None of us will soon forget the trauma of the 2017 fires that tore through our communities. This is especially true for Bennett Ridge which was devastated by the Nun's Fire, and 95 out of 120 homes were lost. The community has become proactive in finding solutions to living in a fire-prone zone. This is a two-part article on a novel preventative measure the group is exploring to help keep them safe.

BENNETT RIDGE GRAZING COOPERATIVE 2024

by Jane Marx

Sheep and goats on Bennett Ridge!  Vegetation management in the Bennett Ridge community is an ongoing maintenance issue for each property, and our property owners have generally been conscientious and proactive in management of their parcels- particularly since the Nuns Fire in October 2017.

After the fire, the Ridge folks created a non-profit organization, ‘Bennett Ridge Fire Safety Organization’ (BRFSO) dedicated to assisting neighbors with fire safety.  BRFSO was the instigator of the idea for grazing, as an alternative to string trimming, for our fire fuel reduction goals.

And as it turns out, many neighbors had been considering alternatives to string trimming, not only for fuel load reduction, but for other benefits grazing provides, such as ecosystem regeneration, soil health and a connection to agriculture.  Also, string trimming on the steep slopes of Bennett Ridge is dangerous, but not for goats and sheep.  

Sonoma County Resource Conservation District provided a general outline of how to move forward with a collection of properties interested in grazing.  With technical assistance from Sarah Keiser, a grazing consultant with Wild Oat Hollow, and a March 2024 meeting with some grazing companies and neighbors, the Bennett Ridge Grazing Co-op was born!

Note: It was determined that no grant money was available for our endeavor at the time, and while we are calling it a ‘co-op’, for this effort, each property owner contracted privately with the grazer.

GRAZING PREPARATION:  (April through May)

Preparation for our first grazing operation required much planning, meetings and decision making.  Before grazing could begin our core team of volunteers had to:

·   Determine grazing participants and concerns.

·   Map each property individually to determine grazing locations and acreage to be grazed.

·   Prepare a contract template for each owner to contract directly with the grazer.

·   Perform site visits with grazer and property owner, noting any particular requirements.

·   Identify water sources to fill water troughs.

·   Arrange logistics for the grazer’s shepherd to temporarily live on Bennett Ridge (in a trailer) during the graze. 

·   Determine an initial schedule for individual property grazing based on need, property adjacency, and efficiency with moving animals.  The goal was to limit unnecessary truck loading, (and stress on the animals) and move the animals from one property to the next via herding.

·   Coordinate arrival schedule with grazer and number of animals needed.

·   Arrange logistics for animal arrival and schedule check-ins.

·   Confirm communication methods and emergency procedures.

GRAZING ON THE RIDGE: (June 7 through August 10)

During the grazing operation, our team facilitated communication with the property owner, grazer, and the overall neighborhood.  Of particular importance was coordinating grazing schedules, revisions to schedules as necessary, and road crossings that would have an impact on traffic.  It was also important to work with the on-site shepherd to make sure the (solar powered) moveable electric fencing was situated correctly for the property owners.

Additionally, even with grazing, minor string trimming is required to knock down grass next to the road, and around areas of particular concern. This was coordinated with the shepherd, grazer and property owner.

AFTER GRAZING: (August through October/November)

After the grazing operation, coordination with the grazer included loading the animals, collection of equipment such as signs, trailers, fencing, etc. 

Our team’s next step is to gather thoughts from the property owners, grazer, shepherd, and grazing coordinator as to how the grazing operation went for them and what we can do next year to improve the project. 

BENNETT RIDGE GRAZING SUMMARY:

·   Number of property owners originally participating:  19

·   Number of property owners ultimately participating: 15 (4 dropped out due to impacted scheduling*)

·   Total acres grazed:  28

·   Animals:  Originally began with approximately 100 goats, based on grazer’s available animals. More animals were brought in as they became available, ending with approximately 280 (mostly) sheep.

·   Property adjacencies:  The movement of animals through the neighborhood was especially efficient where properties were adjacent to each other. The Bennett Ridge grazing map illustrates the lands in the co-op. Ultimately, filling in the gaps with connected lots is something to aim for in the future. 

·   Fencing:  Solar powered portable electric fencing was moved by the grazer from property to property.  Fencing was installed around particular plants/spaces owner did not want grazed.

·   String-trimming:  Grazing company string trimmed next to roadway where fencing needed to be set back from road, and where extraordinarily tall grass was present due to rain this past winter. Once the grass in these areas was knocked down a bit, it was easier for the animals to graze these situations.

·   Aesthetic:  Grazing yields a different aesthetic than string-trimming.  The grazed areas have random stalks remaining, and the texture of the grass is uneven, similar to a grazed pasture.  However, grazing still accomplishes the goals for fire/fuel load reduction.

·   *Scheduling:  Due to abundant winter rain this year, grass vegetation was uncommonly high.  It took longer to graze than normally expected, and this impacted all projects on the grazer’s schedule.

·   Cost of grazing vs. string-trimming:  The cost of string-trimming varies from property to property.  For some participants, costs were similar to string-trimming.  For some, the cost exceeded normal string-trimming costs, but the property owners chose grazing for the added benefits of ecosystem regeneration and soil health.  Our grazer provided a graduated fee:  The cost per acre went down as more acreage was added to the overall cooperative.

·   Happy fact:  Twelve lambs were born on the Ridge during the graze.

In the next article we plan to outline lessons learned, and planning for future grazing projects. 

Yes- we hope to do this again!