Science Says Post-Fire Grazing on Rangelands Is Not Harmful
Current federal regulations recommending that rangelands be rested from grazing for two seasons afte
- Published: 4 years ago on July 24, 2017
- By: Kathy Voth
- Last Modified: October 15, 2018 @ 6:32 pm
- Filed Under: ARS, Forage, Grazing Management, NRCS, Pasture Health, Weeds
- Tagged With: ARS, NRCS, Post-fire grazing, Pyrric herbivory
Your article highlights that ranchers do not need to defer grazing post fire, but does not indicate what species of plants you are talking about. These studies focus on increaser species and not the bunchgrass decreasers that are taller growing, more productive during drought, and are the site dominant species in the potential native plant community. These bunchgrasses, are sensitive to grazing following fire, and especially in a ponderosa pine/bunchgrass habitat type following fire, deferment is needed to establish these grasses after the forest canopy is removed. The research is correct for the plants they measured, but extremely misleading to conclude that the entire mixed grass prairie area follows suit. I could give many examples but will just conclude by saying: this article should have indicated that this study refers to western wheatgrass, needle and threadgrass, blue grama, prairie junegrass, threadleaf sedge, and Sandberg bluegrass and there is little to no effect with moderate grazing immediately post fire on these plant communities. Thank you.
Excellent point, Matt. I had hoped that I’d covered that in the “BUT” section. I will go back and do a clean up. Thank you!