Patch-burn grazing is a practice that requires an understanding of the interaction of fire and grazing (pyric herbivory) (for more information check out www.theprairieproject.org). It divides a pasture into pieces/patches, with one burn rotationally each year. It helps control woody plant encroachment and provides high-quality forages. Despite these known benefits, the adoption of this practice by ranchers has been slow and limited. This study focused on the benefits of patch-burn grazing by estimating the costs and long-term economic benefits. Additionally, researchers compared patch-burning to traditional applications of prescribed fire burning fenceline to fenceline or an entire pasture at once with a 3-year fire return interval.
East Texas Landowners: $800,000 Available for Prescribed Burning
Texas A&M Forest Service grant application period is now open and will close September 30, 2024 for prescribed fire grants awarded to East Texas Landowners.
To determine if you are eligible to apply and to access the online application, be sure to visit the Texas A&M Forest Service Site. There have been some changes this year including the name, eligible area for the program and rate changes. In addition, the recipient of this award must be a licensed or utilize a contractor who is licensed by the Texas Department of Agriculture as a certified and insured prescribed burn manager. Texas A&M Forest Service does not conduct the prescribed burns.
Below are the changes that have been made to this year’s grant program:
- The program name has changed to the State Fire Capacity near Federal Lands in East Texas Prescribed Fire Grant (SFC-ETX).
- The program area has shifted to 20 counties in southeast Texas
- Applicants who desire to burn on a 2-year fire return interval, the rate has been reduced to $22.50 per area
- Maximum reimbursement rate for a new project is $30.00 per acre
- If you received payments in 2024, you are not eligible for 2025 funding
- If you were approved in 2024 and did not complete your project, you will be given priority in 2025
- If you received funding in 2023 and are reapplying, the maximum reimbursement rate is $22.50 per acre
- If you received funding in 2022 or prior, maximum reimbursement is $30.00 per acre
You can find more information about each of these programs here!
For questions please reach out to – ETxRxFireGrants@tfs.tamu.edu
Stability of C3 and C4 Grass Patches in Woody Encroached Rangeland after Fire and Simulated Grazing
In the western portion of the southern Great Plains, grasslands are defined as “southern mixed”, with warm season or C4 mid-grasses being dominant and cool season or C3 short-grasses in less frequent densities. As woody plant encroachment increasingly dominates, the productive warm season C4 grasses begin to decline with less abundance on the landscape and even less productivity. Woody plant dominance also reduces plant diversity eroding heterogeneity in the mixed-grass prairie. Recently, researchers measured the effects of various combinations of spring clipping (mimicked cattle grazing) and prescribed fire treatments over an 8 year period on Texas wintergrass and buffalograss with the overall objective of reducing Texas wintergrass abundance and increasing warm season C4 mid-grass species and diversity.
Prescribed Fire Lessons
The Nebraska Prescribed Fire Council has published its second issue of Prescribed Fire Lessons Learned! The Nebraska Prescribed Fire Council takes submissions from practitioners on lessons learned from prescribed fires to assist producers, landowners, PBAs, and other prescribed fire professionals to keep improving season after season. This forum has been invaluable in learning from one another in hopes that mistakes or judgment calls turn into valuable lessons for all of us building and contributing to prescribed fire culture. Below are some highlights from this issue.
Prescribed Fire Drip Torch Burn – Rapid Lesson Sharing
The Oconee Ranger District conducted a 1,637-acre prescribed fire in Eatonton, Georgia on February 22nd. On the day of the prescribed fire, three firefighters were assigned to the ignition crew and other personnel were assigned to holding and overhead positions. As the morning brief occurred, discussion on hazards including entanglements in vines were common to the area.
[Read more…] about Prescribed Fire Drip Torch Burn – Rapid Lesson Sharing
CO2 Flux over Burned Honey Mesquite Savanna Rangeland
Prescribed fire is a management practice used to reduce woody plant encroachment on rangeland and maintain native perennial grass diversity and productivity. Prescribed fire effects on CO2 fluxes and their contribution to atmospheric CO2 is not well known. The study below discusses the effect of fire on net ecosystem CO2 flux above Prosopis glandulosa Torr. (honey mesquite) using the Bowen ratio/energy balance method (BREB), and to compare these fluxes to fluxes determined by an empirical model.
[Read more…] about CO2 Flux over Burned Honey Mesquite Savanna Rangeland
Cost and Trends of Rx Fire in Southern Forestry Practices
Forest Landowners Foundation in conjunction with Auburn University have created a survey to analyze the cost and trends of forestry management and practices. This survey is conducted bi-annually and provides a historical analysis of costs and management practices.
[Read more…] about Cost and Trends of Rx Fire in Southern Forestry Practices
Extreme Prescribed Fire during Drought Reduces Survival and Density of Woody Resprouters
Researchers looked at extreme fire conditions during drought in humid subtropical and semi-arid ecoregions that require innovative management strategies that go beyond the traditional restoration and conservation practices. These practices have either been historically ineffective or economically cost-prohibitive at restoring grass-dominated ecosystems following conversion to resprouting shrublands.
Lessons Learned – Contributing Factors to UTV Rollover on Prescribed Fire
In Feb. 2023, Oakmulgee Ranger District was conducting their first large burn of the season. Multiple off-unit resources had been requested to assist with the burn, including various firefighters from other regions, Job Corps, Bureau of Land Management, and local militia.
[Read more…] about Lessons Learned – Contributing Factors to UTV Rollover on Prescribed Fire
An Economic Comparison of Prescribed Extreme Fire and Alternative Methods for Managing Invasive Brush Species in Texas: a Modeling Approach
Did you know that 40% of the Earth’s surface is covered in Rangelands? However with the increase of brush encroachment, there has been an increase in conversion from rangeland into undesirable and unproductive species. In the Rolling Plains the primary invasive species focused on is prickly pear cactus, in South Texas Plains huisache is the primary focused species, and in the Edwards Plateau, Ashe & Redberry Juniper are of concerns. One fun fact, Mesquite is considered to be a secondary problem in all three of these ecoregions.