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Grazing for Change - Using Managed Livestock Grazing to Reduce Fire Fuel Loads

Overview

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UC Cooperative Extension is excited to share with you a new publication titled "Grazing For Change - Using Managed Livestock Grazing to Reduce Fire Fuel Loads" and a complimentary website focused on using grazing for fire prevention.  

This project is a collaborative effort of many UC Cooperative Extension advisors, specialists, local grazers and community organizations.

The Grazing for Change publication can help landowners and property managers take an active part in creating a more fire resilient landscape protecting homes, businesses, communities, and natural resources. 

"Managed livestock grazing with goats, sheep, and cattle is one tool homeowners, land managers, communities and public agencies can utilize to reduce fire fuel loads that can lead to catastrophic fires," states Garrett Sjolund, Assistant Chief, CAL FIRE - Butte County. "Myself and other 
firefighters value livestock grazers to reduce the severity, continuity, and size of wildfires."

Copies of the booklet are available by contacting UC Cooperative Extension at smgbrown@ucanr.edu or you can read the booklet below. 

Click here to download complete booklet (this may take a moment to download). 

Table of Contents

Preface - CAL FIRE

Grazing Basics for Controlling Fuels

Building Functional Grazing Leases

Hungry Cows

Grazing for Multiple Benefits

Targeted Grazing Profiles

Hiring a Targeted Grazing Contractor

Multi-species Grazing

Profiles in Ranching

Red Flag Checklist

Wildfire Preparedness at Home

Other Vegetation Management Tools

Combining Tools for Success

Community Resources  

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The University of California (UC) Cooperative Extension is the local UC connection, delivering the power of research in agriculture, natural resources, nutrition and youth development to improve lives and livelihoods in local communities. They conduct locally relevant research and extension programs to address community challenges focused on sustaining fire resiliency, agricultural vitality, enhancing natural resources, youth and leadership development along with helping communities shape sound public policy. The UC Cooperative Extension provides technical assistance through outreach materials, trainings, and site visits to help you implement fuel reduction, forest health practices, and home hardening. The UC Cooperative Extension has advisors across the state who have expertise in livestock, forestry, natural resources, invasive weeds, and more.

Tracy Schohr, Livestock and Natural Resources Advisor, Butte, Plumas and Sierra Counties.
(916) 716-2643, tkschohr@ucanr.edu https://ucanr.edu/sites/Rangelands

Ryan Tompkins, Forestry and Natural Resources Advisor, Plumas, Sierra and Lassen Counties
(530) 283-6125, retompkins@ucanr.edu http://ucce-plumas-sierra.ucanr.edu

Dan Macon, Livestock and Natural Resources Advisor, Placer, Nevada, Sutter and Yuba Counties
(530) 889-7385, dmacon@ucanr.edu http://ucanr.edu/sites/Livestock

 

Appreciation 

Funding for this project was made possible by a Renewable Resources Extension Act Grant 2019-2020.

A special thank you to the guest contributors, grazing managers who shared their stories, and to the reviewers who gave their time to make this project complete. Reviewers include Wolfy Rougle, Holly George, Sam Brown, Katie Roberti, Lizzeth Mendoza, Susan Schohr, Grace Woodmansee, Pamela Kan-Rice and Marisa Stoller.