Double El/Agate Conservation Districts

Serving landowners in parts of Elbert, El Paso and Lincoln Counties

P.O. Box 215, 504 Washington Simla, CO 80835 Phone: 719-541-2359 Fax 719-541-3061

                             cherylchurchscd@att.net                           

Newsletter for Agate and Double El Conservation Districts

BLUE GRAMA (Bouteloua gracilis)

Blue Grama grass is a major warm season grass found throughout the Great Plains. The plant is fairly short, reaching 10 to 20 inches with narrow basal leaves of 3 to 6 inches. Blue grama grows in definite bunches and reproduces by tillering and by seed. Mature seed heads are curved, resembling a human eyebrow. Blue grama can be found growing in association with buffalo grass, western wheatgrass, needle grasses an in some areas bluegrasses.

Once the grass is established, it is very palatable to livestock all year long. Since growing points are at or near the ground surface, the grass withstands fairly close grazing. For best yields, defer grazing during the growing season every 2 to 3 years. Blue grama cures well on stem, making it a good grass for grazing during the dormant season. Renovation of sod bound stands is also recommended. Weeds can be controlled by us of herbicides, mowing or controlled grazing.

CANADA THISTLE ( Cirsium arvense)

Canada thistle is an herbaceous perennial noxious weed with erect stems 1 ½-4 feet tall, prickly leaves and an extensive creeping rootstock. Stems are branched, often slightly hairy, and ridged. Leaves are lance-shaped, irregularly lobed with spiny, toothed margins and are borne singly and alternately along the stem. Rose-purple, lavender, or sometimes white flower heads appear from June through October, generally, and occur in rounded, umbrella-shaped cluster.

The small, dry, single-seeded fruits of Canada thistle, called achenes, are 1-1 ½ inches long and have a feathery structure attached to the seed base.

Natural communities that are threatened by Canada thistle include non-forested plant communities such as prairies, barrens, savannas, glades, sand dunes, Fields and meadows that have been impacted by disturbance. As it establishes itself in an area, Canada thistle crowds out and replaces native plants, changes the structure and species composition of the natural plant communities and reduces plant and animal diversity. This highly invasive thistle prevents the coexistence of other plant species through shading, competition for soil resources and possibly through the release of chemical toxins poisonous to other plants.

Canada thistle is declared a "noxious weed" throughout the U.S. and has long been recognized as a major agricultural pest, costing tens of millions of dollars in direct crop losses annually and additional millions cost for control. Only recently have the harmful impacts of Canada thistle to native species and natural ecosystems received notable attention.

Canada thistle produces an abundance of bristly-plumed seeds which are easily dispersed by the wind. Most of the seeds germinate within a year, but some may remain viable in the soil for up to twenty years or more. Vegetative reproduction in Canada thistle is aided by a fibrous taproot capable of sending out lateral roots as deep as 3 feet below ground, and from which shoots sprout up at frequent intervals. It also readily regenerates from root fragments less than an inch in length.

Management of Canada thistle can be achieved through hand-cutting, mowing, controlled burning, and chemical means, depending on the level of infestation and the type of area being managed. Due to its perennial nature, entire plants must be killed in order to prevent regrowth from rootstock. Hand-cutting of individual plants or mowing of larger infestations should be conducted prior to seed set and must be repeated until the starch reserves in the roots are exhausted. Because early season burning of Canada thistle can stimulate its growth and flowering, controlled burns should be carried out late in the growing season for best effect.

In natural areas where Canada thistle is interspersed with desirable native plants, targeted application of a systemic herbicide such a glyphosate (e.g., Roundup or Rodeo), which carries plant toxins to the roots, may be effective. For extensive infestations in disturbed areas with little desirable vegetation, broad application of this type herbicide may be the most effective method. Repeated applications are usually necessary due to the long life of seeds stored in the soil.

USE PESTICIDES WISELY: Always read the entire pesticide label carefully, follow all mixing and application instructions and wear all recommended personal protective rear and clothing. Contact your state department of agriculture for any additional pesticide use requirements, restrictions or recommendations.

DOUBLE EL CONSERVATION DISTRICT CONDUCTING SURVEY

 The Double El Conservation District (CD) is conducting a survey to gather necessary information to formulate a 3 year Long Range Plan for the Double El CD.  Input from the survey will help Double El CD identify major conservation concerns to assist in their efforts to protect and conserve our natural resources.  The Long Range Plan serves as a guide for Double El CD’s activities, demonstrates the district’s functions, needs and goals and is beneficial to many agencies. By identifying and working together, the Double El CD will formulate a workable three year plan that will be used to seek funding resources, develop activities, prepare for future demands on the district’s natural resources and prioritize resources concerns to be addressed.    Some of the areas the survey will address are:  Soil & Water Erosion, Noxious Weeds, Water Quality, Conservation Education, Sodbusting Native Range, Forestry/Wildlife, Urban Growth, etc. 

Surveys were mailed to targeted cooperators and partner agencies this past week.  Any landowners within the boundaries of the Double El CD are welcome to complete a survey.  To obtain a survey or for more information, come to the office at 504 Washington Ave, Simla, Colorado 80835 or phone 719-541-2359 ext 101.   The deadline to return the survey is September 5^th.  Once the surveys are returned, the information will be compiled and reviewed by the board members of the Double El Conservation District at the regular monthly meeting on September 11, 2008.  Anyone is welcome to attend the board meeting on September 11^th when the results will be reviewed. 

Ben Hendrix Conservation District Technician

Ben Hendrix is a Double El & Agate Conservation District employee funded by a grant from Colorado State Conservation Board.  It is a federal, state and local partnership to assist Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in providing landowners with technical assistance for conservation planning and implementation.  This program is increasing conservation technical assistance to landowners and raising conservation districts profiles. 

   Ben has been employed with Double El and Agate CDs since May 2004.  He has provided a great deal of assistance in developing and implementing EQIP contracts, conducting range inventories and providing technical assistance for windbreak design.   Double El & Agate CDs are to be commended for their commitment and providing matching funds to provide this additional technical assistance to landowners in their districts.   

DOUBLE EL TOPS 2007 SEEDLING TREE SALES

The Double El Conservation District in Simla, Colorado was the top conservation district selling seedling trees for the Colorado State Forest Service nursery (CSFS) in Colorado.  Double El sold 37,350 seedling trees from the Colorado State Forest Service nursery (CSFS), and another 1890 from Woodland Park CSFS.  They also sold 349 large container trees from the Burlington CD private nursery program.   Besides being the top conservation district sales in Colorado, they were the 3^rd top sales for all agencies in Colorado following CSFS Woodland Park with 57,409 trees and Logan County Extension Service with 40,960 trees. 

    The seedling tree conservation program is one of the major programs for the Double El CD.   It is a combination of a money making project for the conservation district and information and education to landowners. 

    Double El CD credits the success of the seedling tree program to a partnership with Colorado State Forest Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, numerous volunteers, an active Living Snow Fence program and a Matching Grants Cost-Share program. 

    Two seedling tree workshops are held annually, co-sponsored by Double El CD, CSFS and NRCS.  Landowners are educated on species selection, site preparation, windbreak design and survival tips.  Conservation Technician, Ben Hendrix, District Manager, Cheryl Churchwell and Simla NRCS, Lana Pearson and Benny Kitten, assist landowners with windbreak design, and provide information for cost-share programs.  Numerous volunteers, board members and their spouses assist with unloading the CSFS delivery truck, sorting orders and on customer distribution day. 

    The program is a 6 month long project for the conservation district, which begins in October or November with mailing over 5,500 order forms to postal patrons and culminates in mid-April with delivery of ordered trees to customers. 

Due to a spring storm we had three distribution dates of April 13th, 16^th and 27^th.   

    Thanks to Nancy Michael and Soft Mart for donating us the use of the Quonset building for distribution.  Double El employees Cheryl Churchwell & Ben Hendrix appreciate all the help from the following volunteers for assisting on delivery & distribution dates:  Sarah Maranville, Becka Bandy, Linda Hendrix, Sally Fosha, Darlene Lucore, Stephanie Ausfahl, Renee Kallio, Chuck Kostecka, Frank & Sharon Hooper along with board members George Fosha, Dale Lucore, Dale Orcutt and Bruce Hass and Simla NRCS staff, Lana Pearson and Benny Kitten.

                                                                BENNY KITTEN PROMOTION

By Lana Pearson 

Benny Kitten, Soil Conservation Technician for the Simla NRCS field office for the past 15 years, has accepted the new Multi-County Civil Engineering position.  He will still be located at the Simla Field Office.  Benny will take on new responsibilities in assisting other NRCS field offices with technical work load and help in the education of field office staff.  Congratulations, Benny, on your new position. 

RANGELAND MONITORING WORKSHOPS

Two Rangeland Monitoring workshops were held in Agate and Simla.  The workshops were provided by grant funding from Colorado Grazing Land Conservation Initiative (GLCI) and co-sponsored by Agate & Double El Conservation Districts.  Ben Berlinger and Dan Nosal both USDA/NRCS Rangeland Management Specialists were the guest speakers for the workshops.  The majority of the workshop was held in the field with hands-on information and demonstrations.  Participants learned how to implement a monitoring program, how to start a grazing system and access health of their rangeland.  They covered grass identification and two methods of monitoring: Grazing Response Index (GRI) and Land EKG. 

 The workshops were well attended.  The workshop in Agate was combined with attendance from the Agate Future Farmers of America (FFA) students and instructor.  This made an interesting workshop with interaction between the students and adults.  GLCI grazing sticks and Rangeland monitoring hoops were give out to participants correctly answering questions given by the speakers.  Thanks to Ben Berlinger, Dan Nosal and GLCI grant for the ability to provide these informative training workshops. 

Conservation Easements 

What are Conservation Easements?

 The Nature Conservancy. 

A conservation easement is a restriction placed on a piece of property to protect its associated resources.

The easement is either voluntarily donated or sold by the landowner and constitutes a legally binding agreement that limits certain types of uses or prevents development from taking place on the land in perpetuity while the land remains in private hands.

Conservation easements protect land for future generations while allowing owners to retain many private property rights and to live on and use their land, at the same time potentially providing them with tax benefits.

In a conservation easement, a landowner voluntarily agrees to sell or donate certain rights associated with his or her property – often the right to subdivide or develop – and a private organization or public agency agrees to hold the right to enforce the landowner's promise not to exercise those rights. In essence, the rights are forfeited and no longer exist.

   An easement selectively targets only those rights necessary to protect specific conservation values, such as water quality or migration routes, and is individually tailored to meet a landowner's needs. Because the land remains in private ownership, with the remainder of the rights intact, an easement property continues to provide economic benefits for the area in the form of jobs, economic activity and property taxes.

   A conservation easement is legally binding, whether the property is sold or passed on to heirs. Because use is permanently restricted, land subject to a conservation easement may be worth less on the open market than comparable unrestricted and developable parcels. Sometimes conservation easements will enable the landowner to qualify for tax benefits in compliance with Internal Revenue Service rules.  Landowners are encouraged to consult an attorney before making a commitment, as it is a serious decision.  

Arkansas Darter Conservation Project

By Katy Fitzgerald, US Fish & Wildlife 

   The Arkansas Darter is a small, minnow-sized, fish native to the tributaries of the eastern plains of Colorado. These little fish are just one of a host of fish adapted to live in the sandy bottom, shallow, and intermittent streams of eastern Colorado.  The Arkansas Darter is currently a state threatened species and a federal candidate species.  Voluntary proactive efforts are what is needed to keep this population healthy and its life history better understood.

   Currently, we are seeking private landowners to work with Colorado Division of Wildlife, USFWS Partners for Fish & Wildlife and Natural Resources Conservation Service to restore riparian habitat for this and other riparian dependant species.  This is our second year on this initiative; and we have worked with landowners on Horse Creek, Big Sandy, and Rush tributaries.

   The typical project ranges from a ¼ mile to 2+ miles of creek. We work with you the landowner to develop a restoration plan that fits your ranch goals.  The practices often include: fencing, graze management, and potentially some tamarisk control. Water gaps can be installed, fish passages, and channel restoration are also possibilities.  The cost share varies between programs but averages @75% for practices.  The plan is then matched up with the most appropriate program or combination of programs, including the Wildlife Incentive Program (WHIP), Colorado Habitat Incentive Program (CHIPS) and Partners for Fish & Wildlife (PFW).

   These riparian projects provide substantial long-term benefit to your cattle operation allowing for independent management of riparian areas, improved water quality, and better establishment of cottonwood and willow stands for shelter and calving.

   If you are interested in more information about this effort or other wildlife habitat projects please contact: Katy Fitzgerald, PFW, 719.523.3765; or Casey Cooley, CDOW, at 719.227.5227.   It is an ongoing program, however we ask for you to contact us in Aug/Sept so we are able to meet certain program deadlines.

DOUBLE EL & AGATE CDs ANNUALLY INSTALL LIVING SNOW FENCE PROJECTS

The Double El & Agate CDs install a minimum of 1,000 ft of Living Snow Fence Project each year.  They have actively been involved in the Living Snow Fence Projects since 1996.  This is a joint partnership with Double El & Agate CDs, landowners, Colorado Department of Transportation, El Paso County Dept of Transportation and Simla NRCS.  Over the past 11 years, more than 6,500 trees have been planted and 64,600 feet (6 miles) of weed barrier has been installed.    

Many individuals volunteer their time along with the following groups:  Boy Scouts, Agate FFA, Limon School, 4-H, Don Moore Tree Planting and the late Steve Evanoika Tree Planting Service.   

2007 Living Snow fence projects for 3,400 feet  were installed on Harrisville Rd, Paint Mine Rd and West Ramah Rd with a cooperative agreement with El Paso County, Double El CD, Simla NRCS and five landowners Seven R Ranch, (Reskurtas West Inc), Daniel Olsen, Duane Jagodzinske, Dale Lucore, and Lowell Johnston (Operator Ben Hendrix) and Don Moore Tree Planting Service.  Two fence plantings on Harrisville Rd and West Ramah Rd in El Paso County.  734 seedling trees of Rocky Mt Junipers, Native Plums and Austrian Pine were planted with 6,800 ft of weed barrier and 7,865 feet of 3 strand barbed wire fence.  The Boy Scout Troop from Calhan planted the LSF replacement trees.   

DOUBLE EL MATCHING GRANTS GETIN’ IT DONE 

Double El Conservation District received a $25,000 Matching Grants to establish conservation program cost-share assistance to landowners in 2007.  Double El CD has assisted 25 landowners to install conservation practices.  Practices installed include 15 windbreaks, 5 fencing projects, 3 windmill towers & heads, 1 solar pumping system, 2 terracing projects, and 6 noxious weed treatment contracts.  Landowners are required to fund at least 50% of the project on their own. These conservation practices have benefited over  2,345 acres of land.  Double El CD is very thankful for the Matching Grants programs funded by the Colorado State Legislators to be able to provide this worthwhile assistance to landowners in their district.