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The Faces and Places of Conservation in Nevada
Elko ranchers named outstanding conservationists
Lee Raine and Mike Laughlin of Elko County have been
named outstanding conservationists by the Natural Resources Conservation Service
in Nevada. Their selection makes them eligible to compete with other state
winners in a national competition to represent the NRCS in the agency’s
promotional campaign. Nine conservationists will be selected for the campaign
later this year.
Raine and Laughlin were selected to represent Nevada
because of the variety of conservation practices they have installed on their
40-acre ranch since purchasing it in 2004. As cooperators with the Lamoille
Conservation District, they worked with NRCS to develop a conservation plan to
address several resource concerns.
Their conservation plan includes practices to manage
grazing, conserve water, and restore wildlife habitat. They were awarded an
Environmental Quality Incentives Program contract under the 2002 Farm Bill to
control weeds, install fencing for rotational grazing, and build three water
developments. By implementing these practices, they increased production of
forage species for both wildlife and livestock on the native meadow and
surrounding rangelands.
“Our primary goal with our pastures was to increase
native grasses for livestock and wildlife,” said Laughlin, “so one of the first
things we did was fence off a spring that had been heavily impacted by
livestock. The grass has come back and the spring is running again.”
“Our first
involvement with NRCS was with Teri Johnson and Heather Steel in the Elko NRCS
office. We discussed our goals with them and they helped us apply for an EQIP
contract. Then they provided technical assistance as we installed the
practices. With their help, we were able to complete our 5-year plan in just 3
years.”
According to
Laughlin, their biggest resource concern was a major infestation of an invasive
weed species, leafy spurge. Working with the Nevada Department of Agriculture,
they released two types of beetles to attack the spurge. In its second year,
this project has already
reduced the leafy spurge infestation by 30 percent.
Several other
partners are also assisting with this biological control project, including NRCS,
the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Spring Creek Region Cooperative Weed
Management Area, Lamoille Conservation District, University of Nevada
Cooperative Extension and U.S. Forest Service.
“NRCS also
suggested we contact the Nevada Department of Wildlife to sign up for their
Landowner Incentive Program,” said Laughlin. “Under that program, we planted
aspen trees and honeysuckle bushes that will benefit wildlife on our ranch. We
fenced off the spring last year and planted the trees in May.” They also
reseeded the land using an upland wildlife species mixture.
Their efforts
are already having results. For the first time in four years, Sandhill Cranes
are nesting near the spring.
Nevada Farmer
Installs High Efficiency Sprinkler System Using EQIP Funds
Increases Hay Production; Saves Money and Water
For the past three years,
John Maurer has been working hard to make the farm he was raised on an
even better place to live. Maurer and his wife, Valerie, own the
Hillside Hay Company in Nevada, and raise high quality alfalfa hay for
dairies in California.
In 2004, Maurer contacted
the NRCS office in Yerington, Nev., for assistance to improve his
obsolete and inefficient irrigation system. He worked with NRCS to
develop a conservation plan and signed up as a beginning farmer under
the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). As a beginning
farmer, Maurer was eligible to receive 90 percent of the cost of
installing the practices identified in his conservation plan, an
additional 15 percent over the usual amount of cost-share provided
through EQIP.
“My first project was
installing a high efficiency center pivot sprinkler system on 253
acres,” said Maurer. “I used nozzles equipped with pressure regulators
to optimize the application efficiency of the water, and I placed the
sprinkler nozzles closer to the ground to minimize wind drift and
evaporation.”
John’s records indicate
that his alfalfa hay yields increased from 4.72 tons per acre in 2003 to
6.1 tons per acre in 2005. Electrical power usage decreased from 526
kilowatt hours to 402 kilowatt hours per ton of hay produced during the
same time period. Savings in electrical power equated to $9.30 per ton
of hay produced.
Maurer leases 400 acres in
addition to the 700 acres he owns. He was so pleased with his new
irrigation system that he worked with one of his landlords to install
10,000 feet of irrigation pipeline and 3 center pivot sprinkler systems
on 150 acres that he leases.
According to Ed Biggs,
NRCS district conservationist, Maurer is enhancing wildlife habitat on
his land to help reduce wind induced soil erosion and improve air
quality. He will plant 800 linear feet of trees and shrubs and install
a micro (drip) irrigation system to provide regular water to the
plants. The planting will provide food and cover for wildlife,
including raptors, passerines and other bird species.
Recently, Maurer was
encouraged by Tracey Jean Wolfe, NRCS range management specialist, to
participate in a wind erosion control demonstration project planned by
the NRCS Great Basin Plant Materials Center and the Esmeralda County
Conservation District. The project will be conducted on a portion of
his land that is highly visible from State Highway 266.
A regular participant at
the Esmeralda County Conservation District meetings and a county
committee member for the local Farm Service Agency, Maurer also helps
get the word out about USDA programs to fellow agricultural producers in
the Fish Lake Valley area. The NRCS staff in Yerington really
appreciates his efforts, especially since the USDA Service Center is
located 150 miles away.
Thanks to John’s efforts,
he’s making his community an even better place to live, too.
Helping People Help the
Land
Last Modified:
04/25/2008
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