Managing for Mosaic
by Gene Gade
MOSAICS
ARE AN ANCIENT AND BEAUTIFUL FORM OF HUMAN ART, COMBINING AS THEY DO OBJECTS OF
DIFFERENT COLOR, TEXTURE OR SHAPE INTO A LARGER WORK.
SIMILARLY,
NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGERS USE THE TERM MOSAIC TO DESCRIBE NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS
THAT HAVE A DIVERSITY OF PLANT COMMUNITIES AND LAND FORMS, AND, IN GENERAL
THESE NATURAL, LANDSCAPE MOSAICS ARE MORE ATTRACTIVE, PRODUCTIVE AND HEALTHY
THAN LANDSCAPES THAT ARE NOT DIVERSE.
HUMAN
MANAGEMENT CAN INFLUENCE THE PATTERN OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN MANY
WAYS--SOMETIMES TO MAINTAIN OR IMPROVE THE DIVERSE MOSAIC...SOMETIMES TO REDUCE
IT.
NOBODY
WANTS WIDESPREAD OR UNCONTROLLED WILDFIRE.
HOWEVER,
TOTAL SUPPRESSION OF FIRE IN SAGE-BRUSH DOMINATED AREAS CAN, OVER THE LONG
HAUL, FAVOR THE SHRUBS AND REDUCE THE ABUNDANCE OF OTHER PLANTS AND ANIMALS
PARTIAL
REMOVAL OF SAGEBRUSH VIA BURNING, HERBICIDES OR CULTIVATION CAN FAVOR THE
PRODUCTION OF GRASS
WHICH
MAY, IN TURN BENEFIT ELK OR CATTLE
HOWEVER,
A PURE GRASS STAND, WOULD NOT FAVOR SAGE GROUSE
AND
MIGHT REDUCE WINTER FORAGE FOR DEER
HEAVY
GRAZING BY CATTLE CAN DEPLETE GRASSES AND FAVOR SAGEBRUSH EXPANSION
WHILE
BROWSING BY SHEEP, GOATS OR WILD ANIMALS DURING CERTAIN SEASONS COULD PRUNE
BACK THE SAGEBRUSH AND FAVOR GRASS
HUMAN
MANAGEMENT IS PROBABLY BEST WHEN IT MIMICS NATURE, BALANCING THE USE OF VARIOUS
RESOURCES AND MAINTAINING THE ATTRACTIVENESS AND PRODUCTIVITY THAT COMES FROM
DIVERSE RANGELANDS
I'M
GENE GADE FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF QYOMING COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE.