5 Acre Corrals
by Eric Peterson
TODAY, WE’RE HERE AT A SET OF CORRALS BELONGING TO A BIGGER
THAN AVERAGE SIZED WYOMING RANCH.
CORRALS HAVE VERY DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS. ANYBODY CAN RECOGNIZE AND DESCRIBE THEM. BEAR
WITH ME THOUGH AND TAKE A LOOK AT THEM FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF A PLANT OR RANGE
MANAGER.
BEAR WITH ME THOUGH AND TAKE A LOOK AT THEM FROM THE
VIEWPOINT OF A PLANT OR RANGE MANAGER.
DOWN HERE!
A CORRAL IS SUBJECTED TO INTENSE GRAZING AND TRAMPLING. DESIRABLE PERENNIAL GRASSES WHICH PROTECT
SOIL FROM EROSION CANNOT SURVIVE. THEY
GO AWAY.
THE SURVIVING PLANTS ARE EITHER SO TOUGH, UNPALATABLE, OR
POISONOUS THAT THE STOCK WON’T EAT THEM.
GROUND COVER IS GONE. TOPSOIL IS EXPOSED TO DEGRADATION BY
SUN, WIND AND WATER – AND IS OFTEN LOST TO THE ELEMENTS.
THE STARTLING THING IS, THAT WHILE WE BEGAN BY LOOKING AT A
SET OF CORRALS, COVERING 2 ACRES, SERVING A RANCH WITH A THOUSAND CATTLE;
NOW WE’RE LOOKING AT A FIVE ACRE LOT SERVING TWO
HORSES. AN ECOLOGICAL EXTRAVAGANCE
THE SOUND LAND MANAGEMENT SOLUTION: BUILD A CORRAL TO PEN
STOCK THE MAJORITY OF TIME.
THE REST OF THE ACREAGE RETAINS THE AESTHETIC PROPERTIES
WHICH ENTICED THE LANDOWNER TO BE THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE
FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
SERVICE, I’M ERIC PETERSON.