OCR Text |
Show Messenger-Enterpris- Land rehabilitation ids'll, i' reseeding rejuvenates barren range Supervisory personnel and (Max Call was chairman observers (including this of the Citizens Advisory reporter) were stationed a short Council of the BLM Richfield distance from the fire line and District at the time this across the canyon where observation was excellent and project was undertaken) danger was slight. years ago when helicopter pilot (flying residents of saw Two Sanpete black smoke coming from the Axhandle Mountain northwest of Ephraim, they assumed that it was another accidental range fire, likely started by lightning. Not so. meet As the alone to safety requirements) dropped the first load, the entire line burst into huge flames with thick black smoke billowing high into the air. Successive dumps eventually ignited the entire acreage and the fire was indeed The fire was a controlled spectacular. The roaring of the burn undertaken by the Bureau flames could be distinctly heard of Land Management (BLM) to from the observation point, and rehabilitate over 1200 acres of the heat felt also. range land. No were problems Fire on the forest and experienced with the fire doing rangeland, as well as other anything other than what was places, can be a deadly enemy of planned to do. A breeze of about man. However, in some 25 mph was blowing, which the circumstances it can be an helicopter crew indicated was effective tool for rehabilitation about ideal for the burn. on those lands. In about two hours, the job Forest Service policy has was completed except for the been to let fires some fires burn fire crews policing the area. The themselves out, rather than bum was monitored throughout attempt to put them out. Such the night. action has had positive effects The thick smoke could be on the land burned over. seen all over Sanpete Valley. This controlled burn was However, prevailing winds kept only one of a series of steps to it from populated areas. By rehabilitate the area which, prior evening it had mostly dissipated. to 1988, supported the worst The fire continued burning in infestation of the noxious weed, isolated areas for a few days, musk thistle, on public lands in but never threatened to get outside the perimeter of the Sanpete County. controlled burn. Sanpete County and other Prior to 1988, the site government agencies are waging a crucial battle against this supported old growth sagebrush noxious weed and this burn was and the worst infestation of the noxious weed, part of that effort. musk thistle, on public lands in The burn took place July 15, County. These plants 1988. The fire was set using a Sanpete were using all of the available helicopter and a jellied gasoline . water and nutrients, crowding mixture, similar to the familiar out understory vegetation which napalm developed by the provided forage for wildlife and military. livestock. The lack of diversity The mixture was prepared of plants in this decadent and mixed on the ground in a sagebrush provided poor ground large tank where the gasoline cover with less than 20 of the were soil surface being covered by and an animal mixed to make the highly live vegetation. With this sparse flammable mixture. The mixture vegetation, the area had some is then transferred to an accelerated soil erosion problems. apparatus slung about 50 feet The height of the existing sagebrush cover made it virtually below the helicopter. Triggered to by the pilot, the mixture is impossible spray the area using conventional ground equipment released and ignited at the same to eliminate the musk thistle. time. Ignition is accomplished In 1987 the BLM started by a propane torch, which the command of to the environmental the responds analysis and is material The to pilot. burning planning process rehabilitate spread along the line of flight of this rangeland and control the the helicopter and almost musk thistle. In April, 1988, the instantly ignites the vegetation environmental analysis process with which it comes in contact. was completed, public input The area had natural fire received and incorporated into breaks on three sides and a the analysis, and the livestock fireline was developed on the permittees had agreed to cooperate. other side. The objectives of the were Control fire personnel rehabilitation project were to stationed at strategic areas eliminate and reduce eventually around the perimeter to control musk thistle the population and any burning which threatened for follow-uarea the to get out of control. The hel ipad open was located about two miles from ground control; to improve the the area to be burned and the diversity of vegetation which in helicopter made numerous trips turn would increase forage for to and from the area, dropping livestock, deer and other wildlife its load and returning for another species. The increased stability of that portion of the watershed. load. ct p t f- fV v V l, Early in July of 1988, the first phase of the rehabilitation was begun. The BLM sprayed the project site with a mixture of 2,4-and Banvel, using a fixed wing aircraft This mixture killed the existing musk thistle before much of the seed had t, ' r V , a;: VV ' ' . 1 (Utah PTA Reaching Out) 18 Every Thursday Night, Beginning Oct. for 8 weeks, at 35 W. 2nd N. in Manti Parenting Skills Taught Following STEP approach, using basic principles of choices, mutual and Instructor Dr. Ken Jackson State Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Affiliated with Sanpete Mental Health A Division of First Psychiatric Cost: $10.00, or $8.00 with PTA Membership For more Information call Sanpete PTA Mental Health, 835-418- 1 . . D disseminated. It also killed most of the sagebrush on site. In late July, phase II of rehabilitation was started. This phase involved the controlled burn described above. The third and last phase of the project was to use a rangeland drill to reseed the project area. This work was completed during mid September of 1988. The area was seeded with the rangeland drill, drilling a mixture of Intermediate wheat grass, wheatgrass, smooth brome, ladak alfalfa, yellow sweetclover and small burnet. Was the project successful? crested Very sparse vegetation is evident on this slope prior to the rehabilitation program Now, almost two years later, the musk thistle population has been reduced by an estimated 80. This was done through the spraying, rangeland seeding, and regeneration of native vegetation following the prescribed burn. There are now many perennial species of grasses, forbs and shrubs established on the site. These species compete well with the musk thistle and have not allowed it to regain a strong foothold. The BLM and Sanpete County have entered into a cooperative agreement to continue ground spraying to control the musk thistle. Sanpete County weed control crews are spraying the rehabilitation area and are being funded by the BLM for this portion of the workload. According to Rod Lister, BLM Area Manager, This arrangement After spraying to kill the musk thistle, burning off the area, and then now developing a firm stand of forage vegetation for livestock and wildlife. the entire area is has benefitted public lands and assisted the county." Mr. Lister continued, We are also beginning biological control of musk thistle in this area. We are using a beetle (Rhinocyllus Conicus) the musk thistle beetle which feeds on the flowers of the musk thistle. We are working on establishing a population of this beetle and our hopes are that the beetle will maintain future control." The rehabilitation area now supports a diverse vegetation community of perennial grasses, forbs and shrubs. The BLM rangeland monitoring studies indicate the vegetation cover of the soil surface has increased from below 20 before treatment to approximately 40 at present The increased ground cover has reduced erosion on the site and has helped to stabilize this portion of the watershed. The increased plant production and diversity makes the area more desirable for wildlife and livestock use. This clump of oak which was killed by the bum, already high, coming along nicely. has profuse new growth, nearly two feet Native browse, such as gambel oak and bitterbrush, has resprouted and are now more palatable for grazing animals. from an increase in the amount as well as the different kinds of forage plants available on this ... V- M The livestock will benefit greatly Join a Study Class Page 5 gram successfu Spraying, controlled burn and BY MAX E. CALL Thursday, October 25, 1990 e, rehabilitated rangeland. The livestock permittees, Ralph and Karl Lund and Michael Tyhurst, will not graze the area until next growing season. The permittees have entered into a cooperative agreement with BLM to allow the area two growing seasons rest from livestock grazing. This allows the seeded and native plants time to germinate, become established, and produce seed before they are grazed. The area is normally grazed by sheep during May and June. There are opportunities for similar rehabilitation projects throughout south central Utah which would benefit the multiple uses of public lands," Lister said. BLM personnel study plants now growing readily on rejuvenated rangeland. |