The Conservancy’s preserves have now been infested by smutgrass (Sporobolus indicus). This is going to be very difficult to get rid of, and maybe impossible. According to Cal-IPS News (Winter 2010), one smutgrass plant can produce 45,000 seeds per year. Our concern is that if allowed to spread on Conservancy preserves, Swainson’s hawk won’t be able access prey in a tall stand of smutgrass. Moreover, our standard method of treatment, livestock grazing, won’t be effective because livestock won’t eat it according to a recent UC-Davis Cooperative Extension paper. We’ll have a tough one with this beast. Any ideas out there?
One Against Many?
The Conservancy uses a variety of tools to manage vegetation on its preserves, guided by a strategy known as “the soft path first.” One of those tools is grazing. Over the years, the Conservancy has used large grazing animals to manage marsh and adjacent upland vegetation, including Hereford, Black Angus, …