Dates for Spring grazing moved back

Dates for Spring grazing moved back

Jan. 11, 2001

By Janelle Holden
Journal Staff Writer

U.S. Forest Service officials recently prescribed some much-needed rest for some of the grazing allotments in the Dolores-Mancos district.

Of the 46 active allotments, the Forest Service asked 19 permit holders to wait 15 days before releasing livestock onto spring pasture.

Cliff Stewart, a Forest Service district range conservationist, said that range conservationists decided to examine each allotment individually because of the severity of the 2000 drought.

"Our goal was to go out there and be fair about the whole thing, and not have one allotment be treated in a different way than another allotment," said Stewart.

The pasture affected is in the lower elevations, within the ponderosa-pine and Gambel-oak zone.

Stewart explained that the grazing pasture lacked needed moisture during the winter growing season and expected fall monsoons last year. A plant’s roots atrophy in such conditions, and need extra time to fully recover, he said.

Livestock-owners with permits allowing for a flexible grazing system were allowed to access pasture on June 1, the normal date — although Stewart said this could change if the area sees another winter drought.

"These changes are what they can plan on if we have a relatively normal winter. If we have another dry winter, then all bets are off, and we’ll have to look at another strategy," warned Stewart.

The Forest Service primarily restricted allotments where early pasture is the only site available for the permittee’s livestock each year.

"If there were other factors out there that we felt were contributing to poor range conditions — that unit was overstocked and it was documented through some kind of analysis, or was grazed season-long, then we pushed back the date to June 15 or June 21," explained Stewart.

Although, according to Stewart, producers weren’t necessarily pleased with the decision, most of them agreed the severity of the drought warranted the date change.

"Those people have to graze their livestock year after year, and they’ll tell you, and they’ll tell me that it’s in their best interest to take care of the land."