Gill K, Chenier K A, Free A, Goff J, Pitchford J L, Cressman K, Posten M, Brunden E, Shelton M, Swanson K, Cunningham S R, Garland J, Snyder C, Lamb M, Schauwecker T, Sparks E L
Coastal Research and Extension Center, Mississippi State University, Biloxi, MS, USA.
Coastal Research and Extension Center, Mississippi State University, Biloxi, MS, USA; Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Point, MS, USA.
J Environ Manage. 2023 Mar 1;329:117119. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.117119. Epub 2022 Dec 23.
Along the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) coast, natural resource managers continually struggle with managing coastal uplands due to front-end costs, prolonged maintenance, and habitat-specific ecological needs. Prescribed fire, mechanical removal, and chemical treatments are common habitat management techniques used to remove invasive species, clear understory, and achieve other management goals. However, rapid development and changing climate exacerbate the difficulty in using these techniques. A potential alternative or complementary technique is using livestock for habitat management (i.e., targeted or controlled grazing). In other regions of the world, using livestock for conservation or restoration of managed lands has shown to be a less intrusive and more financially viable alternative. To better understand the research needs, logistical, and environmental concerns related to using livestock for habitat management in the coastal uplands of the GoM, we developed and distributed a survey to three groups of land users, including natural resource managers, researchers, and livestock producers in the region. Survey results show that over 96% of respondents are interested in using livestock for habitat management, but less than 10% of respondents were aware of any information that could be used to inform grazing practices for coastal upland habitat management along the Gulf of Mexico coast. There were differences among surveyed groups, but generally small-sized cattle breeds and goats were identified as the livestock with the most potential for environmental benefit and ease of containment. General concerns and areas for further investigation were implementation (e.g., which livestock type to use and grazing intensity), logistical considerations (e.g., fencing and rotational frequency), impacts of grazing on water quality, wildlife, vegetation, and livestock nutrition. Survey respondents overwhelmingly (at least 75% of each group) indicated that livestock grazing ideally would not be a standalone management practice and should be used in conjunction with other habitat management techniques such as prescribed burns, mechanical clearing, or chemical treatments. The results of the survey could be used to develop applied research projects and guidance documents that directly address informational needs related to using livestock for habitat management of coastal uplands along the Gulf of Mexico coast.
在墨西哥湾沿岸,自然资源管理者在管理沿海高地时一直面临难题,这是由于前期成本、长期维护以及特定栖息地的生态需求所致。规定火烧、机械清除和化学处理是常见的栖息地管理技术,用于清除入侵物种、清理林下植被并实现其他管理目标。然而,快速发展和气候变化加剧了使用这些技术的难度。一种潜在的替代或补充技术是利用牲畜进行栖息地管理(即有针对性的或受控的放牧)。在世界其他地区,利用牲畜进行管理土地的保护或恢复已被证明是一种侵入性较小且经济上更可行的替代方案。为了更好地了解与在墨西哥湾沿海高地利用牲畜进行栖息地管理相关的研究需求、后勤和环境问题,我们针对该地区的三组土地使用者(包括自然资源管理者、研究人员和牲畜生产者)开展并分发了一项调查。调查结果显示,超过96%的受访者对利用牲畜进行栖息地管理感兴趣,但不到10%的受访者知晓任何可用于指导墨西哥湾沿岸沿海高地栖息地管理放牧实践的信息。调查群体之间存在差异,但一般来说,小型牛品种和山羊被确定为对环境益处最大且易于控制的牲畜。普遍关注的问题和需要进一步调查的领域包括实施(例如使用哪种牲畜类型和放牧强度)、后勤考虑因素(例如围栏和轮牧频率)、放牧对水质、野生动物、植被和牲畜营养的影响。调查受访者绝大多数(每组至少75%)表示,理想情况下,牲畜放牧不应是一种独立的管理做法,而应与规定火烧、机械清理或化学处理等其他栖息地管理技术结合使用。该调查结果可用于开展应用研究项目和制定指导文件,直接满足与在墨西哥湾沿岸沿海高地利用牲畜进行栖息地管理相关的信息需求。