- Author: Mary Burich, CLEAR Center
Are cattle a secret weapon for taking on California wildfires?
California's cattle ranchers contribute a significant amount to the region's culture, economy and food supply, but do they also inadvertently help to temper the wildfires that have been plaguing the state? And if so, is it a better alternative – environmentally speaking – to letting grasslands burn?
A new study published in the journal Sustainability delves into the topic, weighing the advantages – and disadvantages – grazing cattle bring to the table. Researchers, including scientists from University of California, Davis and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, set out to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions of cows consuming vegetation that would otherwise burn in wildfires. Then they estimated the GHG emissions that would result should that forage be untouched and therefore, consumed by fire, eventually comparing the two.
Feeling the burn
Given the severity of California's recent wildfires and the belief they will continue and even escalate in the near future, it's a discussion worth having, said Frank Mitloehner, an expert in animal agriculture and air quality from UC Davis, director of the CLEAR Center and one of the researchers who contributed to the peer-reviewed article.
“Each year from 2010 to 2020, California lost on average 89,000 acres of grassland to wildfires,” said Mitloehner, who is also a Cooperative Extension specialist. “In addition to the obvious disruption and devastation they caused, the fires spewed greenhouse gases and harmful particulate matter such as black carbon into the air and into our atmosphere. Those alone threaten climate health and human well-being.”
A fast and furious gas
Cattle are adept at eliminating herbaceous fuel as they graze. However, at the same time, their specialized digestive system produces methane that is expelled most often in the form of enteric emissions … more commonly known as belches. By way of background, methane is a potent greenhouse gas that warms the atmosphere at 25 times the rate of carbon dioxide over 100 years. But it's only in the atmosphere for 10 to 12 years after it's emitted. Following that, it's broken down into carbon dioxide and water vapor.
For that reason, Mitloehner refers to methane as a “fast and furious” gas. Furious because it warms with a vengeance and fast because it does so for only a short time, especially when compared to carbon dioxide. Furthermore, because of the biogenic carbon cycle, whereby plants extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for photosynthesis, the warming of methane and its byproducts can end entirely when it's hydrolyzed and used by plants.
How researchers calculated emissions
In order to determine if grazing, methane-emitting cattle are better for the atmosphere than burning grasslands, Mitloehner and the other researchers employed a method known as “Monte Carlo simulation,” a mathematical technique used by scientists to predict outcomes of an uncertain event.
Looking exclusively at methane emissions, they found it's better to have cows eat vegetation than to have wildfires burn it. Granted, it's only marginally better, but when one considers other advantages of animal agriculture and conversely, other disadvantages of widespread, uncontrolled fire, the conversation suddenly shifts.
“Even if cattle provided no other benefit to us, which certainly is not true, we can now make the case that they are helpful to us in yet another way,” Mitloehner said.
Friends or foes?
It goes without saying that one would be hard pressed to find much good to say about wildfires, but that doesn't hold true for animal agriculture. The industry provides jobs and supports the economy in other ways as well. Plus, it is a major source of protein-rich food that is in increasing demand as the world's population continues on a trajectory toward 10 billion people by the year 2050.
Where global warming is concerned, the industry is in the unique position of being able to reach net-zero warming, also known as climate neutrality, if it continues to aggressively chip away at its methane emissions, which Mitloehner asserts is of critical importance to the planet. “Few other sectors can reduce its warming to net zero and still be of service to society, but agriculture can because of the way methane behaves in the atmosphere,” he said.
To be clear, grazing cows are no match for wildfires. Yet, in addition to everything else the sector does for us, slowing the burn and keeping relatively more methane from entering the atmosphere are not nothing.
In addition to Mitloehner, authors of the study are Cooperative Extension advisors Sheila Barry, Devii Rao and Theresa Becchetti; Rowan Peterson, Ermias Kebreab and Minju Jung of UC Davis; and Felix Ratcliff and Kaveh Motamed of LD Ford.
This article was first published on the website of the CLEAR (Clarity and Leadership for Environmental Awareness and Research) Center at UC Davis.
/h3>/h3>/h3>/h3>/h3>- Author: Devii R. Rao
- Posted by: Gale Perez
UC Cooperative Extension San Benito County is going to collaborate with San Jose State University to develop a CAL FIRE Forest Health Research grant proposal. We are interested in looking at different methods to control coyote brush (Baccharis pilularis). Coyote brush is a native shrub. However, it invades our coastal prairie grasslands, which are already in decline and are home to many native and special status plants and wildlife, not to mention being valuable forage for livestock. We already conducted a pilot study looking at different treatments (chainsaw, masticating, and crushing) prior to a prescribed burn to see which pre-burn treatments allow the burn to be more successful in controlling the coyote brush. And we are hoping to expand this study!
We are looking for landowners who would be interested in collaborating with us on the project, if it gets funded. Please take less than 5 minutes to fill out this survey to let us know if you've tried to control coyote brush in the past, how it has worked, and if you'd be interested in being part of this study.
If you are interested in reading more about the pilot study, below is the study abstract from the 2022 California Native Plant Society Conference:
Some combinations of mechanical pre-treatment & prescribed fire increase shrub mortality in Baccharis pilularis (coyote brush) encroached coastal prairie restoration, presented by Dr. Kate Wilkin
California coastal prairies have undergone dramatic woody encroachment by shrubs, including Baccharis pilularis (coyote brush). The conversion of grasslands to shrublands alters many key ecosystem services for this endangered and important habitat. These prairies, like prairies around the world, were likely maintained to be free of shrubs by frequent Indigenous burning. Many land managers have tried to remove coyote brush, but this resilient native plant is a tenacious resprouter. One technique, prescribed fire, is often difficult to apply in encroached coastal prairies because of the narrow burn windows allowed for public safety, which often do not allow more intense prescribed fires to occur. To expand the burn window and improve the shrub removal efficacy of this treatment, we completed mechanical treatments (mastication, crush, and sawing) before prescribed fire. Saw pre-treatment increased dead surface fuels, fire behavior, and shrub mortality more than other treatments. Mastication increased these factors as well, but to a lesser extent. Crushing and the control were similar. While saw and mastication pre-treatments were better than our alternatives, they had very low shrub mortality (11 and 6% respectively). We plan to complete another prescribed fire to determine if we can improve shrub mortality further.
Devii Rao is the UC Cooperative Extension San Benito County Director and Area Livestock and Natural Resources Advisor. she also covers Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.
Original source: UCCE Livestock & Range blog.
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- Posted by: Gale Perez
If you missed the Managing Weeds in Grasslands and Rangelands 2021 online event (Oct. 19, 2021 • 9 AM-12 noon PST), you're in luck. We have the recordings of each presentation here.
Managing Weeds in Grasslands and Rangelands (2021)
Moderator • Whitney Brim-DeForest, Sutter-Yuba County Director and Rice Advisor, UCCE Sutter-Yuba, Placer, and Sacramento Counties
UC Weed RIC YouTube channel
INDIVIDUAL recordings
Grassland and rangeland weeds in California • Rebecca Ozeran, Livestock and Natural Resources Advisor, UCCE Fresno and Madera Counties
Dusting rangelands with compost: examining the potential benefits • Scott Oneto, Farm Advisor, UCCE Central Sierra (El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras, and, Tuolumne Counties)
Grazing for weed control—are weeds palatable and nutritious, or just a nuisance and poisonous? • Royce Larsen, Area Natural Resource/Watershed Advisor, UCCE San Luis Obispo, Monterey, and Santa Barbara Counties
Updates on recent weed control trials in north eastern California • Tom Getts, Weed Ecology and Cropping Systems Advisor, UCCE Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, and Sierra Counties
Managing weedy grasses in grasslands in southern California • Chris McDonald, San Bernardino County Co-Director and Inland and Desert Natural Resources Advisor, UCCE San Bernardino, Imperial, Riverside, and San Diego Counties
Key ecological principles to guide adaptive management of grassland weeds under variable conditions • Valerie Eviner, Professor and Ecologist, Dept. of Plant Sciences, UC Davis
The UCCE Central Sierra office is selling the Weed Control in Natural Areas in the Western United States book at a discounted price of $30 USD total (includes tax + shipping). The book regularly sells at $37 USD (does not include tax + shipping.) The discounted price is good until inventory is depleted. Get them while they are in stock!
To order, click this link (https://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=32523) or contact Erica Malaspino [emalaspino@ucanr.edu, (209) 223-6482.]
Thank you UCCE Central Sierra office!
This online event was sponsored by
UC Cooperative Extension • UC Davis Dept. of Plant Sciences • UC Weed Research & Information Center
- Posted by: Gale Perez
Tuesday, October 19, 2021
9:00 AM-12:00 PM (Pacific Time)
The latest information on weed control will be presented at the Managing Weeds in Grasslands and Rangelands online event.The lineup of UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) and UC Davis experts will discuss basic ecology and biology of common weeds in California rangelands, potential benefits of dusting rangelands with compost, grazing for weed control (palatable and nutritious or a nuisance and poisonous), invasive weed control research projects in Northeastern California, weeds in grassland in Southern California, and key ecological principles to guide management of grassland weeds.
COST
$20.00 if received by Oct. 15, 2021
$30.00 if received after Oct. 15, 2021
Last day to register is 5 PM (Pacific Time) on Oct. 18, 2021.
Click here for the AGENDA.
Click here TO REGISTER.
REFUND POLICY
No refunds will be granted for this event.
CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT (for California)
This event is approved for the following continuing education credit:
- 2.5 "Other" DPR credit for PCAs, QALs, QACs, Private Applicators (PACs). To receive DPR credit, you must attend the entire event, answer all the poll questions, and receive a score of 70% or better on the FINAL EXAM. Instructions for the FINAL EXAM will be emailed to attendees after the event.
- CCAs >> pending approval
QUESTIONS
- Program: Whitney Brim-DeForest [wbrimdeforest@ucanr.edu or (530) 822-7515]
- Logistics/registration: Gale Perez [gperez@ucdavis.edu]
If you missed the Managing Weeds in Grasslands and Rangelands in the Context of Fire in California webinar on Nov. 18, 2020 (9 AM-12 noon PST), you're in luck. We have the recordings of each presentation here.
Managing Weeds in Grasslands and Rangelands
in the Context of Fire in California
Click for FULL WEBINAR recording
Moderator ▪ Whitney Brim-DeForest, Sutter-Yuba County Director and Rice Advisor, UCCE Sutter-Yuba, Placer, and Sacramento Counties ▪ CONTACT INFORMATION
INDIVIDUAL recordings
Rangelands, fire and weeds–an ecological overview ▪ Rebecca Ozeran, Livestock and Natural Resources Advisor, UCCE Fresno and Madera Counties ▪ CONTACT INFORMATION
Grassland management to influence fire severity and post-fire recovery in California ▪ Valerie Eviner, Professor and Ecologist, Dept. of Plant Sciences, UC Davis ▪ CONTACT INFORMATION
Prescribed fire and herbicide to control yellow starthistle ▪ Devii Rao, San Benito County Director and Livestock and Natural Resources Advisor, UCCE San Benito, Monterey, and Santa Cruz Counties ▪ CONTACT INFORMATION
Managing invasive annual grasses and fire in the Intermountain Region ▪ Tom Getts, Weed Ecology and Cropping Systems Advisor, UCCE Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, and Sierra Counties ▪ CONTACT INFORMATION
Weeds in grasslands: fire, fuels and restoration ▪ Chris McDonald, San Bernardino County Co-Director and Inland and Desert Natural Resources Advisor, UCCE San Bernardino, Imperial, Riverside, and San Diego Counties ▪ CONTACT INFORMATION
Managing invasive grasses in annual rangelands ▪ Scott Oneto, Farm Advisor, UCCE Central Sierra (El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras, and, Tuolumne Counties) ▪ CONTACT INFORMATION
To order, click this link: https://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=32523 or contact Erica Malaspino at emalaspino@ucanr.edu or (209) 223-6482.
Thanks UCCE Central Sierra office!
The webinar was sponsored by
UC Cooperative Extension • UC Davis Dept. of Plant Sciences • UC Weed Research & Information Center