CONTENT
- ARCHAEOLOGY (4)
- AUTHORS (1)
- ELK CRISIS (29)
- HABITAT RESTORATION (57)
- NEWS (4)
- PHOTOS (56)
- Uncategorized (1)
- WILDLIFE & HUNTING (41)
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Cows and Plows: Transformation Solutions
Posted by Chris Gill in HABITAT RESTORATION, WILDLIFE & HUNTING on May 13, 2013
Commercial Farm Projects, Courses/Workshops, Land, Livestock, Rehabilitation, Soil Conservation, Water Harvesting —
by Owen Hablutzel May 3, 2013
Though too often vilified, both ‘cows’ and ‘plows’ have proven to be among our most effective and available tools for restoring healthy ecological and eco-agricultural systems in our landscapes. Bucking the trend in conservation that has denounced these tools from early on was Aldo Leopold – perhaps best known for his influential Land Ethic from 1948. In his earlier, groundbreaking book about working with ecosystems and wildlife, Game Management (1933), his preface made the visionary but provocative claim that “Game can be restored by the creative use of the same tools which have heretofore destroyed it — ax, plow, cow, fire, and gun.”
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Circle Ranch Keyline Contrast Photos: 9/4/10
Posted by Chris Gill in HABITAT RESTORATION on September 9, 2010
Regarding our Yeomans Keylining progress, here are the latest photos with my comments:
October 1, 2009. Last summer was dry. I chose this spot because we had bare ground and minimal grass respose to several years of rain. Grass was disappearing within the tarbush community seen beyond the tractor.
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Keylining Bare Ground in Lower Desert
Posted by Chris Gill in HABITAT RESTORATION, PHOTOS on June 9, 2010
This ground is bare except for creosote, which is now dying as erosion continues, and water function deteriorates.
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Planting Cereals in Desert Using Yeomans Plow
Posted by Chris Gill in HABITAT RESTORATION on June 9, 2010
The idea of Keyline/Yeomans is to open soil to root growth by causing all water to soak in where it falls. The patterns hold water on the ridges and valley walls for this purpose. This is quite different conceptually from the ‘divert-and-impound’ mindset, which tends to deal with water after it has already been concentrated. The Yeomans Plow does not invert soil, or kill plants, as do most discs and plows.
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Same Area in May Before 2010 Monsoons
Posted by Chris Gill in HABITAT RESTORATION, PHOTOS on June 5, 2010
This picture shows what winter moisture did for plants between the furrows. Area to right in this picture was not subsoiled; obviously it received the same rainfall.
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