N RANCHING
atural Resources
Partnerships Prevail in Planning Prevention By Nicole Erceg
F
ROM THE GREATEST SINGLE-YEAR DROUGHT IN 2011, TO record precipitation in 2015 and 2016, recent Texas weather patterns have been anything but
normal. These drastic fl uctuations have taken their toll on rangeland, mainly in the form of wildfi re. In 2011, wildfi re resulted in property and economic losses of more than $340 million. After the heavy rainfalls of 2015 resulted in growing fi re fuel, more than 65,000 acres of grazing land in just 8 counties in west central Texas were negatively affected by wildfi re. With 2016 spring rains that resulted in large vol-
umes of fi ne fuels and no end in sight to dynamic weather changes, private landowners’ wildfi re risk seems to only be growing. To help arm the agricul- tural producer with the tools to mitigate fi re risk and preserve valuable private lands, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) seeks to help fi nd answers. Kristy Oates, the state resource conservationist with
the NRCS, says local NRCS offi ces can help landown- ers mitigate fi re risks through conservation planning. “What we offer is a complete look at the ecosystem,”
says Oates. “We will look at all of the resources, the land, water and potential wildlife. Then we share our information and technical resources to give guidance on
58 The Cattleman December 2016
how to complete conservation practices that will help carry out a system to benefi t the landowner long-term.” One of the best tools Oates references for managing
rangeland resources is prescribed burning. The tallgrass prairies of Texas developed under a cycle that included regular fi re. When that natural cycle was interrupted by human land development, it created issues, includ- ing the build up of vegetation that serves as excellent wildfi re fuel. Prescribed burning helps reduce fuel loading and is one of many conservation techniques with which local NRCS offi ces are prepared to assist. NRCS staff can help write burn prescriptions, provide technical assistance or even help train others to work a prescribed fi re.
Helping people help the land However, the NRCS is interested in more than just
helping with prescribed fi res. Oates describes their re- lationships with landowners as more of a partnership, focused on doing what is best for the landowner and the ecosystem to preserve the longevity of the land and the goals of the agricultural enterprise. “When you walk the place with a landowner and
get an outside view from a technical background, it can bring up other things that a landowner may have
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