Killing the Weed King: Could Groundbreaking Pollen Technology Control Palmer Amaranth?
Could Palmer amaranth, the king of resistant weeds and crippler of herbicides, be dethroned by its own sex drive? A herbicide-free technology is under testing and aims to attack pigweed with its…
Read More...Colorado ranchers are selling off cattle to survive another year of dried-up grass and parched soil
The Western Slope has suffered a drought three of the last four years, and by now, it’s taken a toll on farmers and ranchers that is both financial and emotional.…
Read More...A West-Wide Rangeland Fuel Assessment: Reading the Tea Leaves
In this monthly recorded series, Dr. Matt Reeves – an RMRS Research Ecologist specializing in remote sensing and ecological modeling – will analyze current rangeland fuel conditions across the west, with…
Read More...The Accrued Benefits of Adaptive Grazing
The problems of many current conventional grazing systems can be avoided by ecologically sensitive management of ruminants across the landscape. Wild ruminants, by the hundreds of millions, have existed for…
Read More...Alta Live: Ranchers Fighting Climate Change
Kent Reeves is part of a movement to fight climate change by repairing California’s native grasslands, provided he can rope his fellow ranchers and their cattle into the plan. Reeves and Alta…
Read More...Endangered Species Act listing proposed for lesser prairie-chicken
The Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing federally protected status under the Endangered Species Act for two populations of the lesser prairie-chicken that occupy parts of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma,…
Read More...Avoiding soil compaction when grazing cover crops
Cover crops are considered one of the most effective and economical ways to improve soil health. Grazing them can be a way to turn them into a profit for your…
Read More...Climate change could give biochar a boost with farmers
(Subscription) Will 2021 be the year that biochar finally catches fire? Proponents of the charcoal-like material that’s made from trees and other plants say they hope so, as research continues…
Read More...As the West Faces a Drought Emergency, Some Ranchers are Restoring Grasslands to Build Water Reserves
In the face of ongoing drought, western ranchers are restoring diverse, grassland ecosystem practices that can improve the land’s capacity to hold water—and help them hold onto more cattle. Will…
Read More...Study shows grasslands are more reliable carbon sinks than forests
A study has found that increased drought and wildfire risk make grasslands and rangelands a more reliable carbon sink than trees in 21st century California. As such, the study indicates…
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