A guide to patchburn grazing for biological diversity. Grassland evaluation contest study guide agebb university of. Patchburn grazing in missouri prairies the prairie. The missouri department of conservation mdc began a research project on the use of patch burn grazing on public lands prairies back in 2005. Integrating fire and grazing to promote heterogeinty pdf. I like the heterogeneous habitat structure i get from patchburn grazing, and have documented benefits to plant diversity in our prairies. Since then, grassland bird diversity has increased and bobwhites now regularly choose the site to nest and rear their chicks. Patch burn grazing, also sometimes called pyric herbivory, is an effort to mimic two processes that have shaped the prairie habitat for thousands of years. Patchburn grazing is a relatively new concept in terms of rangeland management. To view the video, direct your internet browser to.
Patchburn grazing in missouri prairies the prairie ecologist. The management system has generated substantial enthusiasm among some people particularly those interested in improving habitat for prairie wildlife species. In fact, radio telemetry has shown that quail prefer grazed areas over all other available habitats on the area. While numerous benefits have been associated with this system, in the tallgrass prairie of kansas, cattle. With patch burn grazing there may be no need for interior fences once the system is established, only one water source may be necessary for the entire unit, and less time is spent maintaining the grazing unit and rotating animals.
Osage prairie was owned and managed by the missouri department of. Effects of patchburn grazing on vegetative composition of tallgrass. One of their hopes was to increase the habitat quality of those grasslands for prairie chickens and many other grassland species without hurting the diversity or quality of the plant communities. This approach, called patchburn grazing, relies on the animals preference for grazing fresh regrowth on recently burned sites. Patchburn grazing for forage, wildlife habitat, and. Untangling the effects of fire, grazing, and landuse. Patch burn grazing is an alternative to traditional intensive grazing systems. Tallgrass prairie patchburn grazing brochure the nature.
Missouri department of conservation mdc land managers were interested in implementing patchburn grazing on tallgrass prairie remnants. Using patchburn grazing as a tool for managing prairie grasslands. Patchburn grazing pbg is a grassland management practice designed to benefit wildlife habitat and livestock production through the application of prescribed fire to focus livestock grazing on a portion of a grazing unit with the objective of increasing vegetation diversity and structure. The missouri forage and grassland council, in cooperation with the. Patch burn grazing is getting a lot of attention from a wide variety of audiences these days. Patch burning pb is the purposeful grazing of a section of an ecosystem or management unit that has been prescribed burned, and then burning another section to move the grazing pressure, thus creating a shifting mosaic on the ecosystem or management unit e998 patch burning.
A patch burn grazing system has many advantages for the producer over a traditional grazing system. Paul nelson talks about the implementation of patchburn grazing a rotational system alternating grazers such as bison or cattle and the use of prescribed fire on tall grass prairies within. Impacts of patchburn grazing on livestock and vegetation. Grazing for conservation missouri department of conservation. Paul nelson talks about the implementation of patch burn grazing a rotational system alternating grazers such as bison or cattle and the use of prescribed fire on tall grass prairies within.
It has also generated substantial skepticism among others particularly those concerned about potential negative impacts of grazing in. Utilize natural firebreaks to divide cells when possible. Patch burn grazing creates usable large fields due to the mosaic of structure and. Ignited by lightning and by native tribes, fire killed brush and trees and promoted resprouting of grasses, forbs and legumes. Instead of depending on interior fencing to focus grazing in a portion of a unit, a manager instead uses postfire regrowth to attract cattle to selected areas.
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