Noxious Weed Control Through Multi-Species Grazing

Noxious Weed Control Through Multi-Species Grazing

Summary

The first year of this project focused on building capacity in, and relationships among, the participants through four workshops: (1) Holistic Decision-Making (2/26-28/02), (2) Land EKG/Monitoring (split into two 2-day sessions; 5/13-15/02 and 5/16-18/02), (3) Biological Planning/Planned Grazing/ Multi-Species Grazing (8/13-15/02) and (4) Low Cost Cow-Calf Production and Body Condition Scoring of Cows (11/12-15/02). Participants were encouraged to form management/support groups and to initiate planning for on-the-ground projects involving planned grazing and/or multi-species grazing as a tool in the control of invasive plants. These projects are to be implemented during Year 2 of this project. Also established an electronic listerve for use by the project participants.

Objectives/Performance Targets

1. Thirty participants will understand principles introduced in a prescribed workshop series by November 30, 2002.

2. A minimum of 6 management/support groups made up of participants and livestock graziers (6-12 people per group) will be formed by November 30, 2002.

3. A minimum of 6 on-the-ground projects utilizing planned grazing and/or multi-species grazing to control noxious weeds will be designed and initiated by June 30, 2003.

4. A regional conference will be held in November 2003 to assess the impacts of this project and to extend the lessons learned to others.

5. A video documenting the project’s activities and impacts will be produced.

Accomplishments/Milestones

Accomplishments during Year 1 of this project include:
1. Conducted four workshops for project participants: (1) Holistic Decision-Making (2/26-28/02), (2) Land EKG/Monitoring (split into two 2-day sessions; 5/13-15/02 and 5/16-18/02), (3) Biological Planning/Planned Grazing/Multi-Species Grazing (8/13-15/02) and (4) Low Cost Cow-Calf Production and Body Condition Scoring of Cows (11/12-15/02).

2. Encouraged project participants to form management/support groups for the purpose of planning and designing on-the-ground projects involving planned grazing and/or multi-species grazing. These projects are to be implemented during Year 2 of this project.

3. Established an electronic listserve for the project participants to discuss issues of interest and to share information.

Work to be completed in Year 2 of this project includes (i.e., milestones):
1. Participants are to complete the planning and design phase and initiate 6 on-the-ground projects involving planned grazing and/or multi-species grazing by June 30, 2003.

2. Keep participant listserve active to facilitate collaborative learning and networking.

3. Hold regional conference in November 2003 to assess the impacts of this project and to extend the lessons learned to others.

4. Complete video documenting the project’s activities and impacts.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

The anticipated benefits of this project to livestock producers in the Western region include:
1. Be able to demonstrate that planned grazing and/or multi-species grazing can be used as one of the tools in an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach to control invasive plants (also know as noxious weeds).

2. Demonstrate that the use of multi-species grazing (i.e., cattle, sheep and goats) as a tool in the control of invasive plants and fuel load reduction can actually generate revenue by converting an unwanted plant into a marketable product (i.e., meat).

3. Demonstrate that multi-species grazing can not only be used as a tool in the control of invasive plants, but that it can reduce the amount of herbicides used for this purpose, it can improve the health of rangeland and wildlife habitat by increasing biodiversity and it can convert invasive plants to animal gain that can be sold (i.e., turn a liability into an asset).

4. Demonstrate to the public that planned livestock grazing is a beneficial tool in creating a healthy ecosystem. The moral being that no tool is inherently bad, it all depends on what the goal is and how the tool is applied.

5. Demonstrate a non-chemical method to control invasive weeds and/or fuel loads in areas where herbicides cannot, or should not, be used (i.e., near water bodies, residential areas, etc.).

Collaborators: