Local ranchers are feeling the impact of drought as the San Juan National Forest considers reducing their cattle herds on federal grazing allotments.<\/p>\n
The Bond family has been grazing cattle on the 9,104-acre Railroad allotment on forest lands east of Mancos for generations, said Lorene Bond.<\/p>\n
But the Forest Service says the lingering drought and herd of 247 cattle have impacted pastures, therefore livestock reductions may be necessary in 2017.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to see the data that supports that,\u201d Bond said. \u201cI don\u2019t know what started it. We\u2019ve done everything they asked us to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Bonds took their complaint to the Montezuma County commissioners meeting Monday, which was attended by Forest Service managers.<\/p>\n
Derek Padilla, district ranger for the Dolores District, explained that the RR allotment and others have been overgrazed, a problem made worse by a decade of drought.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 2007 pasture monitoring studies indicated Railroad was overstocked by 43 percent,\u201d Padilla said. \u201cRange analysis will be done again to see if there is improvement, and a then a decision made in 2017 on reductions.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Bonds voluntarily limited grazing by 20 percent because of the drought, but it may not have been enough, according to forest managers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere have been some good years of forage production, but overall, it\u2019s a downward trend,\u201d Padilla said.<\/p>\n
Other grazing allotments on forest lands are also seeing poor pasture conditions, said Heather Musclow, a forest rangeland manager.<\/p>\n
They are also being considered for future reductions. For example, the adjacent La Plata allotment, which has two permittees and a total of 190 cattle, is overstocked by 56 percent, forest officials said.<\/p>\n
To accommodate ranchers with overstocked allotments, the Forest Service is offering permittees other grazing areas.<\/p>\n
The Bonds were offered vacant grazing allotments on 24,000 acres in Upper Hermosa and on 10,000 acres on Elbert Creek, Musclow said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey declined, but the offer is still on the table,\u201d she said. \u201cFor permittees with overstocked allotments, there is the option to keep herd numbers by utilizing vacant allotments.\u201d<\/p>\n
Padilla said the number of animals allowed for grazing allotments on federal lands are determined by rangeland conditions.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not picking on anybody; it is based on conditions on the ground,\u201d he said. \u201cThe Bonds have a good history with no noncompliance issues, and are seen as a good fit to fill nearby vacant allotments.\u201d<\/p>\n