Rio Grande Valley Broadband • Entered by Susan Ostlie on June 29, 2021
Grazing and Drought in Southwestern Forests
June 3, 2021
Participants and Hours
| Pre Planning hours | |
| Post Admin hours | 10 |
| Activity Hours | 1 |
| Participants | 1 |
| Total Hours | 11 |
Key Issue: Livestock Grazing Management
Activity Type: Grant Funded Climate Education & Stewardship Program
Key Partners: USFS, Rocky Mountain Research Station
Short Description of Activity
Hosted by Dr. Matt Reeves, RMRS Research Ecologist, Dr. Dan McEvoy, Regional Climatologist, Western Regional Climate Center, and Iric Burden, Range/Weeds/Botany Program Manager, Kaibab National Forest
RMRS leads Fuelcast.net, a state-of-the-art forage prediction and monitoring system driven by daily climate and remote sensing information. Currently, this system reveals that at least 82% of U.S. rangelands are experiencing reduced forage conditions. While the reductions of forage are not the most acute, they are more widespread than at any time since 1984 (the beginning of our long-term monitoring). This is consistent with other climate modeling predictions of an extended drought enveloping the southwestern U.S. The USDA Forest Service manages over 9,000 grazing allotments, and sustainably managing rangelands is critical for economic security of many communities. Hear more about the predicted range conditions and how managers are responding to the reduced forage conditions
Reflection/Evaluation
Definitely sobering and an indication that grazing allotments need to be significantly reduced if not retired, because of drought and climate change. Not what our local forest managers want to hear, although they are cutting back AUMs and times on allotments. This is an issue that directly affects our land in the Zuni Mountains – nothing left to eat for wildlife – no predators, no night hawks, large predators, grasses, sedges, wildflowers, willows and aspens in our previously beautiful ungrazed meadow. Nothing but an extreme infestation of prairie dogs! We are angry and sad. I have reached out to local residents and the Range Managers about this issue – it is an ongoing discussion that has been a source of much stress and contention amongst the residents and landowners in the area. I made my first hate-mail file in my email files because of this issue. Ha! (But really not!) However, I should have asked what the locals wanted before I told them what I wanted, and not used personal names without permission. My bad…
Photos/Uploads
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Photo Captions
Photos – before and after…