Conservation - Pitchstone Waters (Page 34)

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Conservation

A collection of 837 posts

Cows & Quail

Cows and Quail was a successful presentation on the use of domestic animals to help wildlife and habitat. 39 ranchers managing 530,000 acres attended. Here is a summary of the event: Cows and Quail Program – 2012 from Pitchstone Waters Here is an excellent article on how to use cows

Circle Ranch - Pronghorn Decline

Explaining Pronghorn Decline: The Answer is Hidden in Plain Sight

Pronghorn is an iconic American native species and, the only large game animal in the United States which evolved on this continent. In the days of the vast buffalo herds, pronghorn numbers possibly approached 50 million: they may have outnumbered bison! In those days these animals were found from Saskatchewan

Circle Ranch - Sacaton

Science and Range Scientists

When we bought Circle Ranch in 1999 it had been continuously ranched since about 1881, using domestic livestock like horses, sheep, goats, and cattle. Our intention was not to graze. We had been taught by the range “experts” that if you love your land, you protect it from livestock; if

Burros and Bio-Diversity: The Rest of the Story

"Invasion Biology"

Burros and Bio-Diversity: The Rest of the Story

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has slated wild burros for eradication at Big Bend Ranch State Park, as part of a general program to remove all “exotics” from all state-owned land it manages in far-West Texas, under the belief that burros and several other species:(1) do not “belong”

Studies of Nomadic Grazers on the Serengeti

Studies of Nomadic Grazers on the Serengeti

While there is a growing body of comparative research between holistic planned grazing vs. conventional grazing of domestic animals like cattle, goats and sheep, there is a relative-lack of information on how nomadic herds interact with intact wild grasslands. This is logical: almost no wild grasslands are left to study!

Circle Ranch Indian Cave

Circle Ranch Indian Cave

At Circle Ranch we have what may be the most important unexplored cave dwelling in far-West Texas: A large cave which occurs in one of our limestone escarpments. It is about 200-feet above the desert floor and 100 feet below the escarpment top. The cave measures roughly 80’ by 80’

Circle Ranch - Genuine Land Stewardship

Genuine Land Stewardship

Reprinted in its entirety below is an excellent article by our friend, Steve Nelle, entitled Genuine Land Stewardship. Steve is a range and wildlife scientist who has enjoyed a long and successful career in the National Resources Conservation Service. Steve Nelle on Genuine Land Stewardship In this article Steve quotes

TPWD Habitat Survey at Circle Ranch

"Invasion Biology"

TPWD Habitat Survey at Circle Ranch

In late fall of 2010 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department conducted a habitat survey at Circle Ranch, to see if our many cattle and other species including so called “exotics” were harming habitat through “competition”. As confirmed by this report, TPWD biologists found the opposite to be true. It turns

Roads and Erosion: #3 of 3: Results of Treatments of Substandard Ranch Roads

Roads and Erosion: #3 of 3: Results of Treatments of Substandard Ranch Roads

Most old roadbeds are simply abandoned after they become impassible. S.O.P. is to move over a vehicle-width, and start a new path. When that wears out, do it again, and so forth. Near Santa Fe, there are places where the old Camino Real has thirty-five abandoned beds, side-by-side.

Roads and Erosion #2 of 3: Addressing The Destructive Erosion of Substandard Ranch Roads

Roads and Erosion #2 of 3: Addressing The Destructive Erosion of Substandard Ranch Roads

In the summer of 2007, Circle Ranch together with the Dixon Water Foundation, sponsored a road seminar at Circle Ranch. Attendees came from as far as the Navaho Nation in Arizona. Bill Zeedyk, noted erosion expert from Albuquerque taught our class. Above – he is showing different road-drainage profiles. Here we

Roads and Erosion: #1 of 3

Roads and Erosion: #1 of 3

Pictured here is a typical gully. It was caused by a road which triggered an upward-moving headset. How can you tell an active gully? Whenever the sides of a gully are vertical, the gully is unstable. These drain pastures and ‘bleed’ moisure out of the water table on both sides.

Christopher Gill to Editor of Big Bend Sentinel on Elk Removals by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Christopher Gill to Editor of Big Bend Sentinel on Elk Removals by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

I felt that several comments made by TPWD Executive Director, Carter Smith, defending elk removals, needed rebuttal.