Wild Heart Refuge needs funds to to protect natural forage from domestic livestock that are damaging to the property and to control noxious weeds that have invaded the property and compete with natural forage. The Ranch's 160 acres is comprised of approximately 50 acres of native grass grazing areas and the balance in aspen and heavy undergrowth which is perfect for native wildlife. It provides feed, cover and safety. Property boundaries have not been properly defined, because the original fencing was done to utilize the open grazing areas. Property lines through heavy undergrowth were not fenced because of the difficulty involved and the effort in maintaining fences in heavy undergrowth. The unfenced property area is grazed by domestic livestock (owned by others) put out on summer pasture. Not only damaging to the undergrowth, this practice also brings in noxious weeds. Domestic livestock eat up the natural forage, which competes with winter feed left for native wildlife.
Noxious weeds cause the loss of wildlife habitat. Dense infestations of noxious weeds reduce wildlife forage, alter thermal and escape cover and change water flow and availability to wildlife. Areas dominated by leafy spurge have been found to receive less use by deer (3 times less use) compared with similar uninfested areas. Elk use in some areas has increased about 4 times after controlling the dense spotted knapweed infestation on study sites. Noxious weeds alter the functioning of Riparian (wet land) areas. These weeds often lower water tables and, in some areas, has eliminated surface water and native vegetation needed by wildlife.
LEAFY SPURGE.
SPOTTED KNAPWEED
ECO WEED CONTROL
