3rd Annual Cross-Watershed Network Sharing Workshop
October 5th & 6th in Pueblo, CO
Day1/ Case Clinic Session: Taking Lessons away from a Failed Project
Diane Pentilla, Ouray National Wildlife Refuge
Case Background:
Needs input on her team’s effort to achieve grassland restoration located in NE Utah. This land should have
been taken out of farm/hatchery production 20+ years ago. They have tested 93 test plots on eleven acres
where they receive six inches of rain/year, and have been successfully only in growing the nicest kochia you
have ever seen. She has considered or tried seven species of native grass and the results thus far include only
5% native cover on the most successful sites. She did in one site and it did not work: her ground had mostly
noxious weeds. These impacted ‘islands’ are surrounded by good grasslands. Her native grasses attempted
include Inland salt grass, western wheat grass. Squirrel tail, Indian rice grass. Very alkaline (perhaps contrary
to what was assumed)!
Have not tried seeding and mulching, a good alternative to a good cover crop.
They have avoided riparian areas since they need to replace it with something. Have focused on really
disturbed grasslands areas. Many people are using non-native grasses, like USFS.
Advice and Discussion:
 Six inches of annual precipitation creates a tough environment
 Successful solutions vary, depending on the environment at and around your area of focus. When you
are full of invasives, the approach needs to acknowledge the behavior of those weeds. Example was
cited of a project with Conservation Reserve, for which they took 40 million acres (mainly biennial
wheat for the last 20-30 years) out of production and turned it into grass with no irrigation. From 1986
– 1992 there were droughts and he saw 80% success.
 Start with a cover crop: Because of the history of low precipitation, the wheat was planted every other
year to be able to be successful. Similarly, in order to have a good chance at success they waited a
year to start the change, and then plant a sterile cover crop – helps wind and water erosion and
competes with weeds.
 Getting rid of the competition is key
 Plant where the new seed will compete against weeds; use something drought tolerant that will beat
the weeds then die off
 Let weeds grow 2 ft.… mow it. (mulch) May need to do this for 5 years.
• Suggest hay mulch.
• Critters ants and birds may take a lot of the seeds away.
• Ten pounds with a drill would be ten times better than a hundred pounds of broadcast seeding.
• Easy to drill too deep. Seed bed preparation is critical: need to prepare a seed bed so you can reliably
plant seeds 4 inches.
• Learn water quality. Get soil samples tested.
• Using a broader base of genetics may be better. Make sure seed is good!
Prepare seed bed cover: seed, cover/mulch, crimp