Vegetation Varies and Why That Matters
Vegetation Varies and Why That Matters
If anyone understands grasslands, it’s the ranchers that steward them on a daily basis. They understand when and how the water flows through them, the way they respond to grazing and where livestock seek shelter from the wind, pests and storms. This knowledge can also include what grasses or shrubs are active on the rangelands and is typically passed down through generations.
Information regarding the vegetation on rangelands can greatly influence the way they are grazed. This is why understanding what grasses, forbs and other plants that are found on your rangelands can be important for the long-term health of the grassland. The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Foundation (SSGF) can assist grassland managers in various ways but typically begin with completing rangeland assessments on their pastures.
A large component of the assessments is focused on the vegetation but also includes the hydrologic function, site stability and erosion. For vegetation, we take note of the expected plant communities for that area and then compare it to the actual plants we are actually seeing in the pasture. Comparing these two can show us if there are signs of increased disturbance from environmental pressures such as drought or heavy grazing or a combination.
When we are looking at the individual plant species that are populating the area, we include how abundant they are. Some grass species, like Northern Wheatgrass or Porcupine Grass, for example, are preferred and will decline under heavy grazing pressure and we refer to these decreasers. They are typically highly productive and more palatable for livestock. On the other hand, we also have increaser plants that will increase under heavy disturbance or grazing pressure. These are plants such as Prairie Sage or Blue Grama Grass. Each grass, forb and shrub species play a vital role in the overall biodiversity of the grasslands and how capable they are of supporting livestock grazing. Taking note of small changes over time and understanding why they are happening can ensure that the grasslands will support livestock for many years to come.
Once we identify which grasses, forbs and shrubs are present, another important aspect for ranchers is to understand the forage value of them. This may be why some grasses in your pasture are being hit harder by grazing while others are left for last. The palatability and the quality of forage can come into play. There could be large amounts of grass present but if they have poor forage quality, the livestock that are grazing there may need to be supplemented in order to raise healthy offspring and rebreed for the next year.
For example, if an area is being grazed harder than normal you may notice an increase in June Grass or Blue Grama and these still provide good forage value although depending on the ecosite, they shouldn’t dominate the population. Opposite of that, if an area is being highly disturbed and Prairie Sage is beginning to take over, that will only provide fair to poor forage value for livestock and alter the ability to graze that pasture.
We also evaluate the ‘layers’ that are present. These ‘layers’ include a mixture of shrubs, forbs, grasses of various heights and the ground cover. Grasslands are known for their incredible diversity and host a variety of plants that differ in size, structure, height and depth/composition of roots. The lichen and club moss cover on grasslands is also considered a layer because they contribute to the soil armour and the ability for the soil to hold onto moisture. When layers are missing, it can indicate stress.
During the assessment if any invasive species are seen, we include them in the report. Some common invasives would be Leafy Spurge, Common Burdock and Canada Thistle but this section also includes non-native grasses such as Crested Wheatgrass and Kentucky Bluegrass. Management for the non-native grasses are approached differently than the invasive weeds. In regards to Kentucky Bluegrass, it is not native but still serves purpose as a grazing resource and elimination is nearly impossible. You cannot selectively graze or spray it so we accept its presence but also acknowledge it does greatly decrease the overall biodiversity of the native grasslands.
Having the SSGF come out and complete an assessment can be a stepping stone into making changes for increasing the production of your pasture. Rangeland assessments are looked at as a snapshot in time and there is no judgement associated with the results. From here, we can look at projects such as cross fencing to protect the warmer season grasses from being grazed too early or rejuvenating a tame grass stand so you can defer your native grass until later in the year. These plans may only be small alterations to the current management strategies the landowner is using. Regardless, we focus on a practical and collaborative approach that the landowner can actually implement with success.
Overall, the SSGF can be looked at as a resource for landowners to reach out to so they can identify the needs of their grasslands before conditions decline. We can also assist landowners in funding projects necessary to make long term positive changes and to provide informational resources for them to make sound management decisions. If you have a project in mind for your grasslands or want to learn more about funding opportunities, contact us for more information.