Sherm Swanson, Associate Professor, CABNR, University of Nevada, Reno Dry summers force sage grouse broods onto private and public riparian meadows where chicks grow into adults. Riparian grazing management works best with recovery periods, creating green moist fuel breaks. Well placed mechanical fuel breaks usually increase perennials needed to resist cheatgrass and other invasive species. Properly managed grazing helps upland perennials survive, even in fires. Wild and free-roaming horse habitats depend on maintaining herds at appropriate levels. Otherwise, herds and costs grow exponentially as habitats permanently degrade. So, good things happen when managers manage.

2. The three greatest threats to the greater sage-grouse are:
invasive species and fire,
invasive species and fire,
invasive species and fire. Ted Koch, USFWS
Nevada has two really big fire problems: Way too much fire,
and not nearly enough fire Gruell and Swanson 2012
What matters is what comes after the fire, if it is a resilient
landscape that supports sagebrush ecosystems, the fire may
have done ecological good for sage-grouse
Ted Koch, USFWS
It is all about resistance and resilience

3. Reisner, M.D., et al. 2013. Conditions favouring Bromus
tectorum dominance of endangered sagebrush steppe
ecosystems. J. Applied Ecology
• Concluded that passive restoration by “reducing cumulative
cattle grazing” may be one of the most effective means of
achieving high bunchgrass cover and diversity.
• However, they did not consider season,
duration, or rotation of use.
• Most of the sites they studied would have been grazed during
the growing season for long periods in big pastures, to have a
piosphere.

4. http://www.smokedbear.com/contest/

5. http://www.examiner.co
m/article/baby-elephant-
hugs-keeper-tender-scene-
between-calf-and-keeper-
caught-on-camera

6. http://www.examiner.co
m/article/baby-elephant-
hugs-keeper-tender-scene-
between-calf-and-keeper-
caught-on-camera
Management

7. • Documentation phase (late 70’s)
• Recognition and protection phase (mid to
late 80’s)
• Learning how to graze phase (early 90’s to
now)
• Adaptive management phase?
– why?
– how?
The Elko District, Riparian Story

8. Documentation phase
1978?

9. Protection phase
1980s

10. 1980s

11. 1980s
1990s

12.  fall/spring/rest
 spring annually
 spring/rest
 winter/spring/rest
 spring/fall/rest/hot
 hot/spring/rest
 hot/rest/winter
 spring/fall/hot
 spring/hot/fall/winter/rest
 Fall/ spring
 Fall annually
 Winter
 Winter/rest

13. Season-long
Grazing
Spring Grazing

14. Season-long Grazing
1996: 5 years intermittent early
(mostly April) and late fall (mid
Oct. or Nov. to Dec.).
1991
1999
Cool-season Grazing

15. 1988
2008
Season-long
Grazing
Rotation with
Spring, Rest,
and Hot Season
Grazing

16. West Fork Beaver Creek,
Horse Field, Beaver Creek
Allotment. S-10, T-1, down.
6-14-88.
West Fork Beaver Creek, Horse Field,
Beaver Creek Allotment. S-10, T-1,
down. 7-21-99. Rest 1994 and 1995;
1996 unknown; 1997 first week
October cow-calf pairs; 1998 2 weeks
August cow-calf pairs and small
number domestic horses season-long.
1988
1999
Hot season
Grazing.
Varied Season & Intensity

17. South Fork Salmon Falls
Creek, Little Quakey
Riparian Pasture, O’Neil
Allotment. S-42, down. 10-
10-79. Use unknown.
South Fork Salmon Falls
Creek, Little Quakey
Riparian Pasture,
O’Neil Allotment. S-42,
down. 7-26-99.
1979
1999
Riparian Pasture

18. Often Precluding Riparian
Functions and Recovery
Often Allowing and Supporting
Riparian Functions
Long season of use Short duration
Little time for regrowth Long recovery periods
Late use Regrowth before winter
Consistent timing of use Mix up the timing year to year
Selective use Even use
Annual growing season use Occasional rest
Large pasture Riparian pasture
No woody recovery Stutter deferred
No riding or stockmanship Riding, herding, and stockmanship
Stragglers Cleaned pastures

19. Often Precluding Riparian
Functions and Recovery
Often Allowing and Supporting
Riparian Functions
Sustained Heavy use Moderate-light intensity
Season-long use Graze early
Hot or dry growing season use Cool season use
No riding or stockmanship Riding, herding, and stockmanship
Riparian water only Off-stream waters
Salt on the creeks Scattered salt/supplement
Retain riparian dwellers Select for hill climbers
Cow-calf pairs Yearling cattle, steers, and or sheep

21.  Streams change
 The environment
changes
 The interaction of the
two is dynamic

32. Ideally, Mowed areas will
retain resilience and
mowing will increase
resistance
• Sagebrush remained on most of
76 plots across Nevada
• No or few annuals or exotics 
no or few annuals or exotics
• Perennials & native forbs
increased > annuals on 75%
• Perennials & native forbs >
annuals on 80%
Mowed sagebrush Fuel Breaks

33. If not retaining resilience
and increasing resistance,
does mowing usefully
break up fuel continuity?
This may depend on
post mowing fuels
management such as
prescribed grazing

34. Good things happen when managers manage!

35. Photo by Gale Dupree
What is most important to sage grouse?
• Required sagebrush and riparian habitats remain
resistant and resilient

36. We cannot do nothing!