Authors
Paul E Hosten, Henry Whitridge, Dulcey Schuster, John Alexander
Publication date
2007
Description
This paper describes range management related practices to provide a historic and landscape context for studies examining the influence of livestock on objects of biological interest within the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. Historic records show livestock numbers increased rapidly following initial settlement by Euro-Americans. Anecdotal data suggests that stocking rates early in the last century were greater than current stocking rates by at least an order of magnitude. Historic unregulated season-long use of the uplands during the spring, summer and fall resulted in severe environmental degradation. Disagreements between livestock operators and the desire of agency personnel to improve the condition of the range led to large-scale fencing and concomitant water development projects. Such projects contributed to improved livestock control in riparian areas, a retardation of livestock movement to higher elevations, and improved livestock dispersion in the absence of herding. Observation of livestock use on upland shrubs and winter deer dieback resulted in exclusion studies culminating in more precise timing of livestock use to preserve the browse resource for native ungulates at lower elevations. While livestock use of shrubs at lower elevations has been reduced, use of upland shrubs at the end of the grazing season continues in moderate to high use areas accessible to livestock. Large-scale patterns of livestock use are associated with environmental factors such as elevation, soil texture, and management factors such as distance from water-source, distance from roads, and past vegetation manipulations. Activities associated with …
Total citations
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