The Ely Chain.

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Watch This 25,000-Pound Battleship Anchor Chain Rip Through Juniper in Nevada

The 'Ely Chain' is hard at work in eastern Nevada, razing swaths of pinyon-juniper forest and freeing space for better wildlife habitat.

www.outdoorlife.com

 

[p_ham]

I was wondering how they did that..

 

[Big Fin]

I wish they had budget to do millions of acres of treatment. Having seen these areas post-fire and Idaho seeing how they burn the P-J that ends up with nothing more than an invasive cheatgrass prairie, I am happy to see any of this.

We went to Arizona to film something similar that is a cooperative project with AZ G&F, AZ State Land Board, the ranchers/lessees, RMEF, AES, MDF, and a bunch of other groups. Pretty remarkable how much change is made in just a couple years. This was done with a different method of treatment that is a bit more intensive than chaining.

Hopefully hunters and those concerned about native species continue to push for these types of projects to be priorities within agency budgets.

 

[gouch]

I can't help but wonder about this. When white folks started settling in that area, they cleared millions of acres of pinion and juniper to make charcoal to support the mining industry. Then in the 1960s and 70s the BLM cleared millions of acres with the ely chain, just as they are now. The plan then wasn't to improve wildlife habitat or reduce fire danger, it was to create more grazing land for cattle. (Probably the biggest environmental problem in the area) I can't help but think that much of the problem that they are trying to mitigate now was ceated by these same practices in the past. They say the definition of insanity is to do the same thing in the same way over and over and expecting different results.


I guess time will tell, I hope it turns out good but in the long run I doubt it.

 

[hank4elk]

I get to watch the evolution of the rangelands with these projects in person.
The southern edge of the AZ shown is along a hwy I travel often. The wise selective use of the masticators on PJ's has been a bonus.
I have seen mass chainings in UT,AZ and here in NM that leave no shade nor cover and the change to selective use has been great.

Nothing grows around juniper but good grasses do grow under the pinions. Removing all shade cover for cattle use makes problems for cattle and the rancher. They require more water just to stand in the sun.

Our county has invested in masticators and chippers to work on private lands to thin out the PJ's and they are leaving stringers of pinions and the mulch left produces great forage for game and livestock.
Nitrogen back into the soil. It works.
My logger buddy does the same thing during logging projects and the difference is night and day. Little to no erosion and the forest looks healthy now.

Resting and rotating pastures does wonders. After this years monsoon rains I can see the difference on the local ranches with who has changed their grazing practices and the places treated and the end results.
I had sheet erosion and little to no native forage on this place after long term grazing. Too many horses too.
Now it's viable native pasture for game again after 6 years of no livestock.

 

[hank4elk]

A new neighbor sprayed all the junipers with herbicide..........I would not do that..........he could have paid the county to use the equipment and done a better job without the fire hazard of hundreds of dead bushes standing .

 

[samuel_284Win]

The conifer encroachment problem is even becoming an issue for Central Plains states like Nebraska. The rangeland scientists in the Agro & Hort dept at UNL are working to find solutions to cedar movement into perennial grasslands in central and western NE. I feel like the general public would help out with this issue in most states on their own if land agencies would just assign sections of public land as "cut every juniper or cedar within these boundaries as you are able" based on the number of dudes that just love to use their chainsaws for fun. I know plenty of guys that would cut trees for personal recreation, my dad included.