healing big burns, in partnership with animals

REAL REAL ENVIRONMENTALISTSENVIRONMENTALISTS

In Partnership With In Partnership With AnimalsAnimals

HEALING BIG HEALING BIG BURNS!BURNS!

As another round of As another round of wildfires ravages the West,wildfires ravages the West,

the question arises, as it does every year...the question arises, as it does every year...

WhatWhat’’s the best way to get plants s the best way to get plants growing quickly on land now so growing quickly on land now so susceptible to flash flooding and susceptible to flash flooding and catastrophic erosion?catastrophic erosion?

In the 1980s a couple of innovative In the 1980s a couple of innovative ranchers discovered that the most ranchers discovered that the most effective way to heal very damaged land effective way to heal very damaged land is by enlisting the help of animals.is by enlisting the help of animals.

This is a pile of copper mine tailings near This is a pile of copper mine tailings near Globe, Arizona — a pile of sterile rock Globe, Arizona — a pile of sterile rock dust 300 feet high and 1,100 acres huge.dust 300 feet high and 1,100 acres huge.

In 1989 an Arizona rancher spread seeds and In 1989 an Arizona rancher spread seeds and hay on that pile and enlisted the help of hay on that pile and enlisted the help of cows to till-in and fertilize the mix.cows to till-in and fertilize the mix.

Note: This is not a grazing program. In most cases thereNote: This is not a grazing program. In most cases there’’s s nothing to graze. This is a land restoration process nothing to graze. This is a land restoration process employing animals as the primary restorers.employing animals as the primary restorers.

In 1989 an Arizona rancher spread seeds and In 1989 an Arizona rancher spread seeds and hay on that pile and enlisted the help of hay on that pile and enlisted the help of cows to till-in and fertilize the mix.cows to till-in and fertilize the mix.

This is the result.This is the result. Before

AfterAfter - Grass all the way to the top. - Grass all the way to the top.

on a gold mine in Nevada.on a gold mine in Nevada.

HereHere’’s another example of s another example of working with animals to heal working with animals to heal very damaged land...very damaged land...

Two Nevada ranchers tackled that Two Nevada ranchers tackled that challenge with seeds, hay, and cows.challenge with seeds, hay, and cows.

Gold mine near Austin, Nevada, October 1989Gold mine near Austin, Nevada, October 1989•Restoration is in progress. Restoration is in progress. •Seeds have been spread.Seeds have been spread.•Cows are eating, trampling and fertilizing.Cows are eating, trampling and fertilizing.

Same mine 8 months after restoration.Same mine 8 months after restoration.

1 year 1 year after after

restorationrestoration

This land was burned by a large wildfire This land was burned by a large wildfire near Grand Junction, Colorado, 4 years near Grand Junction, Colorado, 4 years before this photo was taken. before this photo was taken.

So, what does this have to do with fire? So, what does this have to do with fire?

It was a big fire. It was a big fire.

In this case, a flock of sheep provided In this case, a flock of sheep provided the the ““restoration workers.restoration workers.””

The results one year later.The results one year later.

BeforeBeforeAfterAfter

These photos were taken in May 2011.These photos were taken in May 2011.

The Schultz Pass Fire near Flagstaff, The Schultz Pass Fire near Flagstaff, Arizona, burned in June 2010. Arizona, burned in June 2010.

The fire burned so hot it caused rocks to The fire burned so hot it caused rocks to split. The intense heat sterilized the soil split. The intense heat sterilized the soil and capped it with a rain-repelling crust.and capped it with a rain-repelling crust.

When a storm dumped 2 inches of rain on When a storm dumped 2 inches of rain on those crusted slopes it caused a huge those crusted slopes it caused a huge flashflood, one fatality, and much damage flashflood, one fatality, and much damage to nearby homes and property.to nearby homes and property.

To keep that from happening again, To keep that from happening again, an effort to revegetate the land an effort to revegetate the land included dropping bales of straw included dropping bales of straw from helicopters.from helicopters.

Not tilled into the soil, the straw Not tilled into the soil, the straw remained on the surface to wash remained on the surface to wash or blow away.or blow away.

2121

The same tactic (spreading straw The same tactic (spreading straw without tilling) was tried after a large without tilling) was tried after a large wildfire threatened Arizonawildfire threatened Arizona’’s s spectacular Oak Creek Canyon with spectacular Oak Creek Canyon with catastrophic flooding.catastrophic flooding.

2222

How well do animals counter erosion by tilling in added organic material?

The Globe mine restoration cattle trampled organic matter 12 inches and more into the loose tailings creating a foot of living soil.

How well does that resist erosion?

This is that same Globe This is that same Globe mine slope still mine slope still resisting erosion (and resisting erosion (and getting a little touchup) getting a little touchup) 17 years after 17 years after restoration.restoration.

BeforeBefore

BeforeBefore

The question is, if animal-aided The question is, if animal-aided revegetation can turn challenges revegetation can turn challenges like this...like this...

into successes like this...into successes like this...

and this...and this...

Why arenWhy aren’’t we using animal-assisted t we using animal-assisted methods to turn land devastated by methods to turn land devastated by

wildfire...wildfire...

into green growing land like this?into green growing land like this?