Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative: Summer Stockpile Grazing

Join John Marshall Soil & Water Conservation District with the Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative for a program and pasture walk as we examine forage quality vs. animal requirements, effects on soil health, and how to incorporate this tool into your grazing operation.

Birds that depend on grass and shrubland vegetation for survival have experienced a steeper, more consistent decline than any other group in North America. With the loss of much our native grassland ecosystems, grassland birds have now adapted to using hayfields and pasturelands as surrogate habitat. Providing undisturbed areas during their vulnerable nesting season is critical to stop the decline and loss of these species and the critical ecosystem services they supply.

Summer stockpiling is a system that excludes grazing from a portion of pasture acres during spring and summer in order to store forage for late-summer and early-fall, providing forage during the late summer slump and allowing previously grazed pasture to be stockpiled for winter grazing. This program and pasture walk will examine forage quality vs. animal requirements, effect on soil health, and how to incorporate this tool into overall grazing plan.

Location

Glenmore Farm
8254 Glenmore Lane
Marshall, VA 20115

RSVP

Dinner provided. Register to attend by Sept. 19 by contacting John Marshall SWCD at (540) 422-8490 or by emailing johnmarshall.swcd@vaswcd.org.