Value of University of Arizona Cooperative Extension’s Involvement in Immediate Post-Wallow Fire Grazing Recovery
The University of Arizona Cooperative Extensionparticipated in cooperative efforts to monitor rangelandrecovery and assess forage availability after the Wallow Fire that provided critical information supporting the Forest Service’s decision to allow grazing to resume on allotments
earlier than originally anticipated. Enhancement and use of the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Vegetation GIS Data System software allowed Forest Service and University personnel to quickly record and analyze ecological data. This ecological data was important to determining
the response of vegetation to provide forage for livestock and wildlife. Estimates of benefits to ranchers from earlier resumption of grazing on their allotments range from $12,241 to $52,835 per allotment. Estimates of total rancher benefits range from $477,410 to $2,060,577.
AZ1749-2017
Keywords:
- fire
- rangeland
- rangeland monitoring
- ecological data
- ranchers
- forest service
Publication Date:
November 2017
AZ1749-2017
Pages:
3 p.