Events planned for Wichita Falls, Corpus Christi and San Angelo
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management are hosting a series of free workshops to help landowners increase their knowledge of applying herbicides to control brushlands. (Laura McKenzie/Texas A&M AgriLife)
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Texas A&M Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management are hosting a series of free “Advancing the Fundamentals of Brush Management” workshops across the state to help landowners better understand and refine their herbicide application skills.
The September workshop series will run daily from 8am to 4pm, lunch provided. Sessions will take place at the following locations:
Participants are asked to register for the respective workshops at https://tx.ag/BrushManagement.
Control of woody plant spread on grassland
Controlling woody plant spread is important to restoring the balance of plant communities that have historically been found in mixed-grassland savanna systems throughout Texas, says Morgan Treadwell, Ph.D., a rangeland specialist with AgriLife Extension and associate professor in the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management at the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in San Angelo.
“Many of the unwanted trees and shrubs are native species that are simply out of balance in the plant community,” Treadwell said. “They are taking up more space at greater densities than ever before, and that can choke out our native perennial grasses.”
These interventions can negatively impact the available forage for livestock and impact wildlife that depends on grassland habitats.
“Woodland encroachment is one of the biggest problems facing rangeland managers,” says Dr. Jeff Goodwin, director of the Texas A&M Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management and assistant professor in the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management at Bryan-College Station.
“For a number of reasons, shrub and tree canopy encroachment continues to increase across the state, reducing forage productivity and availability, often impacting the habitat of certain wildlife species, and affecting the profitability of livestock operations,” Goodwin said.
Using a variety of landscape management techniques, including herbicides, can help landowners avoid or reduce these negative impacts, he said.
Workshop topics
The workshops will be attended by experts from the agricultural industry, including representatives from herbicide manufacturers, livestock producers, agricultural finance agencies and researchers.
The program content covers the basics of herbicide application and then builds on that information – from selecting the right nozzle tip and effectively managing your budget to ensuring adequate coverage and selecting the best application method for your goals.
“We would like to share our findings with landowners and provide them with the latest information available on how to treat and effectively control woody weed spread,” Goodwin said.
Treadwell said that while there are many options and strategies for bush control, the fundamentals remain the same and can be improved using new technologies, new chemicals and integration with other bush control strategies.
“Whether you are considering the use of herbicides or have already invested in a long-term herbicide program, this workshop is guaranteed to advance your bush management program,” Treadwell said.
For more information, contact Casey Matzke, AgriLife Extension program manager, Bryan-College Station, at [email protected].
–Sarah Fuller
Texas A&M AgriLife Communications
