Salt Cedar

Salt Cedarhttp://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/weeds/aqua013.html
As an aggressive colonizer that is able to survive in a wide variety of habitats, saltcedar often forms monotypic stands, replacing willows, cottonwoods and other native riparian vegetation. The stems and leaves of mature plants secrete salt, forming a crust above and below ground that inhibits other plants (Sudbrock 1993). Saltcedar is also an enormous water consumer. A single large plant can absorb 200 gallons of water a day (Hoddenbach 1987). Saltcedar’s high water consumption further stresses native vegetation by lowering ground water levels and can also dry up springs and marshy areas.

July 14, 2004
http://www.abqtrib.com/archives/news04/071404_news_goats.shtml
Army of goats to hit bosque

By Frank Zoretich
Tribune Reporter

Up to 1,000 goats might be dining on salt cedar in the Rio Grande bosque by the middle of September.

The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District has issued a request for proposals for a 45-day "goat pilot project" to determine how effective - and economical - it can be for herds of goats to help clear water-sucking, fire-fueling salt cedar and other invasive weeds from the river's cottonwood forest.

Subhas Shah, chief engineer for the conservancy district, said the plan is for at least 400 goats to clear invasive weeds in 100 acres of the bosque.

Shah said he anticipates the cost of the project this year will be about $45,000.

"We've done some small projects with a small number of goats," he said. "If it works, this will be the beginning of a larger program utilizing goats to control salt cedar, Russian olive and some other weeds."

The goats are to be deployed along the west bank of the river in a stretch of the bosque between Orilla Road (about a quarter-mile north of the Monta§o Bridge) and the Paseo del Norte Bridge.

The conservancy seeks proposals by Aug. 2 from "qualified contractors with demonstrated experience in the use of a large herd of goats for the management of vegetation."

The salt cedar chomping is to begin Sept. 15.

At least 400 goats are sought; the upper limit is 1,000 goats. Preference will be given to New Mexico goat contractors, according to the conservancy district request.

New Mexico contractors "with limited experience in the use of large herds of goats for vegetation management in an urban area are strongly urged to partner with a more experienced contractor, including one from outside New Mexico, to submit a joint proposal," the request said.

Sterling Grogan, the district's biologist, has been urging the use of a large herd of goats since 1999.

Grogan, who is out of town and could not be reached, had originally hoped this project could begin as early as January.

But it was delayed, he said earlier this year, by budget constraints and a decision to wait until the end of the migratory bird May-September nesting period.

The goats won't be able to roam at will through the bosque, district officials said. Groups of them will be confined to fenced-in plots ranging in size from 2 to 5 acres.

They'll also be fenced out of some prime stands of native vegetation. The contractor "will be responsible for immediately capturing any escaping goats," the request said.

Whoever supplies the goats will also have to supply:

"A qualified herder or herders who will be physically present with the goats 24 hours per day, seven days per week for every day of the project."

"Self-contained quarters for the herder/herders," because no water or electricity is available at the pilot project site.

Temporary fencing.

The goat contractor will also be required to work closely with the conservation district and with scientists from the New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service, including livestock specialist Manny Encinias, who will be monitoring the project.

The contractor will be required to keep detailed daily logs of "goat browsing time and locations, as well as costs and labor input, watering, provision of feed supplements, interactions with coyotes and dogs, etc."

The goat project "is likely to have high visibility," the request noted.

So on at least one day during the project, the contractor "will be expected to be available to answer questions from the public and the media, and demonstrate the work of vegetation management with goats."

And the bleat goes on. After this year's project, the district anticipates bringing the goats back for repeat performances in the same section of the bosque in 2005 and 2006.