FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — Around 180 acres of the San Joaquin River Conservancy are at risk because of the vegetation, including invasive species.<\/p>\n
That’s why the Sierra Resource Conservation District is partnering with the City of Fresno to launch the first phase of a habitat restoration effort.<\/p>\n
A grazing project partially aimed at eliminating harmful plants is now underway at the San Joaquin Conservancy’s Jensen River Ranch and Lanes properties, adjacent to Woodward Park’s Art of Life Healing Garden in northeast Fresno.<\/p>\n
Experts working closely with Sierra RCD say one of the main culprits is yellow star-thistle.<\/p>\n
“In part, it’s really pokey. Nobody likes to walk through it. But it also is very good at outcompeting the things that we do want to grow,” said Rebecca Ozeran, a certified resource manager working with Sierra RCD on the grazing project.<\/p>\n
Ozeran it’s all being done with a herd of over 400 goats and sheep from Fowler.<\/p>\n
“They will just go right for the spiney flowers, even when they’re as pokey as heck. They will just go right for them and eat the seeds, which is really the key with managing a lot of these species — preventing the next generation of those plants from coming back next year,” Ozeran said.<\/p>\n
To maximize the impact of the project, the animals are under the constant care and supervision of a grazer from Fowler.<\/p>\n
“Making sure that the sheep get water, making sure that the fences are hot,” said Kaleb Thomas, a grazing manager working with Sierra RCD. “When you put the animals in a tighter location then it forces them to kind of compete for food.”<\/p>\n
Sierra RCD says that eliminating much of the brush also helps prevent wildfires.<\/p>\n
“Throughout the Summer, cars or other incidents will cause fires on conservancy properties. And so, we want to both help protect those natural habitats on conservancy land, while also protecting communities that are adjacent to conservancy properties.”<\/p>\n
Additionally, officials say the process will pave the way for native tree, shrub and grass plantings on site scheduled for later this year.<\/p>\n
“This is a really important practice that has been spreading across the state and the world in general, so, I’m excited to be out here and hopefully this is going to pay off for all of us,” said Thomas.<\/p>\n
The grazing is expected to last about eight weeks.<\/p>\n
You can get involved with the planting phase of the restoration beginning in September.<\/p>\n
Starting at 8 a.m. on the third Saturday of each month, Sierra RCD says it will give volunteers the opportunity to help plant native vegetation, support habitat restoration and learn more about conservation along the San Joaquin River.<\/p>\n