Author
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Ries, Ronald |
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NILSON, D - BASIN ELECTRIC-GLENHAROLD |
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Submitted to: American Society of Agronomy
Publication Type: Book / Chapter Publication Acceptance Date: 6/21/1999 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: In 1979, ASA, CSSA, and SSSA published a book entitled "Reclamation of Drastically Disturbed Lands". This book is being revised and the new book will be published in the Agronomy Series by the above Societies. Chapter 33, "Reclamation considerations for range, pasture, and hay lands receiving less than 66 cm of annual precipitation", is included to review the reclamation considerations of range, pasture, and hay land in the West. The western concepts and requirements are quite different from the concepts for pastures and hay land of the more humid East. This chapter addresses establishment and management techniques used in the West that are most likely to result in successful reclamation of disturbed areas. Native range and wood land establishment and management are considered from an ecosystem approach; while, pasture and hay lands are considered from an agro-ecosystem approach. Rangelands are required to provide for multiple land uses and be self sustaining with minimal outside inputs of capital, labor, and continuing cultural management. Pasture and hay lands are managed for forage production for grazing or occasional hay harvests with continuing economic outside inputs of capital, labor, and cultural management. Technical Abstract: After natural or human caused land disturbances, there is a need to restore landscape stability and productivity to the area. These disturbed areas are partially or totally devoid of vegetation and often of suitable plant growth medium. While recovery of disturbed landscapes will occur naturally through ecological succession, it is often necessary to expedite recovery to limit off site environmental damages and facilitate implementation of the postmining land use capability. Landscape reconstruction, soil replacement, and seeding in concert with ecological succession are important aspects for the successful reclamation/restoration of disturbed areas. This chapter addresses reclamation establishment and management techniques that are important for meeting the land use capability of range, pasture, and hay lands. Native rangeland and woodland establishment and management are considered from an ecosystem approach; while, pasture and hay lands are considered from an agro-ecosystem approach. Many of the establishment and management techniques available are applicable to either land designation. These include plant species selection, cultural practices, and early manipulative or long-term management practices involving grazing, mowing, burning, fertilizing, selective herbicide application, and reinforcement seeding. |
