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Range Management for New Mexico (Colfax County)

Plan Goal

Ranchers, with agency involvement, will be able to monitor ranges and understand why changes in the range condition occur and take appropriate management actions if needed. Ranchers will be able to take preemptive measures in reducing poisonous plant loss

Situation Statement

At least 90% of Colfax County is classified as rangeland. In addition to traditional range management issues and programs, conflicts often arise between ranchers, environmentalists and land management agencies regarding goals and objectives of natural resource management. This is especially true on federal land and state trust land. Agencies (NRCS)are not going to monitor range land as intensely in the future and therefore ranchers should implement a monitoring program on their rangelands in order to have a data base of range inventory and trend. Additionally, monitoring programs will allow management decisions to be made in an informed manner. Livestock and wildlife interaction continues to be a major challenge in keeping ranges properly stocked when wildlife numbers, such as elk, continue to expand. Poisonous plants have always been a problem to New Mexico ranchers. Toxic plants inflict about $2 million loss on the state’s livestock industry annually. Direct losses are the most obvious. Indirect losses such as loss of carrying capacity, low weaning weights and reduced calf crops are less obvious but are a greater economic drain. Producers and land management personnel need to communicate more effectively and this can only be accomplished when all parties understand each other's goals and objectives for the rangelands they manage and control.

Target Audience and Actions

Target audience is private land ranchers,and ranchers who use federal and state trust land. Federal and state land management employees will also be educated and encouraged to “buy in” to a rancher initiated monitoring system. Ranchers and people interested in vegetation management will be informed as to management options for locoweed and other poisonous plants. County producers, State and federal land management agencies, and sportsman groups will be the primary targets regarding livestock and wildlife interactions and the carrying capacity of rangelands. Federal and state agencies and rancher, will be the primary partners in developing and conducting range monitoring programs. USDA Poisonous Plant Lab scientists and NMSU Agriculture Experiment Station researchers are major partners in developing poisonous plant management options.

Short-Term Objectives

20% of area ranchers and land managers will be able to monitor ranges and understand why changes in the range condition occur and take appropriate management actions if needed. Two producers will impliment and maintain range monitoring techniques in collaboration with CES to better understand range health and profitability of good range health.

Medium-Term Objectives

Range monitoring manuals that cover range, riparian, soil erosion, water quality and wildlife population inventory and monitoring techniques will be distributed annually and as revised editions become available to 75% of the land managers and producers. An annual update of locoweed research and management recommendations will be conducted in the county and area using USDA/ARS Poisonous Plant Lab and New Mexico State University researchers with 25% participation from producers. At least 4 producers will impliment and maintain range monitoring techniques in collaboration with CES to better understand range health and profitability of good range health.

Long-Term Objectives

At least three in-depth range monitoring demonstrations will be presented each year. Updates of research findings in locoweed management will be presented annually. One hundred percent of land managers and producers will have the opportunity to participate and 25% will gain usable management skills to cope with natural disasters and weed problems. At least 6 producers will impliment and maintain range monitoring techniques in collaboration with CES to better understand range health and profitability of good range health.

Evaluation Plan

One on one interviews will be conducted with participants to evaluate the effectivness of the training and demonstration activities. Formal evaluations will be developed and administered along with observations and interviews with producers and land managers evaluating knowledge, skill, and attitude changes based on demonstrations, trainings, and educational material.