Monitoring Riparian Grazing Use

Why Do We Monitor?Why Do We Monitor? To provide accountability for our actions.To provide accountability for our actions. To provide feed back on results.To provide feed back on results. To aid in our decision makingTo aid in our decision making

What Should We Monitor?

Goals and Objectives

Types of MonitoringTypes of Monitoring Annual:Annual:

Actual use.Actual use. Grazing intensity.Grazing intensity. Plant recovery.Plant recovery.

Short-term (3-5 years):Short-term (3-5 years): Point-bars.Point-bars. Channel width.Channel width. Over-hanging vegetation.Over-hanging vegetation. Changes in plant vigor.Changes in plant vigor.

Long-term :Long-term : Channel and bank conditions.Channel and bank conditions. Plant community changes.Plant community changes.

Annual MonitoringAnnual Monitoring

Examples of Annual Grazing Use that Examples of Annual Grazing Use that should be observed and recorded.should be observed and recorded.

Are livestock in the pasture when planned?Are the correct numbers present?

Did the livestock utilize the forage properly?

Did you clean the pasture?

What were the impacts of the grazing use?

Was there bank displacement?

Determine amount of use

Leave a 4” stubble height on large sedges

Observe stubble height-4”

Document regrowth of sedges-6”

Side (edge) browsing

- Booth willow

Short Term MonitoringShort Term Monitoring

The following are examples of typical The following are examples of typical responses that can be used as indicators responses that can be used as indicators of progress towards desired conditions.of progress towards desired conditions.

These are often useful for short term (2-5 These are often useful for short term (2-5 years) monitoring following implementation years) monitoring following implementation of improved grazing practices.of improved grazing practices.

Brookgrass acts as a

temporary filter.

Long Term MonitoringLong Term Monitoring

Document streambank stability and Document streambank stability and channel improvementchannel improvement

Measure and document plant community Measure and document plant community changeschanges Greenline CompositionGreenline Composition Vegetation Cross-Section Composition Vegetation Cross-Section Composition Woody species RegenerationWoody species Regeneration

Young Salix drumondiana

Mixed roots,

sedge/coyote willow

Geyer’s & Booth Willows - Stabilizers

Greenline of non-hydrophytic plant species.

Good willow/sedges, Montpelier Creek, ID

Damage & Natural erosion, 7-Mile Creek, Fishlake NF

Stream Meander

West Muddy Creek, Mule Park, Gunnison West Muddy Creek, Mule Park, Gunnison NFNF

1949 2000

Mule Park West Muddy Creek 7/8/1954 Allotment grazed season-long by 219 cow/calf pairs from June 24 to October 15. Precip. – 60%

Mule Park West Muddy Creek 7/28/1998 (84%). Allotment managed using a 4-pasture grazing strategy by 700 yearlings from July 5 to October 5.