Choosing a Reclamation Seed Mix to Maintain Rangelands During Energy Development in the Bakken

Abstract

In the dry prairie landscape of western North Dakota and eastern Montana, an area previously known only for its low population density and the ability to get away from it all, few vistas remain uninterrupted. Ac- cess roads, pumping stations, and pipelines can be seen in every direction. For the livestock producer, pipelines can be a special problem that limits property access, introduces or increases weed problems, and reduces pro tability by taking pastures out of production. With many hundreds of miles of pipelines in construction every year, most producers in the region have to deal somehow with this disturbance to their pastures. Through wise planning and the cooperation of energy companies that usually hold permanent easements over pipeline right of ways, landowners can limit obstacles to livestock production. The seed mix chosen for revegeta- tion of pipelines may provide an opportunity for increased production, and there are many areas where research has the potential to profoundly affect the economics of rangeland reclamation. In this article, I outline my opinions and others’ collected from conversations regarding landowners’ concerns surrounding the process of energy development on their land, summarize the state of the science for reclamation seedings, and show how I think the science can be applied to mitigate some of the damage that the disturbance of energy develop- ment brings to rangelands.

DOI: 10.2458/azu_rangelands_v35i6_espeland