Wildlife Conservation Through Sustainable Ranching
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Forage Production Lost to Tree Expansion
Quantifying economic impact of woody expansion bolsters grassland onservation
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Woody species like pinyon, juniper, and eastern redcedar trees are expanding into grass and shrub lands where they haven’t grown historically. The ecological impacts of this woody expansion are well documented, but until now, the economic impacts have been anecdotal.
Research, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology and led by Scott Morford, a Working Lands for Wildlife-affiliated researcher at the University of Montana, quantifies the economic impacts of lost herbaceous production, one of the many negative effects of woody expansion.
The team used the Rangelands Analysis Platform to track changes in vegetation cover and biomass production across western rangelands from 1990 to 2019 and then mapped these data to understand how the production of grasses and forbs changed when trees moved in and converted grasslands and sagebrush rangelands to woodlands.
The team found that since 1990 producers have lost approximately 332 million tons of forage production on U.S. rangelands, which is roughly equivalent to the total grass production of North Dakota over the same period. This lost production is valued at $4.1–$5.6 billion after accounting for variability in livestock biomass use and forage value.
This knowledge helps focus conservation action where it will be the most effective, increasing grassland productivity and benefiting livestock and wildlife alike.
This Ask an Expert interview features Scott discussing his research and what it means for western rangelands.
⇒Visit www.wlfw.org/yieldgap for county and state level yield gap data⇐
⇒Download a factsheet summarizing lost production in the Great Plains⇐
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Publication Alert: Herbaceous production lost to tree encroachment in United States rangelands
Researchers quantify forage yield gap caused by woody encroachment
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New research details the economic value of lost forage caused by tree expansion in western shrub and grass lands.
Since 1990, tree cover increased in more than 25% of western rangelands.
Grasslands saw an 85% increase in tree cover, with roughly 8% of tree-free grasslands transitioning to woodlands, in turn elevating the vulnerability of adjacent tree-free rangelands to future degradation.
Follow the link to access county and state level yield gap data for western rangelands.
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Publication Alert: Next-gen remote sensing tools level up rangeland conservation
Remote sensing tools accurately and efficiently detail conservation outcomes on rangelands
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New research from Caleb Roberts, a Working Lands for Wildlife-affiliated researcher with the United States Geological Survey, tested whether modern remote sensing tools and datasets can accurately and efficiently quantify vegetation responses and fine-scale variations at different spatial scales following three commonly used rangeland conservation treatments – prescribed fire, tree removal, and prescribed grazing.
His findings confirm the utility of remote sensing tools for measuring outcomes.
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New resource sheds light on tree encroachment on sagebrush ecosystems
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Up-to-date science-based information available on new website details how trees are taking over sagebrush ecosystems, the impacts, and what is being done to manage the issue
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A new website by the collaborative “PJ (pinyon-juniper) Encroachment Education Project” sheds light on the issue of tree expansion in sagebrush country. The site is also a resource for those trying to manage this threat, particularly in the Great Basin, where encroaching pinyon pine and juniper trees are taking over sagebrush ecosystems and contributing to the decrease of imperiled species such as the sage grouse.
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USDA and State of Wyoming Sign MOU for Big Game Conservation Partnership
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USDA and Wyoming formalized a partnership to support the voluntary conservation of private working lands and migratory big game populations in the Cowboy State
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As part of an agreement signed October 17 by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon, USDA will provide a new package of investments in key conservation programs for fiscal year 2023, which includes funding to support increased staffing capacity and the deployment of streamlined program application processes for agricultural producers and landowners. Producers in the Wyoming pilot area will be able to apply for conservation programs that meet their unique needs starting this fall.
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This pilot, first announced in May 2022, leverages and compliments other ongoing conservation efforts on working lands such as those conducted under the Natural Resources Conservation Service's Working Lands for Wildlife’s Framework for Conservation Action in the Great Plains Grasslands and Sagebrush Biome.
Both efforts emphasize a commitment to voluntary, incentive-based approaches; identifies and elevates the critical role of private, working lands; and stresses the importance of supporting state, tribal, and landowners to advance their conservation priorities. The pilot also further focuses the Farm Service Agency's commitment to assisting producers in protecting and maintaining grasslands through grazing and for supporting plant and animal biodiversity within National Priority Zones.
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USFWS, NRCS, and IWJV are partnering with the University of Wyoming for a new Invasive Annual Grass Tech Transfer Project: Empowering Land Managers to Defend and Grow the Core. This effort will develop new, updated management guidelines and materials, field demonstration sites, virtual training models, and a road show of training within the context of "Defend and Grow the Core and Mitigate Impacts" over the next few years. The position will help lead this effort from the base of the UW, Institute for Managing Annual Grasses in Invading Natural Ecosystems (IMAGINE). Deadline: 11/20/22.
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Learn more about the WLFW-supported guide: "Reducing Woody Encroachment in Grasslands: A Guide for Understanding Risk and Vulnerability" that delivers science-backed and proactive approaches for tackling woody expansion in the Great Plains from this UNL BeefWatch article. Be sure to check out the companion podcast featuring WLWF-affiliated researcher and UNL woody expansion program coordinator, Dillon Fogarty.
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Check out this great article from the Nevada Current about the recently released Sagebrush Conservation Design framework, a comprehensive, spatially informed strategy that outlines a Defend the Core, Grow the Core, Mitigate Impacts approach for protecting and expanding core sagebrush habitats across the West. WLFW sagebrush ecosystem specialist, Jeremy Maestas, is a co-author of the Sagebrush Conservation Design report and is featured in the article.
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Working Lands for Wildlife is the Natural Resources Conservation Service's premier approach for conserving America's working lands to benefit people, wildlife, and rural communities. In the West, WLFW is guided by two, action-based frameworks for conservation. The framework approach is designed to increase conservation and restoration of rangelands by addressing major threats to rangeland health and through the implementation of conservation measures that limit soil disturbance, support sustainable grazing management, promote the strategic use of prescribed fire, and support native grassland species. Together, the frameworks leverage the power of voluntary, win-win conservation solutions to benefit people and wildlife from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean.
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