USDA Study Looks at Land Degradation and Recovery on Western Rangelands
Data should help increase efficiency of conservation efforts.
Compiled by staff
Published: Oct 4, 2010
The USDA on Friday released results of a new study that non-federal rangelands in the Western states are productive, but that non-native grasses and shrubs pose a potential threat to the rangelands' productivity. The study looked at more than 10,000 plots.
Jeff Harrick is a research scientist with USDA's Agricultural Research Service in Las Cruses, New Mexico. Harrick says the study is intended to provide some "baseline" information.
"We were looking the types of plants and how much bare ground there was," Harrick said. "We were also looking at whether or not there were a lot of non-native or invasive species on these non-federal lands."
Harrick says the study revealed that less than 25% of non-federal rangelands have significant land degradation, but that non-native plant species now occur on nearly 50% of all non-federal rangeland.
"We're talking about various types of weeds that were brought in sometimes intentionally and frequently unintentionally," Harrick said. "For example cheetgrass is a big problem, it's moving into sagebrush communities, increasing fire risks and ultimately results in loss of wildlife habitat."
Harrick says the information should enable USDA to make conservation efforts more effective and efficient in the future.
Permalink: Click here
Tagged: usda
|