Range and Wildlife

As part of our mission to conserve natural resources, we offer expertise and advice on care of your rangeland, particularly for those new to the region. For example: Did you know that it can take more than 50 acres of grassland in the Laramie basin to feed one horse for a year?  Contact Matt Scott or Martin Curry with your specific questions.  If he can’t answer them he will point you to other excellent resources in Laramie who can.

Range Programs

Small Acreage Workshops

LRCD offers workshops for small-acreage owners to learn to identify weeds, forbs, and grass species.  Participants are also taught methods to measure plant production to manage animal utilization.  Strategies for grazing rotation are also covered in order to maximize grass production and ensure continued range health.

 

For More Wyoming Specific information,

check out:

Barnyards & Backyards Rural Living in Wyoming

 

For more general information, check out:

Small Acreage Management Resource Center

 

For some excellent detailed information:

Living on the Land Teaching Modules

 

Equipment Rental for Range Improvement

LRCD continues to offer several pieces of equipment for improving range conditions. We have an Aer-Way aerator for breaking up meadows that are sod bound to increase air and water flow to the plants root system.    We also have a tractor-mounted roto-tiller, but the most popular piece of equipment LRCD has available is the Haybuster No-Till grass seed drill, as well as a smaller ATV pulled dewdrop seeder. 

Alfalfa and oats were the two species that were planted most frequently in the spring and native grass seed was selected for the fall plantings. As weather conditions improve, LRCD hope's that more landowners will be able to benefit from these pieces of equipment.

Check out our Equipment Rental Page for more information.

Wildlife Programs

Wyoming Toad—Safe Harbor Program

LRCD continues to participate in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s “Safe Harbor” program to reintroduce the Wyoming Toad at various locations in the county. We are the first conservation district in the region to enter into an agreement related to endangered species with the USFWS.   In addition, this will be the first agreement of its kind implemented by anyone in the Rocky Mountain region.

By taking a proactive approach, LRCD has a working relationship with the Fish and Wildlife Service and a voice in this highly controversial issue. 

LRCD has gone to great lengths and sought expert legal council to ensure that the rights of neighboring landowners will be protected.

We are optimistic that this precedent will pave the way for future collaborations related to some endangered species—rather than conflicts—between land owners, local government entities, and state and federal government in the Rocky Mountain west.

Last Modified on October 2, 2008

Mark Shirley, NRCS District Conservationist, and other NRCS staff discuss the management of a Wetland Reserve Program wildlife easement that will be the new home of the Wyoming Toad.

A juvenile Wyoming Toad in the hand of a USFWS scientist at Mortenson Lake National Wildlife refuge.