The Angus Journal® is a monthly magazine known for in-depth coverage of American Angus Association® programs and services; the Angus business; herd management; and advertising reflecting genetics and herd philosophies.
Issue link: http://angusjournal.epubxp.com/i/813216
'B y a show of hands, how many of you hate the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) or the Forest Service?" asked John Reese, a BLM range conservationist from Kanab, Utah. Reese addressed a group of young ranchers at the Idaho Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Leadership Conference Jan. 27, 2017. A few timid hands rose. "C'mon really," said Reese, "how many of you hate the BLM or the Forest Service?" This time, hands shot up as the audience sensed Reese's own animosity for the agencies that govern grazing on public lands. The range conservationist is also a registered Angus breeder, and his family a BLM permittee, so he identifies with both sides of the aisle. "When I was a kid, my grandpa hated the BLM. He absolutely hated his range [conservationist], hated to deal with him. Because of all the policy and the regulations, they were constantly telling him what he could and couldn't do. So I grew up hating the BLM," said Reese candidly. As a 16-year-old, Reese decided to put his dislike aside and took a BLM summer internship position. He wanted to learn more about the agency in hopes he could use his experience to benefit his family's cattle operation. Several summers later, Reese concluded he could make a difference for the entire ranching community by taking on a full-time role with the BLM. "My goal is to improve the rangeland in our country," said Reese. "I try and keep ranchers on the land." Making improvements In southern Utah, where Reese's BLM field office is located, Pinyon-Juniper (PJ) woodlands have overrun the rangeland, choking out the forage. According to Reese, the rise of the PJ began with the removal of sheep bands from federal land. When the sheep left, the trees grew unchecked and overtook huge spans of rangeland. Depletion of perennial grasses led to erosion and rabbit brush infestation, as well as increased wildfire problems and decreased cattle numbers. On the South Canyon Allotment that Reese oversees, the rancher's grazing permit allowed for 200 head. Due to the out-of- control PJ, the rancher had no choice but to reduce cattle numbers by 50%. Not long after Reese was hired, he had seen enough of the problem. Armed with a college degree and passion for ranching, Reese aimed to improve the situation for local ranchers and the permittees with whom he worked. The rangeland needed big improvements, but improvements require funding from Washington, D.C., and funding doesn't happen without National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents. During the NEPA writing process, Reese and the other specialists in his field office sat down with every rancher in the area. They met with environmental groups, including the Western Watersheds Project and Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. "We took them out there and asked them what they wanted to see as we did our analysis," explained Reese. "Well, when we put it forward, everybody thought we were on the same page and everything was going good. As soon as we put that proposal forward, guess what? We got sued. These environmental groups, I don't care what they tell you, they're going to sue you because their No. 1 goal is to get grazing off of public land," said a disgusted Reese. The proposal went all the way to the Interior Board of Land Appeals in Washington, D.C., where it was upheld. In Reese's mind that decision was a huge win for the BLM, and he promptly pushed for two more proposals to be passed. "We never got protested, never got appealed on [those two] because of our win just before. Had we lost, we'd been appealed on everything else. [These environmentalists] beat you like a dead horse when you get down." Reese has been instrumental in ensuring major improvements are made on the rangeland he stewards. Those improvements include: @ Aerially flying a desirable mix of grasses, forbs and shrubs over an area; @ Running bullhogs or masticator "My goal is to improve the rangeland in our country. I try and keep ranchers on the land." — John Reese 146 n ANGUSJournal n May 2017 CONTINUED ON PAGE 148 BLM employee updates ranchers on range developments and how to improve relationships with the BLM. Story & photos by Paige Nelson, field editor @ BLM Range Conservationist John Reese is hopeful during the Trump administration the NEPA process will be altered and more range improvements can happen. "It's a good time to bring up things that you need fixed," he said.