On my return trip from northern Nevada this summer, I made a stop in Yankee Meadow, just north of Brian Head Ski Area in Utah. From Parowan, we headed east, winding up a lovely canyon and passing some beautiful and dramatic red cliffs, which were sitting on a thick layer of blue-gray rock that looked like old ash.
I found a nice dispersed camping area in a grove of aspen trees, set up camp, and watched the clouds roll in. I could hear thunder in the distance, but although the sky looked threatening, we missed any rain that afternoon. The wet ground and rushing creek nearby told me that the area had quite a bit of rain recently.
I love this high country of Utah (Yankee Meadow is 8500 feet), but finding a spot to camp during late July can be challenging. Even in this remote area, it was impossible to get very far from other campers. In this case it meant a kid on a mini-bike that spent hours riding the roads through the campground. The meadow and the campground were also thick with cows and their excrement. Setting up camp required careful attention to ones footing to avoid stepping in fresh cow pies.
Large ungulates, be they cows or elk, can be very hard on riparian areas such as Yankee Meadow. Numerous studies have shown that impact of large ungulates on mountain streams affects both the hydrology of the stream system, and the biodiversity of streamside habitats. In many areas of the west, one of the first steps to stream restoration is to fence cows out of the riparian areas to let the vegetation recover. Reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone had a similar effect with the elk – when the big predators returned, elk started avoiding streamside areas that they deemed too dangerous. This allowed much of the vegetation to recover, benefiting a whole suite of species, from beaver to warblers.
Best management practices usually call for limiting grazing time as much as possible in riparian areas, either through fencing or careful scheduling so the cows are in the area when it’s least vulnerable to trampling. I don’t know what the current management practices for the cattle in Yankee Meadow are, but the streamside vegetation was pretty sparse, with very little of the willows and alder that one might expect in this habitat. These bushes are important feeding and nesting habitat for a variety of songbirds. The absence of shrubs and a lack of meandering of the creek may be indications of cattle damage to the riparian area. Elk are also present here, so the effects would be cumulative. I’ve certainly seen stream side habitats in worse condition from cattle grazing, but it does appear that the area might benefit from some fencing of the riparian area. And keeping cattle out of the camping areas would be nice, too. I’m just saying. No one likes to crawl out of their tent and step in a steaming pile of cow poo.
I recorded the dawn chorus at Yankee Meadow the next morning. Western wood-pewees, warbling vireos, and chipping sparrows provided a much quieter chorus than I was expecting next to a stream. Was this another indicator of cattle’s impact on the riparian area? If that’s the case, then the cattle may not only be impacting the biodiversity of the area, but also it’s soundscape.
We woke to a beautiful dawn at Yankee Meadow. After a quick walk, we headed down the road, crawling up the switchbacks to Brian Head, then on to Flagstaff.
A longer version of this recording is available in the album, Across the Great Basin.
References:
Belsky, A.J., A. Matzke, and S. Eselman. 1999. Survey of livestock influences on stream and riparian ecosystems in the western United States. J. Soil and Water Conservation 54: 419-431. https://www.highsierrahikers.org/issue_grazing.pdf
Mosley, J.C., P.S. Cook, A.J. Griffis, and J. O’Laughlin. 1999. Guidelines for managing cattle grazing in riparian areas to protect water quality: a review of research and best management practices policy. Report of the Idaho Forest, Wildlife and Range Policy Analysis Group, University of Idaho. https://oregonstate.edu/dept/range/sites/default/files/RNG455-555PDFLinks/Mosley_grazing_strategies.pdf
Ripple, W.J. and R.L. Beschta. 2012. Trophic cascade in Yellowstone: the first 15 years after wolf reintroduction. Biological Conservation 145: 205-213.
Recording notes: Recorded with a Sony PCM-M10 and Audio-Technica AT2022 microphone with Felmicamps SK3.5 amplifier. Recording subject to amplification and equalization.