Kite Phase 2

1
Developing Sustainable Management Strategies for
Mesquite Rangeland
2
KITE Camp ProjectPhase 2 (2001-2004)

• This project has been conducted on the Waggoner
  Ranch in Wilbarger County, North Texas

3
People involved include

• Richard Teague Gene Willingham
• Jim Ansley Bucky Wharton
• Bill Pinchak Weldon Hawley
• Jim McGrann Dee Robinson
• Rob Borchardt Bill Lovelace
• Bob Cross Dale Hughes
• Alan Waggoner Joel Lovelady
• Dean Ransom Jo Foy
• Diane Conover Steve Dowhower

4
OBJECTIVEDevelop strategies to

• Enhance herbaceous yield and composition
• Decrease chemical or mechanical inputs
• Improve degraded hydrological functions
• Enhance wildlife habitat
• Improve economic sustainability

5
Response to Brush Treatments
What We Don't Know
()
--

Treat
-- Do Nothing
Production
0
(--
)
Years
JW 96'
6
Carrying capacity decline due to
mesquite (clipping data)
-02
00
02
04
06
08
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
Years
7
Herbicide scenarios
21
75 Burn response
Herbicide burn
25

31
)
)
Ac/AUY
41
No burn
62
No Treatment
124
-02
00
02
04
06
08
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
Years
8
Fire scenarios
21
75 Burn response
'
'
'
'
25

31
)
)
)
'
'
'
'
'
'
'
'
'
'
'
'
Ac/AUY
41
62

No treatment
'
124
)
-02
00
02
04
06
08
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
Years
9
Return from Treating Brush
(30 year NPVs)
NPV B/C Treatment
(/ac) Ratio

• RecRem Burn after 20 yrs 13.2
  2.3
• RecRem No follow-up 12.2
  2.3
• Fire 75 Every 7 yrs 18.1
  6.9
• Fire 75 10 less cows 16.2
  6.8

10
Mean annual rainfall
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1942
1952
1962
1972
1982
1992
11
Mean annual temperature
67
66
65
64
63
62
61
60
59
58
1942
1952
1962
1972
1982
1992
12
Carrying capacity decline due to mesquite
Ac/au
-02
00
02
04
06
08
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
Years
13
Carrying capacity decline due to
mesquite (animal performance data)
?
?
-02
00
02
04
06
08
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
Years
14
Information needed

• Brush increase with NO treatment
• Brush recovery after
• fire
• herbicide
• Increased drought effects of brush

15
Information needed

• Drought effect and Post drought recovery
• forage production
• forage basal cover
• bare ground

16
Experimental framework
Productivity and range Health with

• Brush continuous grazing
• Brush rotational grazing
• No brush continuous grazing
• No brush rotational grazing

17
KITE CAMP - NEW PLAN 2001
Hazelwood
Twin Peaks
South Red
5264 ac
1
4
1
3
8
2
2
7
3
Peach Orchard
1232 ac
4
5
Trap
6
Trap
Trap
817 ac
1
4
Grasshopper
2
3
1010 ac
1496 ac
Long Creek
4589 ac
8
1
2
7
3
4
6
5
18
Wildlife effects Dean Ransom
-02
00
02
04
06
08
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
Years
19
Wildlife effectsDean Ransom

• Deer and quail habitat selection due to
• Brush No brush
• Burn no-burn
• Rotational continuous grazing
• Non-game bird effects of
• Spraying brush
• Burning

20
FUNDING SUPPORT

• Waggoner Foundation
• Waggoner Ranch Estate
• USDA-NRICGP (Ag Systems)
• USDA-SARE
• DOW AgroSciences
• Texas Experimental Ranch Committee
• Texas Agricultural Experiment Station

21
(No Transcript)