Range Management for New Mexico

Work has been done to educate Catron County residents on their legal rights as they relate to the wolf. I am in the process of planning a program for ranchers to help them look at their ranches as a business and to look at the positives and negatives impacts of forming corporations. This is an ongoing project.

Problems associated with the Mexican Grey Wolf continue to increase as the population grows. At least two livestock producers have been forced out of business

The agriculture agent recorded 237 contacts for the past year in regards to noxious and invasive plant management. This agent feels strongly that one of the CES greatest impacts is one-on-one service that we provide to all clientele including land managers, noxious weed coordinator, state weed specialists, plant society members, garden clubs, and general public that have or think they have state listed noxious plants on their lands. Inquiries come from office visits, e-mail, phone calls, field visits and meetings. Questions include, identification of questionable plants, management recommendations’ including chemical, biological and cultural methods, and CEU's for their pesticide licenses. Significant strides have been made in the treatment of some 1200 acres of Yellow Starthistle in the Gila River Basin, in the Cliff/Gila area and some 40 acres of African Rue in both Grant and Hidalgo counties. This is a result of the Southwest New Mexico Cooperative Weed Management Area being formed in 2006, and two grants funded for mapping, treatment and monitoring of these noxious plants. The agriculture agent served in a significant role in guiding the committee, writing the grant. Chemical recommendations came from extension weed and brush specialist. In 2006 there it was estimated at 800 acres of Yellow Starthistle, but after mapping there is in excess of 1,800 acres infested. With our grants we have been able to hire a part-time coordinator, purchase chemicals and put them into the hands of licensed land managers to treat in excess of 60% of these lands.
With the agriculture agents assistance, the noxious weed coordinator has grown in knowledge and attended recommended trainings. The County Extension Office is unique in offering the general public a place they can walk in or call without an appointment and receive research based information in a timely fashion.

Private Applicators Training

Continual education for pesticide applicators is important for local farmers and ranchers from Sierra County in order to apply pesticides correctly. Local producers need to be able to use chemicals wisely and in the proper manner to optimize their effectiveness as well as the safety of their neighbors. The agent conducted a pesticide applicators workshop in December with the assistance of the wildlife specialist, water specialist, and the private applicator specialist from NMSU. Participants in the program gained knowledge on sprayer calibration, small vertebrate control, the history of pesticides, and calculating spray area. Fifteen farmers and one rancher attended the workshop. Evaluations from the program showed that 100% were satisfied with the program and all agreed that they gained knowledge that they can apply in the future.

Threatened and Endangers Species
Threatened and endanger species in New Mexico have had negative effects on the economies of most small communities and have set back many ranchers and citizens in Sierra County. The Mexican Gray Wolf reintroduction program has been devastating for ranchers in the Gila area. The agent was approached by several ranchers in Sierra County to assist in anyway possible to help curve potential loses that the program has caused. Surrounding counties have also felt the effect of the program and in an effort to assist these citizens the agents from Catron, Socorro, Grant, and Sierra counties in partnership with the Range Improvement Task Force conducted several meetings to discuss potential solutions. An advisory meeting was held with the land owners to discuss possible options. The final outcome was to conduct a research based analysis to find potential cattle management techniques that could assist ranchers in curving losses, also to development literature and brochures that help identify wolves as well as what to do if there is a depredation and hold trainings for ranchers in collecting data. Follow up meetings were held to train data collectors and hand out collection kits. About forty interested citizens participated in the trainings and advisory meetings. This is an on going process that may assist producers in finding ways to manage for the wolf program and keep ranchers in Sierra County in business.

Noxious Weed and Poisonous Plant Management

Plant identification and management is important in forage production and land value in Sierra County. The more desirable plants that local pastures and rangeland have the more the land is worth. In the past few years ranchers and citizens of Sierra County have had difficult with encroaching poisonous plants and noxious weeds with some range conditions exceeding 40% encroachment. In an effort to educate county clientele on management and identification the agent along with the County Noxious Weed coordinator presented a workshop on “Noxious Weed and Poisonous Plant Management in Sierra County”. Other speakers were the Veterinarian specialist and the Brush and Weed Control specialist from New Mexico State University. Fifteen farmers, ranchers, transportation department, and interested citizens attended the workshop. 95% of those who attended were satisfied with the program and all agreed that they gained knowledge on the topics that were presented. Comments were “good presentation” and “would like to see more programs like this one”.