Walker Basin Allotment (S & W) Interim Management Plan

Long Valley Ranger District
Beaver Creek Ranger District
Coconino National Forest

Prepared by:
Range Conservationist Date: 9/29/82
Range Conservationist Date: 9/24/82
Submitted by: Long Valley District Ranger Date: 10/22/82
Beaver Creek District Ranger Date: 9/30/82
Agreed to by: Permittee Date: 9/27/84
Approved by: Forest Supervisor Date: 1/23/85

I. Basic Description

The Walker Basin Allotment is located on the Beaver Creek and Long Valley Ranger Districts of the Coconino National Forest. Vegetation varies from the desert grassland vegetative type on the western end of the allotment to the ponderosa pine type on the eastern portion of the allotment.

The following livestock are permitted:

In addition, the permittees have permits to graze on private lease land as follows:

II. Goals And Objectives Of Management

A. Long Range Goals

1. Maximize red-meat production on the Walker Basin Allotment consistent with other resources, uses and activities.
2. Sustain or improve range condition to at least fair or better condition class.
3. Improve all areas presently in a "downward" trend to at least a "no apparent" classification trend.
4. Through management and public education, minimize vehicular impacts upon the soil and range resources.
5. Graze the allotment on a sustained forage yield basis at proper allowable grazing use levels.

B. Short Range Goals

1. Manage the Walker Basin Allotment as one unit (both summer and winter ranges) under a single allotment management plan.
2. Improve communications and coordination between all Forest programs and the grazing permittee.
3. Identify, prioritize and initiate the construction of range improvements necessary to implement the preferred management system.
4. Develop a management system that will:
   1. Implement seasonal grazing rest or deferment on key forage species.
   2. Compliment the permittee's livestock operation and animal husbandry practices.
   3. Establish proper allowable grazing use for key forage species and for key areas within each pasture.
   4. Facilitate additional replacement heifers.
5. Through an improved management system, take advantage of surplus forage. This may be accompanied by an increase in the permitted numbers when the management system shows to be working.
6. Establish proper allowable grazing use on key forage species within key grazing areas as follows:
   1. Summer Range - Proper allowable use not to exceed 45% in the ponderosa pine type and 35% in the pinyon-juniper vegetative type.
   2. Winter Range - Proper allowable use not to exceed 45% on forage grazed during the dormant season, and 30% on forage grazed during the spring growing season.
7. Initiate vegetative type conversion in selected areas of the pinyon-juniper vegetation type through the use of fuelwood sales,

III. Management System

A. Summer Range

A six-pasture rest rotation grazing system will be implemented on the summer range of this allotment. However, before full implementation of this system can occur, it will be necessary to conduct some revegetation work in the Horse Knoll and Snake Ridge units of the summer range, and to construct additional division fences. Livestock grazing for the next five-year period will, therefore, of necessity be scheduled around this proposed work. Should this revegetation work begin in FY 1986, a rest rotation system which allows for grazing rest of the seeded pastures will be followed (see Form R3 2200-19 in Appendix). Until this work is started, a simple rest rotation system will be used. This system will allow for grazing rest and deferment of all pasture units on a periodic basis. Following completion of the Pine Unit Division Fence, the two new pastures will be scheduled into the grazing system.

Due to changing weather, forage and livestock water conditions, this schedule must be flexible. The annual plan of grazing will therefore direct the course of grazing management over the next five-year period using the proposed grazing schedule in this plan as a guide for management.

B. Winter Range

The winter allotment is basically divided into three areas - the area above the Rim, the Rim, and the area below the Rim. The above-the-Rim portion is made up of the Twin Buttes, Cedar Flats Units, and most of the Shipping Lane. Most of the area below the Rim has had very little treatment done to it, and makes up a smaller portion of the capacity of the allotment. The below-the-Rim portion of the allotment is made up of the Russell Spring, Wickiup Units, the Bull and Shipping Pastures, and the lower end of the Shipping Lane. This lower country is a semi-desert vegetation type, and is dominated by warm-season grass species.

The above-the-Rim units are adjacent to the Summer Range, and are the only logical routes for the cattle to move through to reach the country below the Rim. The area above the Rim in some winters receives enough snowfall to make this country inaccessible. These two conditions plus the difference in the vegetation types makes the management of this allotment difficult and requires that the upper and lower portions not be combined in one rest or rotation system. Presently, to achieve the maximum Spring rest for both the upper and lower portions of this allotment, a deferred grazing system should be set up for both portions. A three-pasture rest-deferment rotation system should be set up on the lower portion using the Russell Spring, the Wickiup, and Walker Basin Units. The Walker Basin Unit is limited in capacity. The potential to set up this system does exist but some pinyon-juniper control and seeding should be done in the Walker Basin Unit. Also, a two-pasture deferment system will be set up on the Cedar Flats Unit when it is divided. The above described management system is the preferred management alternative for the cow herd on the winter portion of this allotment. See the attached Form R3 2200-19 (winter) for the details of this management system.

Cow Herd Operation

In order to facilitate the calving and breeding practices of the permittee, and to achieve the maximum spring deferment for both the upper and lower country and to prevent the chance of the cattle being trapped in the snow in the upper country, the following management system will be implemented and followed to the highest degree possible. In the fall, when the cattle come on the winter allotment (around November 1), they will be placed in the Twin Buttes Unit for approximately one month. Around December 1, they will be moved into the low country. Here a rest-deferment system using the Walker Basin, Russell Spring and Wickiup Units will be followed. One unit will be used for approximately 11/2 months before the spring growing season begins, then the other unit will be used for 11/2 months as the spring growing season starts. The move date between these two units will vary from year to year and will depend on the weather and the availability of water. In the spring after the upper country has had a chance to dry out and warm up, the cattle will be moved back up into the Cedar Flat Unit for two months. From there all cattle will be moved into the Twin Butte Unit for one month. For a detailed plan of this system, see the attached Grazing System Pasture Plan and Use Record, Form R3 2200-19 (winter).

Bull and Heifer Operation

The permittee practices seasonal controlled breeding by removing the bulls from the cow herd for most of the year. As in the past, the bulls will be placed in the Shipping Lane when they come on the winter allotment, and will be moved down the lane through the fall until they reach the lower country. This should be around the end of January. From the Shipping Lane, the bulls will be placed in the bull pasture where they will remain until around March 1, when they are placed back in the cow herd.

After the Bull pasture fence has been rebuilt and this pasture is in operation the bulls should be moved down the Shipping Lane sooner and placed in this pasture. See the attached Grazing System Pasture Plan and Use Record Form R3-2200-19 for details.

The replacement heifers will be hauled to the horse pasture at the ranch headquarters and fed for 11/2 months. This allows the heifers to be weaned when they come on the winter allotment. This may vary from year to year, depending upon feed conditions, and on the condition of the heifers. From the Horse Pasture the heifers will be moved into the Hance Spring Pasture for 21/2 months.

From the Hance Spring Pasture the replacement heifers will be placed in Shipping Lane Units 1 or 2. A spring deferment system will be practiced using these two units, and also Longhorn bulls will be placed with the heifers while they are in these units so that they may be bred for calving ease the first time.

Heifers will remain in a separate herd - worked up the lane.

The first-calf heifers will be held separate from the cow herd so that they may be watched and helped when they calve. These heifers will be placed in the Shipping Lane Unit 3 for one month when they come on the allotment in the fall. From this unit they will be moved into Lower Walker Basin unit, Shipping Pasture (Strip Pasture when it is built). These heifers will be checked as they start to calve, and if need be some of the heifers that look like they may have trouble calving can be moved to the Horse Pasture at the headquarters so that they will breed back and stay in cycle. See the attached Grazing System Pasture and Use Record Form R3-2200-19 (winter) for a tentative pasture use plan for the heifers.

IV. Construction of Range Improvements

In order to implement the proposed grazing management systems effectively, the following range improvements will be necessary. Budget allocations in recent years have been such that very few range improvements have been financed. Therefore, the accomplishment of any project work will be fully dependent upon the available finances of both the Forest Service and the permittee. The proposed improvements are grouped by priority into four categories:

1. Maintenance and reconstruction
2. Implementation of proposed grazing system
3. Improvement of livestock distribution
4. Increased grazing capacity

A. Summer Range Improvements

The following improvement work is necessary to maintain and/or reconstruct the existing range improvements on the allotment. The accomplishment of this work is fully dependent upon the availability of financing on the part of both the permittee and the Forest Service.

+ P & M Watershed Financing

* KV Wildlife Financing

B. Winter Range Improvements

The following projects are either maintenance or reconstruction of existing improvements. These are projects which are needed to continue grazing the allotment under the present management system.

The total investment needed for maintenance and reconstruction to sustain this allotment in the present operating condition is $61,500. Of this amount, the Forest Service cost would be $38,000 and the permittee's cost would be $23,500. This work should be accomplished in approximately 3 years, and should progress in the priorities as listed.

The following are new start structural improvements that are essential to implement a deferred rest rotation grazing system on the upper and lower units.

The total investment needed for new start improvements to implement a rest-rotation grazing system on the total allotment is $56,200. Of this amount, the Forest Service cost would be $37,500 and the permittee's cost would be $18,700. These projects should be considered as a group and should not be separated out as individual projects since they depend on each other to make a rotation grazing system work. If funded, the structural improvements could be completed in two years. The fuelwood sale (vegetation conversion) would take at least five years to accomplish.

The following projects are needed to improve livestock distribution, movement, and to improve some of the watershed conditions on the allotment.

The total investment that would be needed for improving livestock distribution, movement and for improving the conditions of some of the watershed on this allotment would be $22,900. Of this, the Forest Service cost would be $21,500 and the permittee's share would be $1,400. These projects would improve the overall conditions on this allotment, but are not key projects which the allotment management depends on. Some of these projects could be funded from watershed improvement dollars or by other means if funds ever become available. These projects do not necessarily need to be completed in any priority and should be addressed if or when any appropriate funding becomes available.

V. Maintenance of Improvements

Form 2200-5, Inventory and Maintenance Responsibility, is a list of all the range improvements on the Walker Basin Allotment. The permittee is required in the Grazing Permit to maintain the specified improvements on a periodic basis.

VI. Follow-Up Actions

The following actions are necessary in order to monitor the success of this management plan and to provide early recognition and solution of any problems, conflicts, or omissions that may appear in attempting to implement the plan. Ther permittee is encouraged to attend and participate in all activities.

VII. Appendix

1. Grazing Management System, R3-2200-18 (not included)
2. Form 2200-5, Inventory and Maintenance Responsibility (not included)
3. Range Improvement Map (not included)
4. Economic Analysis Range Project FS-2200-19 and 2200-199 (not included)

Last Revised: 26 April 2000