#088, In Practice, Mar/Apr 2003

HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT

IN PRACTICE

Providing the link between a healthy environment and a sound economy MARCH / APRIL 2003 NUMBER 88

Accepting Nature

in this Issue

by Ann Adams

L

iving in the southwestern U.S., one can be consumed with thinking about water. In talking with others around the world about this issue, it’s painfully clear to me that geography only flavors the conversation; we are all faced with the challenge of more soundly managing this precious resource. I believe the stories in this issue speak not only to that theme, but also the art of good decision-making and accepting nature’s cycles.

Nature has its extremes; they are part of the patterns and rhythms that people have observed for millennia. But as people have gotten used to the steady supply of energy, food, and water that arrives at their doorstep regardless of those extremes, they have become less understanding or accepting of nature’s cycles.

Successful land managers, like Gene Goven, Tony Malmberg, George Whitten, Ian MitchellInnes, and Jim Howell, have learned that nature (with all its faces) is an excellent looking glass for their management practices. Through increasing their knowledge of nature and improving their management and decisionmaking, they have been able to improve their quality of life in good times and in challenging times. Their ability to do so, I believe, is directly in proportion to their understanding nature and working with it, rather than continuing business as usual because it may be more convenient in the short-term or because it is familiar.

The Wheat From the Chaff When your livelihood doesn’t come directly from working the land, it’s easy to want nature to behave differently than what those working the land might want. If your primary concerns about nature are recreational rather than vocational, you might see rain and snow, even in “normal” quantities, as an inconvenience rather than a blessing.

Of course, in reality we are all dependent on nature’s cycles. Some of us are just more protected than others, and it may be our

children or grandchildren who face the consequences of our resistance to natural cycles and limits. I think the challenge is to do the right thing now, because it’s the right thing, rather than out of fear of the future.

I’ve been in the process of building a new house. We decided we were going to catch water off our roof into cisterns for our primary water source. Initially, one of the reasons I looked at water catchment was because where we live the water table is dropping fast.

Due to the design of the house, it was challenging to figure out how to place the cisterns and set up the catchment system. There were times when it seemed it might just be easier to drill a well. But even a cursory glance at my holistic goal and running that decision through the testing questions, showed that the cisterns were the right way to go. And in creating the catchment system and tweaking it to get it to work, I was much more intimately engaged with nature than if I had someone drill a well.

It’s easy to get lazy and rely on past patterns and behaviors or systems and structures that keep you from making sound decisions.

What passed as a good decision or acceptable behavior 5 or 10 years ago, might not do the trick today. That’s where sound management principles and moral integrity come in. In many ways, trying times separate the wheat from the chaff.

When things go smoothly, we are all good decision makers. If profits are up, people are happy, and the land looks good, we must be doing the right thing. But when times get tough, our mettle is tested. Are we ready to let go of old habits and limiting behaviors and beliefs that have been holding us back and now are surely pulling us down? The art of good decision-making will serve us well through fire, flood, drought, feast, famine, war, peace, pestilence, and even our children’s teenage years.

Accepting nature means understanding how the ecosystem processes work and taking time to look at how your decisionmaking is af fecting the health of the landscape around you. George Whitten knows the importance of taking time for monitoring, and is reaping the rewards. Read his story on page 2.

Dealing With Drought—Getting Ready For Rain Rio de la Vista . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Neighbor Helping Neighbor Ann Adams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

LAND & LIVESTOCK— A special section of IN PRACTICE In a Drought—Trapping Sunshine Jim Howell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

In Tall Grass Pastures—Enhancing Animal Performance Ian Mitchell-Innes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Savory Center Bulletin Board Savory Center Forum Marketplace

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The Allan Savory Center for Holistic Management Ad definitum finem

The ALLAN SAVORY CENTER FOR HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. The center works to restore the vitality of communities and the natural resources on which they depend by advancing the practice of Holistic Management and coordinating its development worldwide.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Rio de la Vista, Chair Allan Savory, Vice-Chair Leslie Christian, Secretary Gary Rodgers, Treasurer Manuel Casas

ADVISORY BOARD Robert Anderson, Chair, Corrales, NM Sam Brown, Austin, TX Leslie Christian, Portland, OR Gretel Ehrlich, Gaviota, CA Cynthia & Leo Harris, Albuquerque, NM Trudy Healy, Taos, NM Clint Josey, Dallas, TX Doug McDaniel, Lostine, OR Guillermo Osuna, Coahuila, Mexico Jim Parker, Montrose, CO Bunker Sands, Dallas, TX York Schueller, El Segundo, CA Jim Shelton, Vinita, OK Richard Smith, Houston, TX

FOUNDERS Allan Savory Jody Butterfield

STAFF Shannon Horst, Executive Director; Kate Bradshaw, Associate Director; Kelly Pasztor, Director of Educational Services; Lee Dueringer, Director of Development; Ann Adams, Managing Editor, IN PRACTICE and Membership and Educator Support Coordinator , Craig Leggett, Special Projects Manager; Mary Child, U.S. Education Program and Case Study Development Coordinator; Constance Neely, Director of International Training Programs Development.

Africa Centre for Holistic Management Private Bag 5950, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe tel: (263) (11) 213529; email: rogpachm@africaonline.co.zw Huggins Matanga, Director; Roger Parry, Manager, Regional Training Centre; Elias Ncube, Hwange Project Manager/Training Coordinator HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE (ISSN: 1098-8157) is published six times a year

by The Allan Savory Center for Holistic Management, 1010 Tijeras NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102, 505/842-5252, fax: 505/843-7900; email: savorycenter@holisticmanagement.org.; website: www.holisticmanagement.org Copyright © 2003.

2 HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE #88

Dealing with Drought— Getting Ready for Rain

by Rio de la Vista with George Whitten and Tony Malmberg

“I

magine you’re a rain drop,” Tony Malmberg said to a group of ranchers and environmentalists, aged 15 to 60-something, as they gathered in the summer of 2002 for the Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust’s “Getting Ready for Rain” workshop in Monte Vista, Colorado. He had the group down on their hands and knees to look closely at what a raindrop might encounter when it hit the ground. Using a holistic approach to monitoring, workshop participants evaluated the condition of the soil surface, examined the vitality and diversity of plants, searched for evidence of animal or insect life, and discussed other indicators of land health.

“George estimates that he has doubled his evapotranspiration rate— an indicator of plant growth that can be seen in infrared satellite photography— while cutting his water use approximately in half.”

“Most people who complain about drought aren’t using the water they have,” he noted, explaining that the key to effective rainfall is at the soil surface. Is it capped with a solid layer of crusty soil, so that a raindrop would simply run off as it would on pavement? Is it bare and quick to dry out in the baking sun?

Or is it covered with some sort of living plant or the litter of the previous year’s plant growth? Is the soil itself sponge-like, enriched with organic matter and able to hold that raindrop in the ground, where plants can use it for growth? Or where it can eventually saturate the soil, and where the conditions are right, even fill the “reservoir” and the ground water so that springs and streams flow more

reliably and the aquifer is recharged?

These were the kinds of questions discussed and that seem more relevant than ever as this drought goes on unabated. The effectiveness of rainfall and irrigation water is a vital part of the water equation—albeit one that may be overlooked when the focus is on water rights, the aquifer levels, dry canals and ditches and all-too-blue skies.

Good Management Yields Results But what if, through changes in management, one can achieve results such as rancher Gene Goven? North Dakota State University has done studies on how well Gene’s land is able to absorb the rainfall he receives. Neighboring areas average a water infiltration rate of about 0.8 inches/hour. Using careful grazing planning and management, Gene has improved his land’s water infiltration rate to 6.3 inches/hour. That means that land is eight times more able to retain and use water than neighboring properties, which in turn means there is less erosion, less flooding, and improved wildlife habitat and productivity.

Of course, soil capacity varies across landscapes, but the interesting thing is that one’s management can make an important difference in how severe the effects of drought are through dry periods and how well the land and vegetation can recover from extended drought. Likewise, soil conditions will determine how well rain or irrigation water will be absorbed and stored in the soil when it does come.

Rancher, Rio Grande Water Conservation District board member, and Savory Center member George Whitten has seen significant changes on his own land near Saguache, Colorado. Over time, with planning his grazing and changes in his irrigation patterns, he has found that his land is more productive, more biologically diverse, and requires less water.

He estimates that he has doubled his evapotranspiration rate—an indicator of plant growth that can be seen in infrared satellite photography—while cutting his water use approximately in half.

Rather than keeping the soil saturated

throughout the growing season, he has reduced the amount of water being pumped (and he’s also saving on his electric bill!). He has reduced the amount of hay he bales and now leaves a great deal of his winter forage supply in the field, cut and piled and doled out to his herd with the use of electric fence over the winter. The plant community has responded to his change in management by increasing both productivity and diversity.

And at a cost of less than $10 a ton as feed, it’s economical and helps the bottom line, not to mention the reduced workload and, therefore, an improved quality of life. One indicator of that is the guitar in the corner of George’s new home—which he has recently found the time to learn to play.

Lander, Wyoming, that illustrated both increases in productivity through wetter years and less decline through drier years.

To work towards results like that, he recommends a series of thought processes— which he learned over years of studying and practicing Holistic Management. Of primary importance he emphasized, is to focus on one’s goal—not on the problem at hand. As most agricultural producers know all too well this year, there are problems aplenty— but keeping a forward focus and planning towards what one wants versus what one doesn’t want is a powerful tool for avoiding despair and discovering unforeseen opportunities in the worst of situations.

Beyond Mining Water Even with the changes he has been able to achieve on his land, George cannot ignore the bigger questions raised by the current patterns of water use for the San Luis Valley. “”If we have to pump it faster than it flows in, we are essentially mining water,” he believes. “We’re using more that we’re giving back. We have to ask: What can this country sustain?

“We thought we had three years of drought reserve,” he noted. “But this year has shown us where we really stand. We’ve increased our irrigated acreage substantially in certain areas of Valley since about 1977.

And from the first sprinkler installed in 1972, we now have over 3,000 here. About 90 percent of our farmland is under sprinklers, which are the most efficient way to use all the water. We never could have added that much acreage under flood irrigation. But it’s a disaster for recharge—little, if any, of that water flows back into the aquifer from sprinkler irrigation.”

So what can an individual landowner or manager do to best survive this dry time, to recover most quickly and effectively when moisture is available and thereby to contribute to the recharge that is necessary to maintain a sustainable “water budget” for the Valley? This workshop offered a number of practical management guidelines for all land managers and many specifics for livestock operators. One of the first keys, is to deepen our understanding of the ecological processes and how our management can enhance or diminish their functions. Tony Malmberg shared some interesting documentation from his own land, the Twin Creek Ranch near

George Whitten, and his wife, Julie Sullivan, have found that working with nature not only means they need less irrigation water, but also more profits and time for recreation and community .

Tony emphasized that good drought management is essentially no different than plain old good management. It requires preparation: having one’s goal well thought out, and taking the time to carefully plan finances, grazing, infrastructure and time. It entails a focus on the soil surface, doing what it takes to keep it covered with living plants and/or plant litter as a high priority for achieving effective ecological processes that are the foundation of productivity. This will require leaving enough plant material to achieve the soil coverage. If livestock are consuming all the growth and even picking up the litter off the soil, it will be a significant setback to future recovery and forage production.

It’s important to have points of reference for good management. Tony discussed the need to know one’s soil potential, to monitor soil cover, plant health and diversity, growth rates throughout the season and other

ecological indicators—and to keep good records to inform decision-making.

Responding to changing conditions is vital as well. “We need to evaluate the situation at hand—which just now means to study the scope and scale of the drought we are in,” Tony explained. At times like this, it can be critical to reduce livestock numbers early, in order to reserve remaining feed supplies for the best animals and avoid having to sell even more animals later. While preserving valued genetics in one’s herd can be an important factor, extreme conditions may lead to some extreme actions for financial survival and preserving land health.

Planning ahead and acting in a timely manner can at least minimize the impacts of such difficult decisions.

Tony recommended several follow up actions to help be prepared for the next drought. After all, he noted, we live in a dry area and there are bound to be future cycles of dry times. Revisit one’s records and monitoring results. Rethink sources of income—perhaps some greater diversity will be needed for the future. As for the land, strive to allow plant material to stockpile in the year after a drought—so the soil cover will increase and vegetation will be more resilient in the next drought and productivity can increase over time. Using dry periods to do maintenance, repairs or even refinements of on irrigation ditches and canals is also important, so that when water is available, it can be well used and distributed effectively.

Finally, Tony Malmberg recommends that we keep learning. “It’s important to internalize the lessons in order to stay in business through the next drought. What did you learn this time?” Tony asked. “When you make a mistake, covering it up does not equal learning. Rethink what you are doing.

Ask yourself: ‘Why am I doing this?’ Know your reasons. The reason your grandfather and father did what they did was because that was the best they could do then. If they were ranching now, they would be doing things differently. After all, good judgment comes from experience. And unfortunately, experience often comes from bad judgment.”

This article originally appeared in a series for the Rio Grande Watershed Conservation District. For more information about the Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust, contact Rio de la Vista at riovista @rmi.net. You can contact Tony Malmberg at tony@twincreekranch.com

HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE • MARCH / APRIL 2003 3

Neighbor Helping Neighbor

by Ann Adams

T

here has been much press (and rightly on grassland management because government so) about the problems that livestock agencies were not able to meet this demand can cause for rural, suburban, and urban with their own personnel. residents when it comes to their drinking water.

The NDPGLC operates as a grassroots group In many areas, poor livestock kanagement has with all mentors volunteering their time. resulted in water pollution as producers struggle However, the Natural Resources Conservation to adequately contain livestock waste.

Service (NRCS) has provided a full-time But Gene Goven in Turtle Lake, North coordinator to schedule presentations and tours, Dakota has a different focus when it comes provide outreach, and act as the state tribal to livestock and water. He’s out to educate (Native American) liaison. In turn the NDPGLC the public on how livestock can be a helps the NRCS accomplish their mission of management tool that enhances land health, helping agricultural producers better manage which in turn improves the water cycle their lands. effectiveness so there is more water in drought times, fewer Proposed Project Study Area, May 2002 floods in moist times, and the surface water is cleaner.

As a McLean-Sheridan County Water Resource Board member for the last six years, Gene has seen water become a major concern. “It is the prime conservation issue,” says Gene.

“More and more people are beginning to see that water issues are not only about water North Central Rural Water Consortium use and quality, but also about The North Central Rural Water Consortium is on the map with the land surrounding the water a greatly increased service area and a lot of local and state and the management of that support to bring better quality water to many of North Dakota’s land. It’s a whole-landscape rural residents. Creativity and grassroots support have been the issue and it’s a quality of life key ingredients for their success. Note increased service area issue, and urban people are (darker grey) outside current service boundary lines. beginning to see the connection and readily grasp the concept.

Through this arrangement, the NRCS is We need to help agricultural producers better able to address rangeland management manage the land with that same idea.” issues. With 10.3 million acres of North Dakota rangeland in private hands, the need for public Mentoring Toward a Healthier education is huge. Factor in the watershed Landscape issues influenced by that 10+ million acres, and the need becomes even greater. Gene is quick Toward that end, Gene began work with to note that rangelands provide watershed the North Dakota Private Grazing Land protection and aid in recharging water supplies.

Coalition (NDPGLC) in 1996. One of the key Moreover, with $500 million spent on flood educational components of the NDPGLC is disasters in many parts of North Dakota during the mentoring (sharing) program. Of the the floods in 1989, there is even more reason to 15 ranchers listed as mentors, 12 of them improve water infiltration rates and reduce have received Holistic Management training, flooding. In fact, USDA studies show that major including Gene. The idea behind the flood potential could be reduced 10-40 percent mentoring program is that these mentors by good land management practices. could provide guidance and counseling to Through the NDPGLC, ranchers like interested ranchers and agency personnel

4 HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE #88

Gene can help other ranchers understand that improvement of the rangeland is just as important as livestock husbandry because range health leads to livestock health, a better quality of life, and financial prosperity. The NDPGLC collaborates with many groups including The Nature Conservancy, the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association, the North Dakota Farm Bureau, Pheasants Forever, and Ducks Unlimited. In fact, Ducks UnlimitedCanada has paid for week-long Holistic Management workshops facilitated by Certified Educator Wayne Berry and long-time practitioner Don Campbell to help increase sound land management practices among agricultural producers in that region.

The Proof Is In The Potholes Obviously mentors such as Gene must have had some success with their own operations to be chosen by the NRCS and the NDPGLC as mentors. While we have chronicled Gene’s success, he has also been written up in other publications such as Rangelands .

After Gene began managing holistically in 1986, he noticed a number of things happening to his land. First, there was the 90 percent decrease in forbs such as curley cup gumweed and absinth wormwood. Then there was the spread and development of small colonies of aspen trees as land health and wildlife habitat improved. Then there was the increase in wildlife and the decrease in flies. But one of the most exciting changes was in the water infiltration rate. Dr. Jimmie Richardson, Chair of the Soil Science Department at North Dakota State University, conducted research comparing water infiltration on Gene’s land with that of neighboring land. Gene’s land absorbed eight times the amount of the surrounding land.

Ironically, Gene wasn’t happy about this at first. When a four-inch rain in the summer of 1990 filled neighboring potholes (seasonal ponds), Gene’s were empty. Eleven days later his began to fill at a slower-rate from the bottom up, and finally exceeded the neighboring pothole levels. Gene’s potholes maintained their levels while the neighboring ponds decreased.

As Dr. Richardson noted, such infiltration resulted in a forage crop that year that Gene’s neighbors did not receive. “That kind of water infiltration wets up the landscape for years,” says Dr. Richardson. “And it filters the water, which cleans it up so you don’t have problems with sediment and other surface pollution problems. Likewise, roots

are stimulated for deeper root penetration which means plants are better able to survive rain fluctuation.”

Pooling Resources

system but be served by another member system.

By combining their systems, the NCRWC has substantially increased user density to attract rural development and grant money. Not bad for “three simple little water systems, with three mild-mannered managers,” notes Rocky Thomas, Information Officer for the NCRWC. Gene felt that his training in Holistic Management helped him see the possibilities and keep on track through the beginning stages of this project. “Holistic Management makes it a lot easier to step back and focus on the big picture rather than focus in on the details and get stuck. In the case of the NCRWC, we took

has to be addressed.”

With such legislative support and increased service area size, the Consortium will be eligible for and stand a better chance of receiving federal grant money and rural development loans; they get to play in the big leagues. Divided they wouldn’t even have the opportunity.

When Gene isn’t busy with his ranch or his work with NDPGLC, he is busy with his work as Chair of the McLean-Sheridan Rural Water System and the newly developed North A Growing Demand Central Rural Water Consortium (NCRWC).

About two years ago, Gene began discussing With interest riding high, other entities the idea of combining efforts with other rural are also asking the NCRWC to serve them and water systems to better address the issue of be involved: including North Dakota State water supply and quality to people not Game & Fish, the Corp of Engineers, the U.S. served by current water systems (see Air Force, State Parks Service, and a accompanying map). federal fish hatchery.

In the spring of 2002 the NCRWC As far as the NCRWC knows, there became a legal non-profit corporation as is no precedent in the U.S. for this type a cooperative effort among the McLeanof consortium and they have been Sheridan Rural Water System, the surprised by the response. “It seems like Central Plains Water District, and North everyone is ready for this idea and all Prairie Rural Water Association. Through we had to do was stir the pot,” says this non-profit corporation, the three Gene. “I have a friend in Oliver County water systems have a legal structure that that signed up for water service 17 years allows them to combine and create a ago and it still hasn’t happened. With large enough user base to gain the status the current system of each water system needed to attract federal money. struggling on it’s own, he probably These water systems have struggled wouldn’t get water for another 15 years.” with providing good water as water While the NCRWC is still in its The NCRWC Board—Front Row, left to right: Brad Weber, quality is poor in many parts of North infancy, the plan is for additional pipe Rocky Thomas, Ralph Packulak. Back Row: Dave Cavanaugh, Dakota due to high salinity, arsenic, iron, to be laid in 2004. That increased Felicia Felix, Gene Go ven, Jason Betterley. Not Pictured: manganese, and hydrogen sulfides, infrastructure will help the Consortium Blaire Olafson, Texx Lone Bear, Darrell Hournbuckle. which are all naturally occurring improve and connect their systems to elements, indigenous to local geology. provide the service they want. That’s a Through cooperation, the NCRWC will very quick turn around in a waiting some time to look at the problem of getting be able to help fill in those service gaps as well game that could well stretch into a half-century water to rural communities and created a as extend service to households that have had under the current system. Likewise, solution that allowed the institutions and no access to water systems. “preliminary estimates of costs to the people involved to keep their local identity and NCRWC’s intended users indicate that we are With the combined water systems, they ownership while creating a mechanism where will serve 12,000 people in seven counties in on the right track, as rates would appear to we could all achieve what we wanted.

Central North Dakota, which is approximately be comparable to those seen on rural water “Instead of one big, super system serving a 10 percent of the state. While some people might systems built in the mid to early 1970s, not large area, we are taking existing service and confuse this consortium with a merger, the 2002,” notes Rocky Thomas. creating a network to serve as a larger system.

NCRWC members retain their separate identity.

North Dakota might not seem like a They have also added two local tribes—the Three That way there is local control and ability to hotbed of activism to some urbanites, but help with maintenance and service. It’s a Affiliated Tribes and Spirit Lake Nation—as things are happening there thanks to people neighbor-helping-neighbor concept that people associate members that will sell water to the like Gene Goven. And with a neighbor-helpingare willing to support.

Consortium to serve areas that they might not neighbor approach, more people will be served “After we came up with the idea, we be able to serve without their assistance. whether through better rural water systems, gained the support of all those involved and With this arrangement the NCRWC can healthier landscapes, cleaner water, less affected, then we scheduled meetings with determine which member can best meet the flooding, more wildlife, and many other state legislators and senators. The grassroots needs of new and existing customers and set signs of thriving communities. support we had created helped us through aside system boundaries and the “territory” that the bureaucratic hurdles, and we’ve had comes with those boundaries. This may mean Gene Goven can be reached at nothing but support at a legislative level. that an adjacent member system will have lines gmkgoven@westriv.com. Dr. Richardson can be Even though there are no big towns or cities in another member system’s distribution area reached at jimmie.richardson@ndsu.nodak.edu. depending on who can best serve the connection. involved, we are still talking about providing Rocky Thomas of the NCRWC can be reached service to a sixth of the state. It’s a need that A resident might sign up with one member at msrw@westriv.com.

HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE • MARCH / APRIL 2003 5

LAND&LIVESTOCK A Special Section of

IN PRACTICE MARCH/APRIL 2003

#88

In a Drought—

Trapping Sunshine

After about a half day of grazing on a 1-day strip of irrigated grass (second grazing, mid-July). Note the abundance of leafy material, including lots of white clo ver, and the lack of coarse reproductiv e shoots—the result of short, 1-day grazing periods at high density .

By Jim Howell

I

know there’s been a lot of talk about drought lately. I’m sure many of us are getting sick and tired of it. But the fact remains that a big chunk of the world is going through some seriously dry times at the moment—the western United States is parched, lots of Australia is burning, and in parts of southern Africa, where horrific political quagmires have hammered food production, drought conditions are aggravating an already dire situation. We may be sick of hashing over the drought, but it’s currently a harsh reality for many of us. The more we share our experiences dealing with it, the better equipped we’ll be to survive it.

This story is about my family’s experiences during last year’s grazing season here in western Colorado. Our state’s two largest wildfires in history occurred last year, and they both were burning simultaneously. The 12-month period from September 2001 to September 2002 was the driest in the state’s recorded history. We came home from a trip to Mexico in late March, and found that almost all our snow had already melted off—nearly a month ahead of schedule.

We had 0.2 inches (that’s two tenths of an inch, or 5 mm) of rain in mid-April, and then not one drop (literally) in May and June, which are supposed to be our fast growth months.

Our normally drought-resistant native western grasses (western wheat grass, several types of needle grass) put on a little growth in April and early May following snowmelt, but were already burning off by late May, which is unheard of in this part of the world. With the exception of our aspen forests, our high elevation, less brittle property never even greened up to begin with. It was just really, really bad. Our normal summer monsoon season, which generally brings about 2.5 inches of rain in both July and August brought 2 inches total.

The ground was so dry, and the temperature so unusually hot, that those two inches didn’t grow a blade of new grass.

We also lease a little flood-irrigated ground on an adjacent ranch (about 120 acres, or 50 ha). It usually takes off in mid-May from spring snowmelt, and the first irrigation around the first of June maintains

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LAND & LIVESTOCK

IN PRACTICE #88

those fast growth conditions. This year, the irrigated ground actually started to turn brown in late May, and the first irrigation, instead of maintaining fast growth, only served to green it back up.

Use the Appropriate Testing Guidelines All right, that’s enough belly-aching. What I want to write about is the steps we took to deal with it and survive. Our custom grazing enterprise is one of several business activities we conduct to make a living. It provides roughly a third of our annual income, and we can’t afford to live without it. We had to make it through this drought— either that or find another source of income, or seriously cut back on expenses. We’re in the process of building a new house, so we knew the latter was going to be tough.

We decided to buckle down and get through this thing, but wanted to make sure we didn’t compromise our movement toward our holistic goal in the process of “toughing it out.” Specifically, our actions to deal with the drought had to pass the sustainability test. We didn’t want to push our land to the point that we saw movement away from our future resource base description. We still had to minimize overgrazing and leave enough plant material for litter cover and forage for wildlife.

But, to maintain our level of income, we had to do all this without a major cut in stocking rate. To keep our custom grazing clients happy (also part of our resource base), we also had to do it without a drop in animal performance.

We realized that the weak link in our financial chain of production this year was going to be resource (energy) conversion. We knew we had to trap as much sunlight in the form of plant leaves as we possibly could, especially if we had any hope of surviving the drought without cutting our numbers significantly. We also knew we had to be able to ration out the grass we did grow in a way that maximized the animals‚ ability to maintain a high, constant plane of nutrition.

But first, we had to grow the grass.

So we knew where our weakest link was in the chain from

its fullest potential. On our own dryland paddocks, we knew that with sunlight to solar dollars. Holistic decision-making then led us to the our current level of fencing we were already set up as well as possible marginal reaction test. Where would our labor and money be best to maximize energy flow, and we had no control over rainfall. Based spent from the standpoint of trapping more sunlight—on our native on all the above considerations, we made the decision to go to work dryland paddocks, or on the 120 irrigated acres? In a normal year, the on the irrigated paddocks.

I informed my hired man (my dad) what irrigated ground produces about 6.5 times the amount of forage per was in store, and we got to work. acre as the dryland country—about 120 SDA (stock days per acre) compared to 15 to 20 SDA (we use a 700-pound yearling gaining two pounds per day as our standard stock unit). Obviously, focusing on Improving the Graze/Trample : Recovery Ratio the irrigated acreage would give us the biggest bang for our buck.

We realized the main things we needed to do were increase our Prior to last year (the fourth year of leasing this land), we had made graze/trample : recovery ratio and our stock density. This would no investment in developing any permanent fencing infrastructure on potentially have a big impact on energy flow and it meant we needed the neighbor’s place. It has one permanent barbed wire fence splitting more paddocks to keep our grazing periods as short as possible while the high, flat western quarter of the property from the rest of the still planning for adequate recovery. Instead of giving (for example) place to the east, which is hilly and broken. From the owner’s point seven 2-day breaks within a paddock with a two week planned of view, that one fence was all it needed.

It also has several significant chunks (30+ acres, or 12 ha) of native dryland mixed in throughout the irrigated areas. During the previous three years, we spent lots of time running portable electric fencing all over the place, effectively strip grazing the entire property. This gave us better control over our grazing periods and recovery periods, and it enabled us to manage the dryland patches separate from the irrigated areas.

But because of labor and water considerations, we usually didn’t have a back fence up behind the cattle. In other words, when the cattle moved onto a new patch of recovered forage, they seldom had anything preventing them from going back where they’d previously been. If we were a half a day or so late with the next move, they’d frequently go back to those previously-grazed spots and glean off any regrowth.

Within an actual paddock, in which we usually planned a one to two-week total grazing period, the first area stripped off with the portable fence had grazing After one day of grazing (second grazing, mid-July), taking pasture mass down exposure for the full one to two weeks, and we had to our target of 1,000 to 1,200 pounds of dry matter per acre. to plan our recovery periods accordingly. So with this minimal level of fencing, even with intensive strip grazing, we were overgrazing some plants, our effective grazing periods were too long, and our grazing period, we decided to shoot for the size paddock that 1) would graze/trample : recovery ratio was too low. Solving those problems enable us to shorten grazing periods down to three days on average, would go a long way toward trapping more sunlight (more on and that 2) would make it logistically easy to give one-day strips over that below). those three days.

The other reason the irrigated ground deserved the greatest The total length of time we spend on the irrigated land is always investment was because of the fact that the irrigation water itself was about the same, regardless of recovery period, because we strive to in our control. We didn’t have to worry as much about whether or not maintain a constant level of grazing pressure. In other words, we try it was going to rain. With the irrigation water, we could make it rain, to manage for a pre-grazing desired paddock mass of about 2200-2500 and be sure that all our work would actually yield a positive benefit. pounds of dry matter/acre (which results in full recovery of leaf area), Of course, we did have to worry about our irrigation getting shut off. and graze it down to about 1000-1200 pounds. So we harvest about the Lots of folks around Colorado had their water shut off in June last same amount of forage per grazing period—between 1200 and 1500 year. We found out from our ditch company that our water was going pounds, which works out to about 40 to 50 SDA.The cattle fill up and to be rationed, and if we only ordered 60% of our normal water perform well under those conditions. Early in the season, it takes less allotment, we could probably stretch it out to August or September. time to recover back to the desired 2500 pounds of dry matter per Considering the stories we were hearing from lots of friends around acre, and later in the year it takes longer. We can juggle our recovery the state, we felt incredibly grateful to even have that. So we knew we could count on at least some water, we knew the inherent productive capacity of that irrigated land, and we knew we weren’t managing it to continued on page 8

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Trapping Sunshine

During the slower growth period later in the season, more time was planned on the dryland ground after the second irrigated grazing to allow for the longer (up to 60-day) recovery period. In other words, continued from page 7 after 21 days on the irrigated ground with the current seven paddocks, we planned 42 days on the dryland country to yield a full 60-day recovery period on the initially grazed irrigated paddock (21 total periods (without increasing or decreasing grazing periods) by going days - 3 days grazing/paddock = 18 days recovery/paddock. 60 - 18 = to our dryland paddocks for whatever length of time is necessary to 42 more days of recovery needed). With only 2 paddocks, we needed to provide full recovery on the irrigated paddocks. plan 53 days of grazing (21 total days - 14 days grazing on the longest Previously, we’d done lots of experimenting with recovery periods, grazed irrigated paddock = 7 days recovery; 60 - 7 = 53 more days of and had figured out that during June and July, a 30-day recovery recovery needed). Again, we gained period was usually perfect. After July, another 11 days on the dryland that recovery periods had to lengthen out we could push to later in the season. to 50 to 60 days. We plan to graze the That all might sound confusing. irrigated areas three times during the Let me relate that to what a good season (late May to late October/early New Zealand dairy farmer does. The November), so between the first and New Zealanders also manage for second grazing periods, a 30-day equal-length grazing periods recovery period is planned, and throughout the year and a fairly between the second and third grazings, constant level of pre- and post-grazing a 60-day recovery period is planned. paddock masses, as we do on the So, what did we do? We switched irrigated paddocks. This is necessary from essentially having two to keep the paddocks in a leafy, permanent irrigated paddocks to vegetative, high quality condition, seven. Now, with average grazing and to maintain a constant plane of periods of three days, our total time nutrition for their cows. They also per pass through the irrigated have to lengthen recovery periods paddocks was still 21 days, but each during slow growth times and shorten unit of ground now had grazing them during fast growth. To shorten exposure for only 3 days, as opposed recovery periods, they take paddocks to the 1 to 2 weeks with only two out of their grazing plan and conserve paddocks, and was recovering for 18 them as hay or silage. To lengthen days. That meant we had to go graze recovery periods, they add those dryland country for 12 days to get the paddocks back into their plan. full 30 days of recovery on the first Grazing periods stay the same (as irrigated paddocks. A three-day grazing We built 3 miles of permanent one-wire, high-tensile electric in our case), but the number of period was not long enough for fence on our leased irrigated place at a total materials cost paddocks grazed (or total area significant regrowth to occur, so little of $308! One reason for the low cost was that we spent no grazed) changes as recovery to no overgrazing was taking place, money on gates. When we need to move cows, the wire is periods change. unlike the situation with the longer simply lifted with this PVC pipe and the cattle walk under.

In a similar way, we add or 1- to 2-week grazing periods. That We learned this trick from the Argentines. To the left of the subtract dryland grazing area to result definitely increased energy flow.

PVC pipe is one of our homemade oak posts. in the appropriate recovery periods With the longer grazing period on the irrigated paddocks. This can when there were just 2 paddocks, all be done with the current Holistic the first irrigated paddock would be Management® grazing planning grazed for two weeks, then recover for procedure, and the grazing for all of the irrigated and dryland one week (while the cattle were still on the irrigated place, but in the paddocks can be planned on the same chart. other paddock). That meant that we’d have to go find 23 days (instead of just 12 days) of grazing on the dryland paddocks before we could get back to the first irrigated paddock. The result was a gain of 11 days Increased Stock Density Also Boosts Energy Flow of dryland grazing that we could use at a later time.

That’s only part of the story. By cutting those paddocks down to a That was of major significance this year. We reasoned that the much smaller size, it’s a whole lot easier to be more efficient with the longer into our growing season we could wait to graze the dryland use of temporary electric fence, allowing for very tight control of stock paddocks, the more forage we would potentially produce. Our usual density. With only 2 irrigated paddocks, the average length of wire I’d spring burst of growth had failed to materialize. The more of that string up while strip grazing was usually about 600 yards (550 meters). dryland area we could push to the potential summer monsoon season, That took two passes, one to run out the wire, and the second to walk or to potential cool-season fall growth, the better the chances of back putting in posts across the open areas and adjusting the wire to making it through the entire grazing season without having to destock.

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the right height on the brush in the brushy areas (we use live sagebrush, oak brush, service berries, and mountain mahogany as our fence posts). Then I’d have to walk all the way back across the paddock and wind up the fence of the previous day’s strip to let the cattle move. That took two more passes. Then I’d have to walk back to wherever I left the four wheeler. That probably doesn’t sound too awful, and it’s not, but the elevation difference from the top of the paddock to the bottom of the paddock is about 300 feet (90 meters), so it wasn’t easy.

After all that, I’d have to go irrigate.

Now, with 7 paddocks instead of 2, the average distance of the portable fence is only about 200 yards (180 meters), and now I can usually put them in on the contour instead of straight up and down. It’s just way easier, and is a pleasure to do, which means it gets done Cattle moving under the wire (note PVC pipe lifting wire in center of photo) onto a lot more often. It was so easy that I moved the cattle new pasture. every day they were on the irrigated ground last year.

This meant that daily stock density was kept at about 40-50 stock units per acre, twice what we achieved before been spared from earlier grazing and was able to benefit from those with 2-day moves. The higher we can get our stock density, the more fall rains. Lots of yellow, curled up, seemingly dead western wheat and evenly the animals graze across all the plants in the paddock. In other needle grass leaves suddenly opened up and re-greened. The paddocks words, fewer plants get severely grazed and fewer plants are left we had already grazed also benefited, but their response wasn’t as ungrazed. On average, this results in more leafy material being left in quick.

We estimated that the area we would have needed for 22 days a paddock grazed at high stock density than at low stock density, even of grazing in August (before it started raining) yielded 30 to 34 days in when grazing pressure is the same (i.e., even with the same level of October (after the response to the rain). So, that’s another 10 days of stock days of forage harvested per acre). More leafy material left in the grazing, or an extra 3,200 stock days (we ran an average of about 320 paddock after the animals leave means there is a larger photosynthetic stock units through the season). So, altogether, those new fences factory to begin the recovery process, and on average, the plants produced about 8,000 more stock days of forage. At $0.50/stock day, recover at a quicker rate. that’s a value of $4,000.

Now (theoretically), 30 days of recovery might result in a paddock mass of 3,000 pounds of dry matter per acre instead of 2,500. As long What Did It Cost? as that extra material is leafy and not stemmy reproductive stalks, Of course, that number is meaningless without the cost of the new that’s money in the bank. fence figured in. In total, we built three new miles of one-wire electric This year, this obvious bump in production didn’t happen. fence. We’ve got a new farm supply store in town, and they carry a However, remember that our irrigation flow was shut down to 60% of common brand of high tensile wire that runs about twenty bucks normal, and Mother Nature didn’t add a drop during our peak growth cheaper per 4,000-foot (1300-meter) roll than the same thing with a months to help us out. Also, the ditch company shut our water off on Gallagher label. We built this fence on some pretty convoluted August 12, which is about a month earlier than normal. On top of that, ground—lots of creeks and ditches to cross, lots of uneven up and we had several hundred elk come in and camp on us for a few days down terrain, lots of curves to follow the dryland/irrigated borders, between the second and third irrigated grazing periods. With all those etc. As a result, we were going to need lots of posts, including lots of factors taken into account, I figure (at best) we should have only braced corner posts. grown about 50 percent of the forage we usually grow on the irrigated We knew our fence-building budget (we allowed $500 for this little areas. In 2001, which was an average year, we harvested a total of project) would quickly run dry unless we figured out a creative 18,620 stock days from the irrigated paddocks. In 2002, the worst year solution to this post problem. Late one night while lying in bed, I had on record, we harvested 14,900. a vision of our 3-inch diameter steel post driver (we call it the cannon) If our management had not changed to trap more sunlight slamming down onto an oak stick with a pointed tip. One thing we energy, I estimate our harvest would have been down to around have millions of is 2- to 2 .5-inch (50 to 63-mm) diameter oaks. The 10,000. So, our ability to increase stock density and increase the problem was that they had to be straight for the post driver to slide graze/trample : recovery ratio yielded on the order of 5,000 more stock over them, and oak brush isn’t exactly known for having sleek, days of grazing on the irrigated ground than we would have produced straight lines. under our previous management.

After some investigation the next morning, I determined that the The increased graze/trample : recovery ratio also enabled us to oak brush gene pool in our part of the world contained sufficient push 22 days of dryland grazing to later in the season. Thankfully, it “straight” genes to yield about one perfectly vertical stem in a started raining on September 8, and those dryland paddocks that hadn’t been grazed yet grew a lot of new grass. Thanks to our new continued on page 10 fences on the irrigated paddocks, 22 extra days worth of dryland had

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Trapping Sunshine

or months early. Because of the constant moves, the cattle performed well too.

I”ve given lots of numbers here—probably too many. All the grazing continued from page 9 and recovery periods that I detailed above were planned, not actual.

They didn’t all work out exactly as planned, but it was close. The point I want to conclude with is that we had a plan. We used holistic hundred. That was enough. We cut a tip onto each oak post so they’d decision-making to reason out an overall drought-management plan. drive into the ground well. For corners, we set the post, then drove Then we devised a specific grazing plan to enable us to put our another post as deep into the drought management plan into ground as we could get it practice. We deviated from it, but (against the strain) for an anchor, from day one of our grazing then wired the post itself over to season, we knew where we stood. the anchor.

On a daily basis, we knew I realized that the oaks would whether or not we were on track soon dry out, and that insulators to make it to the completion of would eventually be unnecessary, our grazing contract (October 15). but this year the darn things When the summer monsoons were too green to get by with failed to materialize, we knew we just a staple. We had to splurge had to make some stocking rate and buy a few bags of wood adjustments. We weaned early post insulators. When the elk hit (late August), and shipped 100 those wires, they frequently cows in early September that the break those plastic insulators, so owner was planning to sell that I’m expecting a bunch of them fall anyway. Other glitches to be busted by next spring. But modified the plan as well, such by then the oak posts will be as the elk showing up just when dry, and a staple, left a little lose they were the least welcome, so the wire can slide, will be an robbing us of several days of adequate fix. grazing during our third pass Gates were another potential through the irrigated paddocks expense, but on our travels to (since we make quite a bit of Argentina, we learned that gates money hunting them in the fall, are totally unnecessary with we forgave them). electric fence. All you need to do We had to adjust to stay on is stick a piece of seven foot (a track, but we stayed on track, and little over 2 meters) PVC pipe we ended up generating a gross (or any other insulated material) profit from our grazing enterprise under the wire, and you have an during this tough year that was instant gate wherever you need comparable to what we’ve Photos taken in two adjacent dryland paddocks following rain. The one. It takes a few tries for the achieved in much better rainfall response to the rain was better on plants that hadn’t been grazed in cattle to figure out they can walk years. We did this without the current season. The paddock in the top photo had been grazed under the wire without any ill compromising our future resource several months prior; the paddock in the bottom photo had last been effects, but after a few go-rounds, base. We were still able to honor grazed (moderate to heavily) a year before. they see that PVC pipe and our long-term (5 year) grazing come running. plan and give 20 percent of our So all we had invested (in dryland paddocks a full year of terms of materials) in these three miles of fence was four rolls of high recovery. We left 40 percent of our dryland paddocks in a moderately tensile wire, a few hundred insulators, and couple gallons of chainsaw grazed condition, and 40 percent heavily grazed. That wasn’t ideal, but gas. If we lose our lease, it will take a couple days of work to wind considering the year, we were satisfied. That fall rain perked up all up the wire and salvage the insulators (we’d leave the oak posts for our paddocks significantly, even those that had been severely grazed. ground cover).

It was tempting to go back onto those paddocks, but we didn’t. After Total materials cost? $308. It took my dad and me a couple weeks what we’d recently learned about the importance of fall lead tillers of part time work to put it in. Even if you count the labor cost (say to the following spring’s production (see my article in the last issue), one full-time employee for seven days at $100 a day), that’s only $1,000 we knew we better just let them grow as far into the fall as invested for a $4,000 return, and that’s in the first year. Wire really is temperatures permitted. the cheapest feed. On top of that, our custom grazing clients were On October 17, when we loaded the last cow on the last truck, happy as clams that they didn’t have to bring their cows home weeks I had to admit, “I love it when a plan comes together.”

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IN PRACTICE #88

In Tall Grass Pastures—

Enhancing Animal Performance

by Ian Mitchell-Innes

I

ranch in the tall grass veld (range) area of KwaZulu-Natal on the eastern side of South Africa. Our average annual rainfall is 33 inches (800 mm) and almost all of it comes over the course of four to six months in summer. The high temperatures, high atmospheric humidity, and plentiful moisture typically create fantastic growing conditions and an abundance of forage. The bulk of our grass species are Hyparrhenia , which grow tall and rank without heavy grazing pressure.

Traditionally, we have used fire and various grazing systems to remove this abundance of grass and to achieve economically acceptable levels of animal performance. When we adopted Holistic Management® planned grazing, the quantity of grass our land produced increased even further. Relative to our past management, the amount of grass produced on burned areas increased threefold, and five times the amount of grass was produced on unburned areas.

Our masses of tall grass caused major problems with animal performance, specifically low weight gains and low conception rates.

Fortunately, I had the opportunity to attend a couple of talks by Mark Bader of Free Choice Enterprises (Iowa). Bader’s insights gave me a new understanding of the relationship between growing grass and obtaining good animal performance.

An animal requires oxygen, energy (in the form of carbohydrates), and protein. In a ruminant animal, the proper balance will produce a pH of 7 in the rumen, which is neutral (neither acidic nor alkaline).

When that balance occurs, the rumen microbes work at their peak level and the uptake of minerals and other nutrients into the blood stream is optimal. Mark explained that if we could supplement the proper levels of energy and protein to make up for the serious deficiencies in our forage, we should be able to rectify our performance problems.

So, instead of dramatically increasing stocking rate, we’ve elected to focus on maintaining good animal performance and thus high reconception rates. Then, as our own herd sizes grow, it will be more possible to achieve overall ecological improvement. We’re still managing under holistic planned grazing, but are taking some additional measures to deal with our excessive forage and keep the animals performing as our numbers build.

In the spring, the shorter the grass is kept the more likely it is that the pH of the rumen will stay at the optimal 7. We can manage for this short, high quality grass with set stocking (at 1 Large Stock Unit to one hectare (2.5 acres) or less, depending on rain and temperature and thus growth rates), or with very short recovery periods of 5 to 10 days.

This type of management has been used for specific groups of cattle that were to be marketed. It is not sustainable over the whole ranch as it also destroys the roots of the plants.

Highly digestible carbohydrates (such as sugars and starch) have high quantities of hydrogen. These hydrogen-rich carbohydrates are concentrated in the very tip of the leaf, and when observing the grazing behavior of the cattle, it’s easy to see them selecting these high energy leaf tips. Lower down in the leaf, there is progressively more protein relative to energy. If the grass is allowed to seed, most of the high energy compounds move into the seed and back into the roots. If the recovery period is right, the animals continue to physically remove the top of the plant, preventing the seed head from forming. This stimulates continued high levels of photosynthesis, producing more hydrogen-rich carbohydrates. I liken this action to the ripening of sugar cane, where farmers spray a chemical on the cane to prevent it from flowering. This process in turn produces more sucrose, which is high in hydrogen.

In the early spring when the grass is still very short, testing the pH of the cattle (pH is tested by dabbing a piece of pH paper in a puddle of freshly dropped urine) usually reveals a pH of 8 or 9. This alkaline condition indicates an excess of protein in the diet relative to energy.

As the summer progresses, pH typically falls to the optimal 7, indicating that digestible carbohydrates and protein have reached a closer balance in the plant.

Growing Season This problem of excessive forage production under holistic planned grazing can be readily handled by simply increasing stocking rate to keep up with the extra forage production. More animals mean the grasses can be kept in a more vegetative and, therefore, higher quality condition. The animals and grasses don’t only benefit; everything benefits—the wildlife, the soil microbes, soil structure, mineral cycling, water cycle, energy flow—everything. The problem is that very few of us have the funds to go out and acquire the necessary numbers of cattle to do this. We could bring in outside cattle to graze on contract, but because we don’t routinely dip our cattle for tick control, outside cattle would have a tough time adapting to our conditions. Our cattle are highly resistant to tick infestations and to the tick-borne diseases the ticks carry. Most cattle, because they are dipped weekly to control ticks, have lost these natural defenses.

Excessive low-quality forage growth resulting from a 75-day reco very period, generally too long in our environment.

continued on page 12

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Enhancing Animal Performance continued from page 11

Holistic Management® planned grazing emphasizes that when doing grazing planning it is important to maximize selection as far as possible. I used to think animals selected specific grass species, but now know they select to balance energy and protein. Some species are naturally higher in protein and/or energy, which is why they are selected, but selection can also be provided with one specie of grass by giving the animal a selection in the height (maturity of the grass).

This I achieve by moving the cattle and leaving the gate behind open.

If I use the tool of fire, I can obtain the best results by patch burning over several months in the spring and early summer. This creates grass of different heights and gives the animals selection during our growing season. These practices aren’t necessarily the best from the standpoint of ecological health, but until we can increase our stocking rate to necessary levels, they are critical to obtaining high levels of animal performance in our high production environment.

protein doesn’t yield the degree of animal performance we’re seeking.

In our case, our plants have very low levels of protein in the winter, and though energy-containing compounds are in the plant, these are mostly difficult or impossible-to-digest plant structural compounds like lignin and cellulose.

So protein is deficient relative to energy, but energy is also deficient. As a result, we supplement with a mix that includes both protein and energy, and it contains molasses, alcohol, and cooking oil to provide the high hydrogen energy compounds; urea and ammonium sulfate to provide non-protein nitrogen (which the rumen microbes can use to make complete proteins); cotton oil cake to provide protein and energy; and chicken litter to provide some of all of the above. We monitor the pH closely, and change the quantities of these different ingredients depending on whether protein or energy becomes the most deficient. That’s also the reason I don’t list specific quantities of each ingredient, since it is constantly changing, and will be different for every property every season.

Free Choice Minerals

After the animal’s engine (metabolism) is efficiently running with the right balance of protein and energy, some “fine tuning” of the carburetor can be done. This I achieve with free choice minerals.

Supplement for Early Spring I make available to the cattle a Even through managing for cafeteria-style choice of minerals, different heights of grass to allow ranging from the macro minerals for high levels of selection, we like calcium and phosphorus, to Patch burning done in the spring to create a diversity of still have the need to supplement all of the trace minerals. When forage heights. at certain times of the year to starting with this mineral manage for high animal program, I thought I was going to performance. In early spring, be eaten out of house and home. when protein is in excess of energy, our focus is on increasing the The free choice mineral dealer assured me the cattle were just levels of hydrogen-rich, highly digestible carbohydrates to bring the correcting an imbalance, and that in his experience, after three pH back to 7. We use a mixture that includes molasses, alcohol (99.9% months the intake would slow down and over seven years the intake ethanol), and cooking oil. The alcohol is the critical component, as it would virtually stop. This has happened a lot quicker for me, as my contains even higher levels of hydrogen than the simple sugars. This herds of cattle are so much bigger than the traditional size herds. supplement can be used very effectively, instead of fire, to get old They have acted as very efficient fertilizer spreaders, spreading these grass mixed with some green spring grass and still obtain reasonable deficient minerals up and down these hills and amongst the rocks. As animal performance. Before doing this, I do a gross profit analysis to a result, their mineral demand has reduced dramatically. Interestingly, compare supplement and fire, to see which is the best option at that the form of my grass has also changed, with leaves being broader particular time. and greener. Last winter the consumption of my winter supplement more than halved.

Non-Growing Season The learning I have experienced in the last two years has been exciting and challenging. I do not fear winter, as I am now totally In autumn, the pH of the animals urine will start dropping below 7 confident I can achieve whatever animal performance I require, and and into the acidic range. This indicates a shortage of protein, as does also be cost effective. I do not grow any crops or bale any hay. This the hardening of the dung. Animal behavior also changes at this time. has all been possible because of Holistic Management, which has Animals stop going back to the shorter grass to balance their diet as enabled me to break paradigms with confidence. with the onset of winter most of the nutrients are relocated to the roots and photosynthesis stops due to cold. At that point I close the South African-based Ian Mitchell-Innes (blanerne@mweb.co.za) is a back gate.

Holistic Management ® Certified Educator, cattle and game rancher.

This acidic pH below the optimal level of 7 doesn’t necessarily He helps ranchers with management problems and is a frequent mean the animals have all the energy they need and only lack protein. speaker at land and livestock management conferences. To contact It just means that relative to energy, protein is lacking in their diet.

Ian call +27 - 36 4211747.

They may also be deficient in energy. If so, only supplementing

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Savory Center Bulletin Board Savory Center Staff Expands

C

onstance L. Neely has joined the Savory Center’s staff as Director of International Education Programs Development. She will be responsible for building awareness of Holistic Management and our international training programs within the international sustainable Constance Neely agriculture and community development network. She will also identify people and organizations that would find Holistic Management and the Savory Center a valuable resource for enhancing their programs, develop relationships with them, and work with them in identifying individuals who qualify for training, and in securing the funds for their participation.

A Holistic Management ® Certified Educator, Constance brings a wealth of experience, contacts, and energy to our staff team. She received her Ph.D. in agro-ecology at the University of Georgia in 1990, following seven years as a soil conservationist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and two years as a research associate at Texas A&M University. In 1992 she assumed responsibility as Deputy Director and then Acting Director of the Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resources Management Collaborative Research Support Program (SANREM/CRSP), based at the University of Georgia. Her focus while there was participatory watershed management through the program’s activities in Southeast Asia, the Andean Region and West Africa.

She remains principal investigator for a carbon sequestration study funded by the National Aeronautic and Space Association (NASA) that incorporates Holistic Management activities in Mali. Over the past five years, Constance has also served as a visiting expert to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in participatory land management, sustainable agriculture and rural development. She is the

past president of the International Farming Systems Association (IFSA) and currently serves on its board of directors.

Constance has retained her ties to the land with her involvement in an intentional community farm near Watkinsville, Georgia, where she is currently, and will remain, based. “I’m excited by this opportunity to build the Center’s international education efforts,” says Constance, “because I truly believe that Holistic Management provides a framework for the many components that are being brought to the table to address sustainability issues.”

Mary Child, who has been working for the Savory Center on a part-time contract for the past two years, has now joined our staff fulltime as U.S. Education Program & Case Study Development Coordinator, playing much the same role in the U.S. as Constance Neely does internationally. In addition, she is focusing on the development of case studies as an integral part of our training programs and the Center’s growing information data base. Mary will remain based in Sugar Grove, West Virginia.

sustainability, and heads its management team.

Leslie received an MBA in Finance from the University of California, Berkeley and is both a Certified Financial Planner and Chartered Financial Analyst. She has served on the boards or been active in such organizations as Artfair Seattle, Black Dollar Days Task Force, Center for Contemporary Art, New Beginnings Shelter for Battered Women, New City Theater, Seattle Women’s Commission, Leadership Tomorrow, King County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, United Way Planning and Distribution Committee, and the Pride Foundation.

“It’s been a wonderful experience to serve on the Savory Center’s Advisory Board, and it’s made me want to get more involved,” says Leslie. “The idea to create some ‘crossover’ between the governing Board and Advisory Board came at just the right time! I don’t have to give up the pleasure of serving on the Advisory Board, and I can move to a new level of understanding and commitment by also serving on the Board of Directors.”

New Board of Directors Member

T

I

n late 2002 the Center’s Board of Directors added one new member to its ranks to establish a crossover position between the governing board and the Advisory Board. Leslie Christian, who has served on the Advisory Board since 2001 was Leslie Christian elected to fill the new position.

Leslie is President of Progressive Investment Management Corporation, based in Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington. She has more than 25 years experience in the investment field including nine years in New York as a Director with Salomon Brothers Inc. In addition to her ongoing responsibilities as President of Progressive, Leslie co-founded Portfolio 21, Progressive’s no load mutual fund committed to environmental

New Advisory Board Members wo new members have joined the Savory Center’s Advisory Board. Both individuals are also some of our longest supporters.

Trudy Valerio Healy grew up in Taos, New Mexico, where her family goes back many generations. She met Allan Savory Trudy Valerio Healy while working on the ranch of one of his first American clients—the UU Bar, near Cimarron, New Mexico. “We had no idea at the time that we were pioneering Holistic Management in the U.S.,” says Trudy. “I would never see my life or ranching the same again.”

Trudy left the ranch when she and her first husband, R.C. Knox, divorced in the mid-‘80s, and opened up an art gallery in Taos. Several years later she met her current husband, Ed Healy, when he stopped by the gallery one continued on page 14

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Bulletin Board continued from page 13

day. Ed’s family hailed from Utah and has long been associated with the development of the West through the manufacture of Remington rifles, and through Utah International, which, among other things, built the Hoover and Grand Coulee dams.

“We were both part of how the West was won and lost,” says Trudy. “And with that much in common it made sense to get married.”

Trudy is active in local politics with her underlying aim being to “preserve the people, land and water of Northern New Mexico.”

She was a member of Governor Bill Richardson’s transition team last year, and she has just been appointed to the New Mexico Water Trust Board. “The biggest watershed for me,” says Trudy, “is that I have this opportunity to serve on the Savory Center’s Advisory Board. I am honored.”

Jim Parker is a rancher/investor, who is well-known to many of our members dating back to the late ‘80s when he served on the Savory Center’s Board of Directors.

Originally from Parkersburg, West Virginia, he and his wife, Carol, Jim Parker have made their home in Colorado since the late ‘70s.

“Sixteen years ago,” says Jim, “two important events occurred. My second child was born and I attended my first Holistic Management class. Life on our Colorado ranch was never again the same and that was a good thing. Holistic Management also began to change the way I interacted within other diverse business interests and my participation on several nonprofit boards.”

He served two terms on the Colorado Agriculture Commission, bringing a perspective shaped by Holistic Management, served as president of the Colorado River Watershed, and has been active and held leadership positions in various livestock and conservation organizations. And he’s looking forward to once again becoming more

14 HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE #88

The 2002 Certified Educator Training Program at their first training. Back ro w, from left to right: Larry Dyer, Kelly Mulville, Tobey Williamson, Terry Gompert, Andrew Hager, Sharon Hager, Erica Frenay, Steve Dahlberg, Lee Johnson, Heather Amundsen, Chris Norman, Rob Rutherford, Paul Swanson. Front row: Ben Bartlett, Peggy Maddox, Aspen Edge, Judi Earl, Juli Brussell, Marquita Chamblee, Laura Paine, George Gundry .

involved in Savory Center activities through the Advisory Board. “In my years of studying social, economic, and agricultural issues, I have become ever more convinced that the Holistic Management ® decisionmaking process has an absolutely crucial role to play in addressing the crisis of resources we now face,” says Jim. “I can think of no more hopeful or critical cause to be involved with than Holistic Management.”

2002 Training Program Underway

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he Savory Center’s 2002 Certified Educator Training Program kicked off in December 2002 in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

This full program of 19 participants was partially funded by a North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education grant. Participants will complete their course work by the end of 2003 and begin their year of independent study in 2004.

Participants in this program include Ben Bartlett, DVM, an Extension Agent and Stockman Specialist with Michigan State Cooperative Extension Service; Juli Brussell the Program Director of the Illinois Stewardship Alliance; Marquita Chamblee, the Director of the Baily Scholars Program and Assistant to the Dean for Special Projects for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University;

Steve Dahlberg, an Environmental Science Professor at the White Earth Tribal and Community College in North Dakota; Judi Earl, a self-employed Agriculture and Natural Resource Consultant from New South Wales, Australia; Aspen Edge, who manages a farm in the mountains of Granada, Spain with her husband, David and their son, Samuel; Erica Frenay, a non-profit coordinator working in Portland, Oregon on sustainability, land trust and food policy issues; Terry Gompert, an extension educator and rancher in Nebraska; George Gundry, a Grazing Property Manager for an estate in New South Wales, Australia; Andrew Hager, a County Agricultural Agent with the University of Wisconsin Extension; Lee Johnson, an educational facilitator from New Mexico with training in Landmark Education and Kinesiology; Peggy Maddox, Director of Education at the West Ranch Holistic Management Research Station in Ozona, Texas; Chris Norman, the Farm Manager for the Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm in Dayton, Ohio; Rob Rutherford, a professor in the Animal Science Department at California Polytechnic State University; Laura Paine, a County Agriculture Agent for the University of Wisconsin Extension; Paul Swanson, who is recently retired from University of Nebraska where he served as a University Educator; and Tobey Williamson, the Federal Policy Program

Manager for American Farmland Trust.

To learn more about the Savory Center’s Certified Educator Training Program, contact Kelly Pasztor, Director of Educational Services, at 505/842-5252 or kellyp@holisticmanagement.org or Mary Child, U.S. Education Program and Case Study Development Coordinator, at 304/249-5999 or maryc@holisticmanagement.org.

2002 Fundraising Efforts Successful

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e are extremely thankful for the continued support we received from so many of our members for our 2002 campaign. Hopefully, those of you who have not already responded to the letter we sent toward the end of last year will personally consider including The Savory Center among the organizations you are supporting. The partnership of individuals like you enables The Savory Center to continue our mission of providing the link between a healthy environment and a sound economy throughout the world.

During 2002, our philanthropy income exceeded $300,000 from both our annual letter and our major donor campaign. Your support not only keeps us strong, but enables us to move forward by capitalizing on the extraordinary opportunities that have come our way in the past two years. Well over 200 individuals made a financial contribution to The Savory Center during the past year. The average gift in the annual campaign was slightly over $137. Both figures exceeded our expectations. We all know and understand that we are in some very difficult economic times. However, our members have also recognized our opportunities and have donated more than in any previous calendar year.

The Savory Center appreciates your incredible financial support. We look forward to working with you thoughout 2003 and for years in the future.

to revegetate the site by using conventional techniques has not been successful. The SLO solicited bids for alternative methods of revegetation that also included monitoring, research, and education components.

LRI proposed to use animal impact as a tool to revegetate the dry benchland area, partner with government agencies on reclamation research, and hold educational field days at the site. LRI project manager, Craig Leggett, said, “this is a wonderful opportunity to build partnerships with other organizations and establish a comparative study of revegetation techniques for brittle environments that will be able to continue long after the contract is completed.”

Demonstration Project Receives Funds

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he Savory Center and Tree New Mexico (TNM) have been awarded two grants for the “Holistic Demonstration Project: Gibson Learning Site”. The Rio Puerco Management Committee (RPMC) continued its support of the project with a $20,000 award, and the Livingery Foundation (through the Tides Foundation) with their focus on Native American issues and concerns, awarded $5,000.

Tree New Mexico’s Executive Director and Holistic Management ® Certified Educator, Sue Probardt, says that the Holistic Demonstration Project, “is designed to work with an extended Navajo family, Navajo resource agency representatives, the surrounding community, and a technical support team to create a successful model and learning site for Navajo families that hold small plots of land.”

Jackson and Patsy Gibson of Thoreau, New Mexico have been working with the Savory Center and TNM to develop Holistic Management-based plans for their family and land. The Gibsons plan to raise livestock and develop an ecotourism enterprise, allowing them to craft a livelihood from the land.

New Contract for Land Renewal

New Opportunities for Ranchers

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A

he New Mexico State Land Office (SLO), through competitive procurement, selected a proposal by Savory Center subsidiary Land Renewal, Inc. (LRI) to revegetate 200-acres of state land near Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The Air Force had used the site for bombing practice and had done extensive reclamation work on it, but several attempts

new firm is helping ranchers who practice Holistic Management offer a new type of vacation experience: learning about effective land stewardship and participating in specific projects to restore biodiversity and biological productivity, while enjoying the great outdoors.

Larry Levine, President of Environmental Restoration Adventures, LLC, recently announced the availability of these vacations

at the company’s website, www.eradv.com.

“I believe there is an untapped tourism market of individuals who are not interested in a traditional dude ranch vacation but who are looking for unique, educational, hands-on outdoor experiences.

This is a way for ranchers to generate additional income and help folks unfamiliar with ranching learn about Holistic Management,” said Mr. Levine.

A small group of guests will work on a specific project to enhance the natural environment at the ranch. In addition, there will still be time to explore and appreciate the outstanding plant and wildlife located on the ranches.

The website has been designed to introduce Holistic Management to potential guests, and allow guests to stay in touch with a ranch after their vacation. Former guests can log in to see new pictures of areas they have worked on, get updates from ranchers, and track trends in biological indicators that are monitored on an ongoing basis.

More information, contact Larry Levine, Environmental Restoration Adventures, LLC, 550 Hamilton Ave., #240, Palo Alto, CA 94301.

Phone 408/749-1816.

Service Opportunities

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The Savory Center has been extremely active this year with more and more people hearing about our efforts and wanting to help.

We were pleased to work with intern Kiara Winan, who is involved in a distance learning course from Antioch College in Seattle, Washington. Kiara currently works with Cooperative Extension in Florida and is interested in agroforestry. For her internship and long-distance learning, the Savory Center paired her with an Agroforestry Research Station at Chapa de Mota, near Mexico City, run by Certified Educator Dr. Manuel Casas.

At Chapa, Kiara learned how Holistic Management has been integrated into this agroforestry research station. Her report will be translated into Spanish and will be used in the research station’s educational outreach efforts.

If you are interested in volunteering or would like to offer or sponsor an internship, please contact Ann Adams at 505/842-5252 or anna@holisticmanagement.org. We would especially appreciate help in our outreach and fundraising efforts.

HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE • MARCH / APRIL 2003 15

The Savory Center Forum Alive and Kicking in Canada

D

espite the challenges many people in agriculture were confronted with in 2002, positive attitudes continue to flourish in Western Canada among Holistic Management advocates. Some of this positive effort is due to a small management team of 12 people from Saskatchewan who have made a commitment to Holistic Management and their agricultural community.

The HAT Club (Holistic Attitudes for Tomorrow) was established in 1995 near Meadow Lake and originally had six members, which included Bruce and Lynda Borschowa, Don and Bev Campbell, and Richard and Kathie Sergent. They all agreed to support and challenge one another, trust and accept one another, learn together continually, and, most importantly, have fun.

With that in mind, they had a vision of discussing topics monthly such as winter grazing, people/land/finances, handling stress, as well as goal setting and defining success. Each couple had a personal commitment to the club and the written holistic goal, which kept the club motivated and consistently moving forward. Their desire to help one another through difficult decisions and change also influenced their loyalty.

Now, seven years later and twice the size, the club still meets monthly, alternating meetings at each ranch, and is still actively supporting, challenging, and discussing. New members to the club include: Tom and Lois Wood, Scott and Jenna Campbell, and Mark and Bluesette Campbell. In October of 2001, the idea came up to involve people from many provinces and share the benefits of Holistic Management. Tom Wood mentioned that most grass tours and get-togethers always seemed to be in the south, and he thought it would be useful to provide a tour where the conditions were different. Being able to share the club’s successes would help build an even stronger club, allow the members to grow as individuals and feasibly make a profit to pay for more education for the members. The real planning began in January 2002 and was the topic of every meeting leading up to the event.

16 HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE #88

On July 22-23, 2002, the HAT Club held a very successful field day. The club attributed such a great turnout to their outreach efforts and the fact that all the invitees had some Holistic Management experience. The original goal was to provide an event for families, which would bring people together and show examples of what Holistic Management and planned grazing can have on different ranches. In the end, 225 adults and 50 children (ages 3 weeks to 75 years) from Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba attended. The two-day event gave many the opportunity to share ideas on how to face the challenges in today’s climate and markets.

The first portion of the field day was held southeast of Glaslyn, Saskatchewan on the T-L Ranch, owned by the Woods. Half of the crowd listened to a guest speaker, Gary Etherington from Alberta Beef Composite.

Etherington was chosen to speak because he promotes a composite cattle breed and a lease/purchase program. This, Wood believes, gives those who are looking to make a shift from farming to ranching an easier transition from grain to cattle. The other half took a guided tour of the ranch, which has been managed holistically, from grain to grass, for the past five years.

Wood dug several soil samples from around the ranch to show the crowd how he built organic matter through planned grazing and proper land management. He also emphasized that the land in his area was very high maintenance for conventional grain farming due to so many rocks in the soil, but it was very low maintenance for growing grass and running livestock.

The following day, the crowd traveled farther north near Meadow Lake to the B-C Ranch owned by the Campbell family. Here, people split in half again as they chose between guest speakers Dennis and Jean Wobeser of Hi-Gain Ranch in Lloydminster, Alberta and Holistic Management practitioners, and another guided tour showing the effects of Holistic Management over 17 years on native range. The crowd was able to see direct Holistic Management results such as little or no bare ground,

layers of thatch from one-half to four inches, double stocking rate, and a vastly improved water cycle during drought conditions.

They also partook in an exercise designed to estimate the number of square yards of grass needed to maintain a cow/calf pair for one day. These plots also demonstrated how winter-feeding drastically improved the land, as some of the estimate plots had been used as winter-feeding plots and were much healthier than other plots that hadn’t received that treatment.

The Campbells led a discussion on the economics of grazing and used their own land to show that the best way to be profitable and sustainable is to improve the land. Despite lower than average rainfall, and thus lower grass production compared to other years, the Campbells still had ample grass. Such results under extremely dry conditions was an example of how the more difficult the circumstances, the more good management really shows.

Overall, the event was a huge success.

People left having a better understanding of the principles of Holistic Management in practice. They asked many good questions and there was an obvious lift in their spirits as people made new connections.

The club has since received many phone calls, thank you cards, and photos.

Having so many people come from a 500-mile radius during such an unpredictable year to explore and share ideas about Holistic Management goes to show that Holistic Management is very much alive in Western Canada. Everyone left with a more positive attitude knowing they can make a difference.

The HAT Club hopes to further its positive impact on the community. By continuing to meet monthly, challenge and support one another, and discuss agricultural issues and the impact on our lives, we will no doubt spread our positive energy, if not by having another field day or similar event, then by example for others to follow.

Bluesette Campbell lives near Meado w Lake, Saskatche wan and can be reached at: 306/236-6105 or bccowgirl@sasktel.net.

Certified Educators To our knowledge, Certified Educators are the best qualified individuals to help others learn to practice Holistic Management and to provide them with technical assistance when necessary. On a yearly basis, Certified Educators renew their agreement to be affiliated with the Center. This agreement requires their commitment to practice Holistic Management in their own lives, to seek out opportunities for staying current with the latest developments in Holistic Management and to maintain a high standard of ethical conduct in their work.

For more information about or application forms for the U.S., Africa, or International Certified Educator Training Programs, contact Kelly Pasztor at the Savory Center or visit our website at www.holisticmanagement.org/wwo_certed.cfm? ◆These Educators provide Holistic Management instruction on behalf of the institutions they represent.

UNITED STATES ARIZONA Kitty Boice P.O. Box 745, Sonoita, AZ 85637 520/907-5574 KatieMackK@aol.com ARKANSAS Preston Sullivan P.O. Box 4483 Fayetteville, AR 72702 479/443-0609; 479/442-9824 (w) prestons@nwaisp.com CALIFORNIA Monte Bell 325 Meadowood Dr., Orland, CA 95963 530/865-3246; mbell@glenncounty.net Julie Bohannon 652 Milo Terrace, Los Angeles, CA 90042 323/257-1915 JoeBoCom@pacbell.net Jeff Goebel P.O. Box 1252, Willows, CA 95988 530/321-9855; 530/934-4601 x101 (w) goebel@palouse.net Richard King 1675 Adobe Rd. Petaluma, CA 94954 707/769-1490; 707/794-8692 (w) richard.king@ca.usda.gov Christopher Peck P.O. Box 2286, Sebastopol, CA 95472 707/758-0171 ctopherp@holistic-solutions.net COLORADO Cindy Dvergsten 17702 County Rd. 23, Dolores, CO 81323 970/882-4222; cdvergst@fone.net Rio de la Vista P.O. Box 777, Monte Vista, CO 81144 719/852-2211; riovista@rmi.net

◆ Cliff Montagne Montana State University Department of Land Resources & Environmental Science Bozeman, MT 59717 406/994-5079; montagne@montana.edu

NEW MEXICO ◆ Ann Adams The Savory Center 1010 Tijeras NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102 505/842-5252 anna@holisticmanagement.org Amy Driggs 1131 Los Tomases NW Albuquerque, NM 87102 505/242-2787 adriggs@orbusinternational.com

Kirk Gadzia P.O. Box 1100, Bernalillo, NM 87004 505/867-4685; fax: 505/867-0262 kgadzia@earthlink.net

Chadwick McKellar 16775 Southwood Dr. Colorado Springs, CO 80908 719/495-4641; cmckellar@juno.com

Ken Jacobson 12101 Menaul Blvd. NE, Ste A Albuquerque, NM 87112 505/293-7570; kbjacobson@orbusinternational.com

Chandler McLay P.O. Box 262 Dolores, CO 81323 970/882-8802 mcchand@msn.com Byron Shelton 33900 Surrey Lane Buena Vista, CO 81211 719/395-8157; landmark@my.amigo.net GEORGIA Constance Neely

1160 Twelve Oaks Circle Watkinsville, GA 30677 706/310-0678; cneely@holisticmanagement.org IOWA Bill Casey

1800 Grand Ave. Keokuk, IA 52632-2944 319/524-5098; wpccasey@interl.net

◆ Kelly Pasztor The Savory Center 1010 Tijeras NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102 505/842-5252; kellyp@holisticmanagement.org Sue Probart P.O. Box 81827 Albuquerque, NM 87198 505/265-4554 tnm@treenm.com

David Trew 369 Montezuma Ave. #243 Santa Fe, NM 87501 505/751-0471 trewearth@aol.com Vicki Turpen 03 El Nido Amado SW Albuquerque, NM 87121 505/873-0473; mvt9357@aol.com

LOUISIANA Tina Pilione P.O. 923, Eunice, LA 70535 phone/fax: 337/580-0068 tinamp@charter.net

Arne Vanderburg P.O. Box 904, Cedar Crest, NM 87008 505/286-6133 asvanderb@hotmail.com

MINNESOTA Terri Goodfellow-Heyer 4660 Cottonwood Lane N Plymouth, MN 55442 612/559-0099 terri.heyer@mrusa.com

NORTH CAROLINA

Larry Johnson RR 1, Box 93A Winona, MN 55987-9738 507/457-9511; 507/523-2171 (w) lpjohn@rconnect.com MONTANA

Daniela Howell 63066 Jordan Ct. Montrose, CO 81401 970/249-0353 howelljd@montrose.net

Wayne Burleson RT 1, Box 2780 Absarokee, MT 59001 406/328-6808; rutbuster@montana.net

Tim McGaffic P.O. Box 476 Ignacio, CO 81137 970/946-9957; tim@timmcgaffic.com

Roland Kroos 4926 Itana Circle Bozeman, MT 59715 406/522-3862; KROOSING@earthlink.net

Sam Bingham 394 Vanderbilt Rd. Asheville, NC 28803 828/274-1309; sbingham@igc.org NORTH DAKOTA ◆ Wayne Berry University of North Dakota—Williston P.O. Box 1326, Williston, ND 58802 701/774-4269 or 701/774-4200 wayne.berry@wsc.nodak.edu

OHIO ◆ Deborah Stinner Department of Entomology OARDC 1680 Madison Hill Wooster, OH 44691 330/202-3534 (w); stinner.2@osu.edu

HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE • MARCH / APRIL 2003 17

OKLAHOMA Kim Barker RT 2, Box 67 Waynoka, OK 73860 580/824-9011; barker_k@hotmail.com OREGON Joel Benson 613 Fordyce St., Ashland, OR 97520 541/488-9630; ytka@jeffnet.org

◆ R.H. (Dick) Richardson University of Texas at Austin Department of Integrative Biology Austin, TX 78712 512/471-4128; d.richardson@mail.utexas.edu Peggy Sechrist 25 Thunderbird Rd. Fredericksburg, TX 78624 830/990-2529; eggy@fbg.net

Cindy Douglas 2795 McMillian St. Eugene, OR 97405 541/465-4882; cdouglas@omri.org

Liz Williams 4106 Avenue B Austin, TX 78751-4220 512/322-2933; evwilliams@austin.rr.com

TEXAS Christina Allday-Bondy 2703 Grennock Dr. Austin, TX 78745 512/441-2019; tododia@peoplepc.com

Craig Madsen P.O. Box 107, Edwall, WA 99008 509/236-2451; madsen2fir@centurytel.net

Guy Glosson 6717 Hwy 380 Snyder, TX 79549 806/237-2554; glosson@caprock-spur.com

Sandra Matheson 228 E. Smith Rd. Bellingham, WA 98226 360/398-7866; smm1@gte.net

WASHINGTON

◆ Don Nelson Washington State University P.O. Box 646310 Pullman, WA 99164 509/335-2922 nelsond@wsu.edu Maurice Robinette S. 16102 Wolfe Rd. Cheney, WA 99004 509/299-4942 mlr@icehouse.net

Lois Trevino P.O. Box 615 Nespelem, WA 99155 509/634-4410 509/634-2430 (w) lmerita@televar.com Doug Warnock 151 Cedar Cove Rd Ellensburg, WA 98926 509/925-9127 warnockd@ elltel.net

INTERNATIONAL AUSTRALIA Helen Carrell “Hillside” 25 Weewondilla Rd. Glennie Heights, Warwick, QLD 4370 61-4-1878-5285; 61-7-4661-7383 helenc@upfrontoutback,com Steve Hailstone 5 Lampert Rd., Crafers, SA 5152 61-4-1882-2212 shailstone@internode.on.net Graeme Hand 162 Hand and Associates Port Fairy, VIC 3284 61-3-5568-2158 gshand@hotkey.net.au Mark Gardner P.O. Box 1395, Dubbo, NSW 2830 61-2-6882-0605 gardnerm@ozemail.com.au Brian Marshall “Lucella”; Nundle, NSW 2340 61-2-6769 8226; fax: 61-2-6769 8223 bkmrshl@northnet.com.au

Len Pigott Box 222, Dysart, SK SOH 1HO 306/432-4583 JLPigott@sk.sympatico.ca Kelly Sidoryk Box 374; Lloydminster, AB, S9V 0Y4 403/875-4418 higain@telusplanet.net CHINA/GERMANY Dieter Albrecht 2, Yuan Ming Yuan Xi Lu Beijing 10094 86-10-6289 1061 alialb@gmx.net (international) MEXICO Ivan Aguirre La Inmaculada Apdo. Postal 304 Hermosillo, Sonora 83000 tel/fax: 52-637-377-8929 rancho_inmaculada@yahoo.com

NEW ZEALAND John King P.O. Box 3440, Richmond, Nelson 64-3-544-0369 succession@clear.net.nz SOUTH AFRICA Johan Blom P.O. Box 568, Graaf-Reinet 6280 27-49-891-0163 johanblom@cybertrade.co.za Ian Mitchell-Innes P.O. Box 52, Elandslaagte 2900 27-36-421-1747; blanerne@mweb.co.za Norman Neave Box 141, Mtubatuba 3935 27-35-5504150; norboom@saol.com Dick Richardson P.O. Box 1806, Vryburg 8600 tel/fax: 27-53-927-4367 judyrich@cybertrade.co.za ZIMBABWE Mutizwa Mukute PELUM Association Regional Desk P.O. Box MP 1059, Mount Pleasant, Harare 263-4-74470/744117; fax: 263-4-744470 pelum@mail.pci.co.zw

Bruce Ward P.O. Box 103, Milsons Pt., NSW 1565 61-2-9929-5568; fax: 61-2-9929-5569 blward@holisticresults.com.au

Elco Blanco-Madrid Cristobal de Olid #307 Chihuahua Chih., 31030 52-14-415-3497; fax: 52-14-415-3175 elco-blanco@hotmail.com

Brian Wehlburg c/o “Sunnyholt”, Injue, QLD 4454 61-7-4626-7187 ijapo2000@yahoo.com

Manuel Casas-Perez Calle Amarguva No. 61, Lomas Herradura Huixquilucan, Mexico City CP 52785 52-558-291-3934; 52-588-992-0220 (w)

CANADA Don and Randee Halladay Box 2, Site 2, RR 1, Rocky Mountain House, AB T0M 1T0; 403/729-2472 donran@telusplanet.net

Liberty Mabhena Spring Cabinet P.O. Box 853, Harare 263-4-210021/2; 263-4-210577/8 fax: 263-4-210273

NAMIBIA Gero Diekmann P.O. Box 363, Okahandja 9000 264-62-518091 nam00132@mweb.com.na

Sister Maria Chiedza Mutasa Bandolfi Convent P.O. Box 900, Masvingo 263-39-7699, 263-39-7530

Noel McNaughton 5704-144 St., Edmondton, AB, T6H 4H4 780/432-5492; noel@mcnaughton.ca

Wiebke Volkmann P.O. Box 182, Otavi, 067-23-44-48; keilberg@mweb.com.na

18 HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE #88

Elias Ncube P. Bag 5950, Victoria Falls 263-3-454519 rogpachm@africaonline.co.zw

Local Networks There are several branch organizations or groups

affiliated with the Center in the U.S. and abroad (some publish their own newsletters.) We encourage you to contact the group closest to you:

United States CALIFORNIA Holistic Management of California Tom Walther, newsletter editor 5550 Griffin St. Oakland, CA 94605 510/530-6410 tagjag@ aol.com COLORADO Colorado Branch of the Center For Holistic Management Jim and Daniela Howell newletter editors 1661 Sonoma Court, Montrose, CO 81401 970/249-0353 howelljd@montrose.net GEORGIA Constance Neely 1160 Twelve Oaks Circle Watkinsville, GA 30677 706/310-0678 cneely@holisticmanagement.org IDAHO National Learning Site Linda Hestag 3743 King Mountain Rd. Darlington, ID 83255 208/588-2693; mackay@atcnet.net

MONTANA Beartooth Management Club Wayne Burleson RT 1, Box 2780, Absarokee, MT 59001 406/328-6808rutbuster@montana.net NEW YORK Regional Farm & Food Project Tracy Frisch, contact person 148 Central Ave., 2nd floor Albany, NY 12206 518/427-6537 USDA/NRCS - Central NY RC&D Phil Metzger, contact person 99 North Broad St., Norwich, NY 13815 607/334-3231, ext. 4 phil.metzger@ny.usda.gov NORTHWEST Managing Wholes Peter Donovan 501 South St., Enterprise, OR 97828-1345 541/426-2145 www.managingwholes.com OKLAHOMA Oklahoma Land Stewardship Alliance Charles Griffiths Route 5, Box E44, Ardmore, OK 73401 580/223-7471; cagriffith@brightok.net

Africa Centre for Holistic Management (A subsidiary of the Allan Savory Center for Holistic Management since 1992) Board of Trustees

Staff

Allan Savory, Chair Ignatius Ncube, Vice Chair Chief D. Shana II Chief A. J. Mvutu Chief B.W. Wange Chief D. Nelukoba Chief S.R. Nekatambe Councilor Ndubiwa Mary Ncube Lot Ndlovu Emeldah Nkomo (Staff Representative) Elias Ncube (Staff Representative) Osmond Mugweni - Masvingo Hendrik O'Neill - Harare Sam Brown, Austin, Texas, ex-officio

Huggins Matanga, Director Elias Ncube, Community Programmes Manager Emeldah Nkomo, Village Banking Coordinator Forgé Wilson, Office Manager Sylvia Nyakujawa, Bookkeeper Dimbangombe Ranch and Conservation Safaris: Roger Parry, Manager Trish Pullen, Assistant Manager, Catering Richard Nsinganu, Assistant Manager, Safaris Albert Chauke, Ranch Foreman

To order products inAustralia/New Zealand or southern Africa contact: Australia: Holistic Decision Making Association, Irene Dasey, P.O. Box 543, Inverell NSW 2360, tel: 61-2-6721-0123; idasey@hdma-anz.com South Africa: Whole Concepts cc, PO Box 1806, Vryburg 8600; tel/fax: 27-53-9274367; judyrich@cybertrade.co.za PENNSYLVANIA Northern Penn Network Jim Weaver, contact person RD #6, Box 205 Wellsboro, PA 16901 717/724-7788 jaweaver@epix.net

TEXAS HRM of Texas Peggy Jones, newsletter editor 101 Hill View Trail Dripping Springs, TX 78620 512/858-4251 delphic@earthlink.net

International AUSTRALIA Holistic Decision Making Association (AUST+NZ) Irene Dasey, Executive Officer P.O. Box 543 Inverell NSW, 2360 tel: 61-2-6721-0123 idasey@hdma-anz.com CANADA Canadian Holistic Management Lee Pengilly Box 216, Stirling, AB, T0K 2E0 403/327-9262 MEXICO Fundación para Fomentar el Manejo Holístico, A.C. Jose Ramon Villar, President Av. Cd. de los Angeles #310 Pte

Col del Norte, Monterrey, NL 64500 tel/fax: 52-844-415-1542 ccjean@prodigy.net.mx NAMIBIA Namibia Centre for Holistic Management Anja Denker, contact person P.O. Box 23600 Windhoek 9000 tel/fax: 264-61-230-515 unicorn@iafrica.com.na SOUTH AFRICA Community Dynamics Judy Richardson P.O. Box 1806 Vryburg 8600 tel/fax: 27-53-9274367 judyrich@cybertrade.co.za

Come Visit Us! AT DIMBANGOMBE

We Offer:

• Guided Bush Walks • Horseback Tours • Game-Viewing Drives • Anti-Poaching Patrol Experience • And much more!

In an unforgettable setting with comfy lodging, memorable meals

Private Bag 5950 Victoria Falls Zimbabwe

Roger Parry Email: rogpachm@africaonline.co.zw Tel. (263)(11)213 529

www.africansojourn.com HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE • MARCH / APRIL 2003 19