|
Reestablishing
Pastures and Hay Meadows - Summary
Wildfire is
a common occurrence in the western US. Although challenging in many
respects, wildfires can provide an excellent window of opportunity
to reseed hay fields or meadows with improved forage species. Many
areas burned by wildfire have difficult accessibility, and producers
are often limited in equipment for properly seeding forage crops.
Most
of the techniques and concepts used for seeding forages on cropland
apply to forage reseeding projects after wildfire. A producer should
do a thorough site evaluation after a wildfire. Steep areas will
likely need immediate attention, but other meadows or hay fields
might be observed for a period of the growing season after the burn
to assess the need for and steps to proceed with reseeding. Many
improved forage species and mixtures can be used for reseeding.
These should be chosen based on the site conditions and the particular
needs of the producer. Proper seeding and management techniques
described in this paper will help optimize the success of a reseeding
project after a wildfire.
|
Home