The U.S. Forest Service released a new report on Monday that says as drought becomes more common with climate change, not only will wildfires become more destructive and frequent, but ranchers can expect to see greater pest and invasive plant outbreaks. Pests take advantage of stressed plants, while invasive plants hitch a ride on the hay that ranchers bring in when there isn’t enough forage.
Authored by 77 scientists from the service, other federal agencies and research institutions around the country, the report reviews much of the most important existing research on drought. It offers ideas for mitigating the worst effects of drought on the National Forest System’s 193 million acres of land, including how to protect herd productivity.
The report explains that without proper ground cover, rangeland soils will erode and the nutritional value of the remaining plants will drop, potentially affecting herd health. Overgrazing has already exacerbated the impact of drought, according to the report, which calls on ranchers to rotate their herds to new pasture more frequently and keep breeding stock to 50-70 percent of carrying capacity in areas where drought is common.