Spent a little time today (re-)learning how to do some rangeland monitoring. I took a class on it years ago, but we never followed through. Now we’re putting it in the next generation’s hands… with Megan writing down the types of plants B. is seeing at 12″ intervals. Of course, Brandon has his Masters in Weed Science, so the technique is familiar to him as well.
While it currently looks green on the mountain, the ground is super dry, and the fire danger is great. Rain would certainly be welcome.
Find me here!
I applaud Brandon and Megan’s work. Collecting data on the grasses and forbs that are growing and seeing which are increasing and which decreasing has got to be the basis of sustainable ranching. In my experience, if you pay attention to the land and see early infestations of noxious weeds, you’ve got a decent shot at controlling the undesirables before they establish themselves and become dominant. But if they’ve already established, MUCH more effort and herbicides have to go into the effort to even reduce their numbers and gain a measure of control so they don’t outcompete useful forage and other plants with wildlife or erosion-control value and seriously degrade the range.
VERY interesting info – something I’d never think of, but it certainly is a necessary part of agriculture and ranching.
So good to keep data on what’s growing ‘wild and free’.
This is something most folks would never consider as a part of ranching. Progressive ranching (and farming), if it’s not a part of ranching and farming there eventually won’t be either.