthy grass and sustainability of the land for future use. I believe that every rancher or anyone looking to involve themselves in any sort of ranching operations can benefit in some way from this knowledge.
Also in regard to useful knowledge that benefits both land and wildlife is that of fires, more specifically controlled burns. The issue of wildfires has been a hot button topic in Montana due to their severity and catastrophic effects. The intensity and speed of these fires has led to a negative stigma surrounding them and the State of Montana has invested millions of dollars into the suppression of any type of fire. This, however, is a problem as fire is a vital part of regrowth and many species of plants are adapted to fire. Jeff Hermanns is a Montana DNRC forester who explained the complex issue of fire and why it is so difficult to begin controlled burns. Controlled burns are a type of management technique to aid in regrowth of a successional ecosystem. The problem in Montana, Hermanns explained, is the lack of management plan has led to a build-up of detritus and debris that acts as fuel for fires; add this to the fact that there hasn’t been any sort of attempt at controlled burns in at least 50 years and it can lead to a horrific natural disaster that destroys not only the landscape for years to come but also people’s livelihoods. When speaking with Jeff Hermanns, we were able to witness the after effects of Hall Creek wildfire which occurred about 30 years ago and the land is still recovering. The land where the fire burned had no trees and was almost bare save for the grasses attempting to establish their roots which had been growing for years before the fire. The burn also destroyed people’s properties, completely robbing them of any shelter, comfort or home they once had.Controlled burns are useful, true, but there are other ways to manage the fires without pure suppression. One such example would be to thin out trees so that the fire may not be likely to spread. Two of the most common trees in this area of Montana are the ponderosa pine and juniper trees, one of which has evolved to become resilient to fire while the other is incredibly flammable. Juniper trees are flammable, much more so than their pine neighbors, and by thinning a stand of juniper trees, one is able to stagger a wildfire and perhaps wrangle it under control. A perfect real-world example of this is the 2012 Doll fire which occurred near Roundup and was able to be stopped due to the thinning of the forest, which robbed the fire of any fuel.
The implications of these management techniques could benefit not only wildlife and the natural landscape, but also the ranchers that live off the land. By focusing on sustainability in rangelands, the cattle and every subsequent future generation will benefit from the management plans. By understanding the relationship between livestock’s nutritional requirements and the rest period for grasslands, a more comprehensive plan can be formulated. The path now concerns educating and spreading this information of grazing plans so that it becomes common knowledge; however, if it is used or not depends upon each individual rancher. The topic of controlled burns should also be handled carefully not only in regard to planning burns but also when speaking to the public. The techniques of natural resource management are constantly in motion and the prospects are always growing; the real question comes in the form of how they will shape the future of ranching on the prairie.
