U.S. Grassland Management

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U.S. Grassland Management

• Prescribed burns
• Grazing intensity
• Stocking
• Rotation
• Issues
• Over-grazing
• Exotic species
• Public land policy
• ESA species
• Predator control

Burning the Konza
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History of U.S. Public Grasslands 225 million
acres

• 1880s Tragedy of the commons
• 1932 Forest Service Study
• 1934 - Taylor Grazing Control Act
• Stop overgrazing
• Improve and sustain range
• Stablilize rangeland economy
• Agencies
• BLM -Bureau of Land Mgt.
• US Forest Service

40 - 60 million bison killed
Replaced by cattle and sheep
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Utah grasslands recovery photos.
1920s
1997
So, regulating stocking rates works. But....
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With overgrazing increasers invaders
replace decreasers

• Best forage species decline due to over-grazing
  (decreasers).
• Woodier, spinier, more fibrous, poor quality
  forage species increase (increasers).
• Exotic species fill in empty spots (invaders)

Little Bluestem
Kentucky Bluegrass
Yarrow
Russian Thistle tumbleweed
Achillea millefolium (Asteraceae)
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Uses and Values in the National Grasslands - 4
million acres (20 places)

• Spiritual Value for Native Americans
• Wildlife Commons
• Bring back the bison
• Bring back predators
• Restore prairie dog systems
• Nature Tourism
• Wildlife Hunting
• Livestock grazing
• Grass fed beef market growing
• Grass feeding then to feed lots.

The U.S. Forest Service is in the process of
reevaluating management plans for North Dakota's
three national grasslands, comprising about 1.1
million acres of public land.
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Work needed to restore public grasslands in the
great plains (mainly shortgrass prairies)

• The Forest Service should manage for native
  species on all National Grasslands.
• Conserve and restore prairie dog towns until
  black-tailed prairie dogs occupy a minimum of 10
  of the suitable habitat
• Black-footed ferret recovery areas should be as
  large as possible.
• Bison should be restored as wildlife on our
  National Grasslands at some level.
• The U.S. Forest Service should actively encourage
  public land grazing permittees to switch their
  stock from cattle to bison.
• All remaining roadless grassland areas should be
  proposed for wilderness designation.
• Oil and gas development should be prohibited in
  areas where this is incompatible with other uses.

The prairie dog ecosystem is home to
numerous native plant and animal species
including the black-footed ferret, swift fox,
burrowing owl, ferruginous hawk and mountain
plover. The prairie dog is truly a "keystone"
species, providing food, shelter and high-quality
forage for a variety of grassland creatures.
Wildlife Federation Web Site www.nwf.org
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Grassland Management in KSTall Grass on Private
Land

• Less than 5 of original tallgrass prairie
  remains.
• Prior to settlement, Iowa had almost twice as
  much tallgrass prairie as KS. Today, only .01
  of Iowas historic total remains.
• 86 of the historic tallgrass is in KANSAS.
• Greenwood County has more native prairie than any
  other county - 500,000 acres.

Source Jim Minnerath - Tallgrass Legacy Alliance
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Other important tallgrass counties

• Percentage of native prairie in some adjacent
  counties
• Chase 80
  Greenwood 68
  Elk
  61
  Morris 56
  
  Butler 53
  Lyon 44
  
  Woodson 38
  
  Wilson 24

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Top Five Threats to the Tallgrass Prairie in
Kansas

• Invasive species including fire suppression
  species and noxious weeds.

Junipers, Senicia lespediza and other invasive
species.
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2. Fragmentation

• Destruction of wildlife corridors
• Insufficient habitat for prairie chickens and
  other wildlife.

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3. Lack of incentives

• Lack of private, state, or federal financial
  incentives to manage Tallgrass Prairie in a
  sustainable manner.

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4. Negative Profitability in Agriculture

• Sell offs to developers
• Overgrazing in hope of more income.
• Inappropriate conversion to cropland.

Liatrus sp.
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5. Loss of grassland diversity

• Loss of native speciation and the associated
  social, fiscal, and biological implications.

Turks Cap Lily
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Coalition building

• Agencies, individuals and organizations such as
  Kansas Livestock Association, Kansas Farm
  Bureau, The Nature Conservancy, Kansas Department
  of Wildlife and Parks, Wildlife Management
  Institute, and numerous others have all agreed
  that when they walk in the door to a TLA
  meeting, hats, egos and titles are hung at the
  door. All opinions are treated equally. The group
  agreed to discard those issues that appear
  unsolvable and work positively on those that
  appear solvable.
• Goals are beginning to blend into reality.
  Collectively our goal is to do whatever possible
  to fiscally, socially and environmentally to
  preserve the ranching communities of Kansas.

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Konza Prairie Biological StationK-States
tallgrass research area

• 8,000 acres
• Owned by Nature Conservancy, managed by KSU
  Biology Dept.
• NSF LTER site
• Watershed-level fire-frequency experimental
  design
• Replicated unburned and annual, 2, 4, 10, and 20
  year frequencies of prescribed spring fire.
• Measure plant community

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Experimental Overlay

• Ungrazed
• Grazed
• Cattle
• Bison

Visitor Info
Public trail is open daily for self-guided
visitation.
K-State maintains a herd of 300 bison at
Konza.