Cowboy scientist monitors environmental impact - regulating the cattle grazing around Vandenberg Air Force Base - Brief Article

Airman, March, 2001 by John B. Dendy IV

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The pastures at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., are classic Pacific ranch country: green, private and full of four-legged critters with four-chambered stomachs.

Cows have grazed there since the late 1700s. However, scars of land erosion surfaced by the 1990s. So in 1994, Vandenberg hired a range manager who could take the "bull by the horns," scientifically speaking. Their "lab coat cowboy" put in a plan and things got "mooo-ving" on the range.

The ranch scientist was Craig Nathe. He figured out how much grass guzzling the cattle do and the impact on the base's range. Then he determined how long cattle can feast until ranch hands move'em to greener pastures.

"Working with the Bureau of Prisons [the Lompoc, Calif.-based grazing permit holder] has been outstanding. You see gullies healing that were raw for years," he said.

The bureau owns the cattle on base and Nathe ensures ranchers don't allow cattle to overgraze. The one-year lifespan and shallow roots of the base's pasture grass make it erosion-friendly. The trick is knowing how much grass to leave so soil stays in place. Scholars recommend 1,000 pounds of the stuff per acre, but Nathe almost doubles it. He gets his data by checking out the grass in his lab.

"I know how many cattle we're moving into the pasture, so I've got a rough estimate of how long we can stay. The fewer the cattle, the longer the time," he said.

He also places salt blocks on ridges so "Bessie" and "Bossie" won't hang out below.

"If they [cattle] graze the hillsides, they'll get more time out of the pasture," he said.

The ranchers also brand calves, and mend fencing on base. "It's not as simple as it seems," said Anthony Gonsalves, beef supervisor.

As ranches go, the Vandenberg land is not bad, he said.

"It's one of the better ranches in the area because the terrain is not as steep, and the access is better for getting vehicles in."

Ranching land where rockets regularly lift off "definitely keeps everything interesting," Gonsalves said. But the cows don't seem to mind.

"It doesn't affect them one bit," he said.