Sid Goodloe, owner of Carrizo Valley Ranch in Capitan, New Mexico describes forest and rangeland history, current conditions, and rehabilitation and conservation practices of his south central New Mexican ranchland.

1. A Half Century of Rangeland Management inA Half Century of Rangeland Management in
the Piñon, Juniper, Ponderosa and Grasslandthe Piñon, Juniper, Ponderosa and Grassland
Ecosystems of the SouthwestEcosystems of the Southwest
Sid Goodloe SWGLA Conference February
Forest and Rangeland History, Current Condition, Rehabilitation and Conservation
Practices on Carrizo Valley Ranch in South Central New Mexico

2. Carrizo Valley Ranch
Lincoln County, New Mexico
Established 1956
Altitude - 6,500-7,500 feet
Precipitation - 16-18 inches 60% Rain, 40% Snow
Topography - Gently rolling hills to steep mountainsides
Growing Season – Mid May to Late September

3. Overall Objective __ Land Health Renewal
Specific Goal __ Pre-Settlement or Climax
Condition
Starting Point __ Local History

4. The first settlers in
the Southwest
didn’t realize the
fragility of our
landscape.
They came from a
non-brittle
environment
( high rainfall,
high humidity) to
a
brittle
environment (low
rainfall, low
humidity, high
winds).

5. Causes of Western Forest and
Rangeland Deterioration
Settlements from high precipitation to low precipitation
Excessive livestock numbers
Yearlong grazing
Land claiming procedures
Priorities
Fire Suppression – Euro-forestry Management
Smokey Bear syndrome
Subdivisions

6. Nogal Mesa –Circa 1900 Nogal Mesa - Today
Declining Livestock CarryingDeclining Livestock Carrying
Capacity Caused by VegetativeCapacity Caused by Vegetative
ChangeChange

7. 1900
1999
Transition-
Indian Divide
Switchback

8. P/J Roots Affect Herbaceous Growth 40 Feet From
Trunk

9. 9
Network of roots 40 feet from tree trunk

10. P/J Roots Deprive Grass Of Nutrients And
Moisture Resulting In Sheet Erosion

11. Sheet Erosion turns to Gulley Erosion

12. Correcting
the
Problem

13. P/J Thicket – Post Settlement

14. Thinning – Fire Wood

15. Fence Posts

16. 16
Dozer Push and Pile

17. Seeding
disturbed
areas

18. Move as close to climax
condition as possible if
compatible with human use.
Aldo Leopold

19. Back to Native Grasses

20. Piles pushed against live trees and burned one
year later.

21. Two Years Later

22. Five Years Later

23. Thinning the
Ponderosa Forest

24. Vigas

25. Pine tops are excellent winter feed
for Deer

26. Mastication – Hydro Ax

27. Ponderosa Thicket after Mastication

28. After thinning, herbaceous ground cover
has returned.

29. Herbicide to
Halt
Reinfestation

30. One-Seed Juniper Treated with
Herbicide

31. One Velpar Pellet will kill this one-seed juniper.

32. Two years after herbicide treatmentTwo years after herbicide treatment

34. Grazing

35. 35
Cattle aid in watershed rehabilitation

36. Grazing Innovations
Allan Savory
in Rhodesia 1968
Short Duration Grazing ?

37. SDG Founders Reunion – Zimbabwe
2013

38. SDG was introduced on Carrizo Valley
Ranch in 1971

39. August 15, 2010
August 15, 2011
What a difference a
year makes.

40. Riparian Rehabilitation
Riparian Areas cannot be
successfully rehabilitated and
maintained without first solving
the problems in the Watershed
above.

41. 02/24/16 41
“To Protect Your Rivers
Protect Your Mountains”
Emperor Yu Chin – 1600 B.C.

42. Fencing riparian areas is essential when upland
forage is scarce.

43. Steep Gully Banks

44. Seeding Sloped Banks with Native Grasses

45. Steep Gully Banks AFTER Sloping
2013

46. Summer 2015

47. Riparian rehabilitation means protection from
concentrated livestock use during the growing
season.

48. Fire

49. Fire History - Tree Ring Data
Western Forests and Rangelands Burned About Every Ten Years

50. The only thing
that has done
more damage to
our Rocky
Mountain West
than Smokey was
the trapping out
of the beaver.

51. Results of fire suppression

52. PRESCRIBED OR CONTROLLED FIRE……
Night burning with adequate black lines is safest.

53. 02/24/16 53
This misguided campaign contributed to the anti-
fire policy and public attitude that developed
during the 20th
century.

54. 02/24/16 54
Ladder Fuels ’80s – ’90s – caused by
increasingly effective fire suppression

55. 55
From a biological desert to a
productive watershed

56. Low intensity fire - CVRLow intensity fire - CVR

57. Burning piles with green grass and no wind

58. Herbaceous Recovery after Thinning & Burning

59. Wildlife

60. Cattle/deer below LH
Wildlife Habitat Enhancement

61. Native wildlife prefer pre-settlement savanna

62. Return to Grassland after P/J Invasion

63. bear

64. Mule Deer Habitat Enhancement Trophy
Hunt

65. 65
The trophy hunt is now a youth hunt.

66. The welfare of
wildlife
depends upon
suitability of
habitat and
overall land
health.

67. Carrizo Valley Ranch Hunting Cabin

68. Consumptive
Recreation

69. Recreation – it’s affect on The West’s
Environment
ORV Explosion on Public Land Across the West
is Out of Control !

70. The number of 4 wheelers and
side by sides has increased
exponentially. If left
unregulated on public land,
efforts to enhance wildlife
habitat and improve land
health will be diminished.

71. Vigorously promoted and unregulated
!

72. • Know your ecosystems and their history
• Manage them holistically
• Strive for properly functioning watersheds
– vegetation management
• Plan your grazing and control it
• Be willing to share your experience and
knowledge of maintaining a successful
and sustainable cattle operation
To be a good land steward you should ---

73. Four Generations in New Mexico

74. Thank You!