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Response of Closed Basin Marsh Riparian Areas to Alternative Livestock Management
Response of Closed Basin Marsh Riparian Areas to Alternative Livestock Management |
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A project was initiated in 1998 to examine the benefits of controlling cattle access to
riparian areas surrounding closed basin marshes near Jesmond, BC.
The impetus for the project came from a workshop that identified concerns on riparian areas associated with lakes, potholes and slow-moving streams, in grassland communities in the Interior Douglas-fir (IDF) zone in 100 Mile House Forest District. Baseline data were collected for herbaceous and shrub abundance by species, soil exposure, litter, microbiotic crust, above-ground biomass, and proper-functioning-condition (PFC). Cattle access was then controlled on one-half of the area using fencing and an altered management prescription. All original attributes were re-measured 7 years later. These measurements will enable a determination of changes that may have occurred over the 7-year period (1999 – 2006) and provide information on the benefits of controlled cattle access.
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A second component of this project monitored cattle distribution for two week periods in two years
using GPS collars. This technology provides detailed information on the patterns of cattle use in
riparian areas, adjacent open grassland and open forest. 
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