The True Cost of Converting Non-native pasture to Native Prairie

The Cost of Restoring Native Vegetation in Areas Dominated by Exotic Grasses

Mike Hehman - Hixon Ranch

Coauthors  Eric

Grahmann – TAMUK-CKWRI  Forrest Smith – TAMUK-CKWRI-STN  Blake Martin - TAMUK-CKWRI  Dr. Tim Fulbright - TAMUK-CKWRI  Anna Lund

Introduction ď‚ž What

will it cost to convert South Texas rangelands dominated by exotic grasses back to native rangelands?

Exotic Grass Landscape

Introduction Exotic grass research group (2008) • Shotgun approach

Cost Assessment

Sandy Loam (Buffelgrass)

Other Plots

Ranch Plots

Pilot Plots

Oth er

Plo

ts

Pilot Plots

lots Ranch P

Saline Clay Loam (Kleberg Bluestem)

Ranch Plots Plow/Repeat Disk Repeat Spray (Glyphosphate) Plow/Repeat Disk/Seed Repeat Spray (Glyphosphate) /Seed

Man Hours 65.5 24.4 12.3 13.66

Rates: $21.00/hour to run tractor ($4.00/gallon diesel cost) $10/hour labor $18.88/ac. to spray glyphosphate (32 oz./ac.)

Times Spot Sprayed 5 5 4 9

Cost/Ac. $146.90 $157.22 $399.23 $503.86

Pilot Plots Plant forbs and spray Fusilade Repeat Disk/plant natives Mow/spray fusilade Burn/spray fusilade Plant natives/spot spray (Glyphosphate) Disk and Plant natives

Man Hours 6 11.5 3.5 2 3.5 120.7

Rates: $21.00/hour to run tractor ($4.00/gallon diesel cost) $10/hour labor $18.88/ac. to spray glyphosphate (32 oz./ac.) $22.56/ac. to spray fusilade (24 oz./ac.)

Times Spot Sprayed 3 2 3 3 1 7

Cost/Ac. $394.05 $477.21 $218.05 $152.45 $131.50 $1,219.19

Native Seed Cost’s

Native Seed Cost Native mixes in the past year have run $80 - $150 per acre depending on the species requested in the mix

Pipeline and Pad Site Seeding

Drilling Natives

Drilling Cost’s

Hydroseeding Natives

Hydroseeding Cost’s  Profile

Flex Terra $0.14-0.18/square foot + Seed Cost ¼ acre = $1,306.80-$1,906.20 Second Nature $0.035-0.06/square foot +Seed Cost ¼ acre = $381.15-$653.40

Hydroseeding Profile Flex Tera

Second Nature

Mixed Soil Profiles Mulched

Drilled

Contributors  Hixon Ranch and Family  South Texas Natives Program  Rene Barrientos  NRCS

- E. “Kika” de la Garza Plant Materials Center  Native Plant Society of Texas  Harvey Weil Sportsman Foundation  Arthur Seeligson Conservation Fund  Ryan Peters  Meagan Lesak

Questions ?