Target Grazing Sheep for reduced fuel risk while maintaining condition of livestock and land

View the project final report

Commodities

• Agronomic: grass (misc. annual), grass (misc. perennial)
• Animals: sheep

Practices

• Animal Production: animal protection and health, grazing management
• Education and Training: demonstration

Targeted or prescribed grazing services have become a popular vegetation management tool on the West Coast, and particularly the Central Coastal range of California. With the area’s high annual production of fine fire fuels this poses a risk to communities within this large Wildland Urban Interface and provides a secondary income source for livestock operators with small ruminant animals. While the opportunity to graze provides additional income, it often poses a threat to the condition of their animals. The contradiction stems from the unrealistic expectation of land managers, land management agencies, and landowners around the necessary level of reduction to address fire risk. This project provides preliminary results on the level of reduction that reduces fire risk without compromising the health of the environment or livestock and helps better understand what level of grazing promotes native species composition.

The original intent of the project was to burn the plots post-grazing; however prescribed burning conditions are variable and were not met in the window of time available to burn the landscape. To provide useful results, the BLM collected vegetation composition data and solicited opinions from fire managers post-grazing to provide preliminary results on effectiveness of fuels reduction and native species composition within the grazed plots. Late blooming native species like hayfield tarweed and common madia are green at the peak of fire season in this region. When a wildland fire passes through patches of these species it is often slowed or stops all together – these assumptions are currently being studied by the UC Davis McLaughlin Reserve. Thus, the collection of vegetation composition data collected in the next growing season. Native species are – in general – more resilient and resistant to fire. Managing for native species composition as opposed to total elimination of fine fire fuels could result in a better adapted ecosystem and create a more manageable fire environment for wildland fire personnel. Management for native perennial species also helps to maintain soil moisture as the fine annual grasses often deplete soil moisture early in the growing season. A higher level of soil moisture prevents fire spread, especially in August through September, the peak of fire season.

• Determine what level of grazing reduces hazardous fine fuels to a level easily managed by wildland fire personnel.
• Provided preliminary results to land managers and livestock operators to help both parties better understand the appropriate level of impact while not degrading body condition of the livestock.
• Empower land managers to consider long-term impact alongside their seasonal fuel reduction goals, i.e. soil condition, native species composition.