Northern San Juan • Entered by Robyn Cascade on December 29, 2024
Grazing Monitoring
September 3, 2024 – October 2, 2024
Participants and Hours
| Pre Planning hours | 24 |
| Post Admin hours | 10 |
| Activity Hours | 5 |
| Participants | 8 |
| Total Hours | 74 |
Key Issue: Livestock Grazing Management
Activity Type: Stewardship (monitoring, sampling, planting, etc.)
Key Partners: Western Watershed Partnership
Landscape/area: Uncompahgre National Forest (951767 acres)
Measurable Outcomes
Outcome 1: Trail/land monitored (9 surveys)
Outcome 2: Hiked (31 miles)
Short Description of Activity
Grazing monitoring within the Uncompahgre Forest and Uncompahgre Wilderness (BLM & USFS) entailed one transect in upper S. Fork Bear Creek within a domestic sheep allotment and 8 other locations where photographs and conditions were documented. For the transect, we utilized the Landscape Appearance Method recommended by Mary O’Brien.
Reflection/Evaluation
With a trained eye, one of our monitors was able to notice the difference between an active sheep allotment in upper Cow Creek and an inactive allotment in Wetterhorn Basin/Middle Canyon area that had been vacant for 15 years (closed in 2009.) She documented the slow recovery witnessed in the moment and only later when we returned home did we investigate/learn about the allotment closure. Great observation skills and interpretive analysis, Lauri Costello!!
The transect was installed and data recorded on July 12, 2024 prior to domestic sheep being turned out on the landscape; the follow up data reporting took place on September 5, 2024 after domestic sheep had been grazing. The data reveals the impacts of livestock grazing as does general observation of glorious wildflowers and tall grasses in July vs the foraged remains of vegetation in September. NSJ Broads have yet to report our findings to the USFS.
Observations in the upper fork of the W. Fork of the Cimarron during the cattle grazing season revealed devastation to riparian habitats unprecedented in previous years. This is particularly disturbing since the newly revised/released GMUG Forest plan restricts grazing in riparian areas to 30% utilization. We witnessed a much higher percentage. We are preparing a report with photographs for the USFS.
Photos/Uploads
Upload 1 |
Photo Captions
1. Broad documenting livestock grazing impacts