Intensive grazing Management Under Pivot
Gary Kesler — Holden, Utah
Award amount: $3440

Rotational pasture grazing under pivot irrigation is an innovative approach to grazing systems, especially in Utah. This private grazing lands operation is looking to develop a better way to manage its irrigatable pastures and increase production (pounds of beef) by reducing costs as well as maintain healthy pasture.
Two pivots will be subdivided with electric fence into 6 pastures, grazing 200-250 cow/calf pairs per pivot. The pivots are planted with orchard grass/meadow brome/creeping alfalfa mix and then green chopped in late May; grazing begins 2-3 weeks following this harvest. The cattle are grazed 3-5 days per pasture, depending on forage conditions.
GLCI is participating with funds to help with electric fencing. A soil moisture monitoring system will be put in place as well. Technical support is being provided by USU, USDA-ARS/Forage and Range Res. Lab, and NRCS. Outreach education for this project will be available on the GLCI Web page and on a Website developed by the producer. A field day is planned as well.

Forage Kochia
Glen Wells — Wellington, UT
Award amount: $3472

The Wellington, Utah area struggles with insufficient high quality feed for late-fall grazing in its semi-arid ranges. With ever-increasing loss of public grazing lands, Carbon county's alkaline/saline soil formations, and the need for improved plant material resources, this grazing land project looks to "immigrant" forage Kochia to enhance the desert range.
This project, in cooperation with USU and USDA-ARS, brings three ranches together to reseed 150 acres with single species seeding as well as mixes of each grass cultivator with forage Kochia. This is a 3-year project. County agents and the ranchers will monitor the project. Forage yield of native species presently existing will be compared to the forage of the new plantings.
GLCI funds will help with seed, fencing, ground preparation, and the computerized precipitation monitor. Opportunities to view this project will come from field days, a scientific abstract and extension publication, and information on GLCI's Web page.

Intensive Irrigated pasture Management
Barton Palmer — Tropic, UT
Award amount: $2636

A major problem encountered by private grazing users is determining better utilization of pasture areas. Efficiency and carrying capacity top the list of needs. This particular project is in an area where public lands take up 80% of the land base. The newly created Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument has impacted this producer by decreasing available grazing lands.
In conjunction with NRCS, Canyonlands Soil Conservation District, and ARDL funds, this project hopes to demonstrate that sound, irrigated pasture management and rotational grazing produces more forage in smaller areas. This in turn increases the amount of livestock able to utilize the forage. Historically, marginal pastures stay marginal due to limited income and costs associated with installing irrigation systems.
GLCI recognizes that as public lands used for grazing dwindles, the need to support the private grazing lands with dollars increases. Funding for pipeline, troughs, and seed bed preparation is a tremendous help for projects such as this one.
Outreach opportunities will be coordinated with the GLCI, the local Soil Conservation District, and the Extension Service for tour opportunities.

Riparian/Range Rehabilitation and Management
Allen Henrie — Panguitch, UT
Award amount: $3472

This ranch grazes livestock as well as providing habitat for elk, deer, and sage grouse. But Panguitch Creek, which runs the length of this producer's ranch, is eroded due to irrigation, heavy livestock use, and trails used by fishermen. There is a heavy infestation of rabbit and sage brush along the creek and bench areas. This contributes to erosion and poor grazing for both livestock and wildlife.
This project undertakes the improvement of 1 mile of riparian area through use of fencing and willow planting. An adjoining 200 acres of rabbit brush and sage brush will be treated with herbicides to allow for reseeding of the meadow with native grasses. Four miles of fence will protect riparian and treated areas.
There is a wide diversity of cooperation on this project including USU Extension, NRCS, UACD, Garfield County Weed Department, US Forest Service. The Utah GLCI, EQUIP, and River Network Watershed Assistance are contributing cooperative funding. The Extension Service will be part of the outreach program as well as GLCI and the local newspaper.

Salt Cedar Control Demonstration
Royce Memmott — Scipio, UT
Award amount: $260

The Lower Sevier drainage area is facing a challenge with brush control. DWR and NRCS are cooperating with this land owner to treat 35 acres of salt cedar. A crawler tractor with a rail attached to the dozer will break the plants off, making them more susceptible to herbicide. A chemical sprayer sprayer attached to the tractor will complete the treatment in one operation. A post-treatment management plan includes deferred grazing in the year following the treatment. This project will demonstrate the value of small scale brush control and proper grazing management. It will also help validate recent salt cedar research completed by the DWR that 50-95% of salt cedar treated with this method is killed. GLCI is assisting in the purchase of the herbicide for this project.

Cattle/Sheep Grazing Management, Wildlife Habitat
Charles M. Young, John H. Young, Kelly M. Young —
Promontory, Utah
Award amount: $3472

This operation combines sheep and cattle grazing in rotation on the same lands. The topography of the land causes grazing difficulties due to the natural grazing patterns of the livestock. Sheep naturally traverse the hills and utilize the upper mountain better than the cattle that stay near the bottom. Developing water and cross fencing the area to control grazing and protect riparian areas will improve the efficiency of these operations. Changing the current grazing patterns will utilize the existing feed that presently is underutilized and will rest hard-hit areas.
GLCI and NRCS are key players in this project, providing technical assistance as well as funding to develop the water and trough systems that are livestock and wildlife compatible. The project is in a multiple use area where management of diverse species is a key to a healthy environment.
Outreach plans include working with interested university faculty to arrange for students to observe and/or participate in monitoring activities, movement of livestock, the water development project, or other hands-on educational activities.

Sagebrush Management Using Winter Sheep and Supplements
R. Dennis Watson — Spring City, UT
Award amount: $2131

Large sagebrush can dominate a plant community, thus decreasing biodiversity and producing a monoculture. This in turn decreases the area utilized for grazing by livestock as well as wildlife. Erosion also occurs, further reducing plant diversity. This project will use 40 acres for demonstration of brush suppression by intensive sheep grazing. When leaves and twigs are removed from the sagebrush the buds for regrowth are removed as well. Through extensive and flexible rest and rotation, the suppression of the large sagebrush will allow this producer to utilize a larger tract of land more effectively. Chemicals and mechanical methods are cost prohibitive; using the animals is an ideal way to reach this producer's goal. GLCI is helping with fencing costs. USU Extension will also be an active participant.

Annual Rye Control for Perennial Grass Establishment
James Minton — Kanosh, Utah
Award amount: $3472

Annual rye grass presents a serious competition problem on lands where there is a desire to establish perennial grasses for forage or conservation cover. Experimentation being done by NRCS shows that applying herbicide prior to seeding perennials is improving the seeding of perennials.
This project hopes to test that methodology on 120 acres with and without mechanical fallow. The producer in this instance is converting crop land to grazing land. In previous attempts the seeding of perennials has failed due to heavy competition from the annual rye and drought. The impact potential is a significant reduction in field operations necessary to control annual rye competition, reduced costs, and reduced complexity of operations. GLCI is participating in this project with chemical and application funds.

No-Till Pasture Renovation
Kurt Fowers — Hooper, UT
Award amount: $1685

Nine hundred acres of irrigated pasture on ground located along the Great Salt Lake are this project's home. The ground has been in pasture thirty or more years. The objective of this project is to renovate ten acres as a demonstration for renovation methods. Re-seeding of ground will be done by a custom-built, no-till drill and two other commercially available no-till drills. Comparison studies of the methods will also be conducted.
This acreage is utilized by a feeder cattle operation. The use of a no-till drill would decrease the working of the ground eight to ten times to get an acceptable seed bed, thus decreasing man-hours and equipment costs. ARDL funds are being used to improve the irrigation system to the pastures and GLCI will provide funds for equipment rental, electric fencing, seed and fertilizer.
Outreach plans include tours of the project, with photographs and text available on the GLCI Web site.

Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment
Grantsville SCD — Grantsville, UT
Award amount: $3472

Another cooperative effort being undertaken in Grantsville includes USU Extension, BLM, Toole County, Farm Bureau, DWR, Grantsville Grazing Association, and Tooele High School — just to name a few. This project proposes to demonstrate to local land owners and ranchers the planting of a windbreak and the value of windbreaks on grazing lands. Reluctance to attempt tree establishment has been a barrier in the past for this type of grazing land management.
Livestock distribution, erosion control, shelter for livestock and wildlife are just a few of the benefits of this project. Two windbreak areas will demonstrate the difference in establishing: 1) a system with trickler irrigation and 2) a system without a trickler system, with minimal or no irrigation water to establish and maintain trees. GLCI will assist with electric fencing, trees, and one trickle system. News releases, tours, field days, and the GLCI Web page will follow progress.

Range, Water, Wildlife Habitat Improvement
Von and Sally Krebs — Hyde Park (Trenton), UT
Award amount: $3472

This project involves 200 acres of rangeland in Cache county and intends to improve the producers' ability to graze cattle while improving the condition of the rangeland and enhancing wildlife habitat for deer and upland game birds. WHIP, EQUIP, ARDL, and GLCI are all cooperators in this project. Plans to develop three springs will provide accessible water to deer and will channel overflow into designated natural drainage areas to be accessible for upland game birds, creating an exclusive watering area for wildlife. In addition, a new well will provide additional water for livestock. A combination of portable and permanent fencing will provide improved grazing management capabilities. Grazing will be scheduled based on rangeland conditions, demonstrating the benefits of a rotation deferred grazing system. Outreach plans include organized tours, field days, and workshops. The GLCI Web page will update progress.