Steven Smith

New book helps producers manage aquatic vegetation

Water is a significant resource for any land manager, and its presence increases plant diversity that requires management.

Students learn, explore agriculture safety at annual event

Seventeen fifth-graders stood behind a short concrete wall and belted out the alphabet song in an attempt to be heard over the rumble of a tractor.

The Key to Coming Home

Brenda Myers Brown has lived a life away from the land. Now she's returning to continue her father's legacy and make new memories with her children and grandchildren.

Protecting Your Property From Wildfire

The likelihood of wildfires occurring increases during late fall and winter months due to dormant grass, fallen tree leaves and periods of high winds and low humidities.

Small farm project demonstrates basic land management

One challenge facing the agriculture industry is the ever changing educational needs of producers. A growing segment of landowners are new producers who want to pursue a rural lifestyle or fulfill a dream of participating in agriculture.

McGee family improves land through hard work

Craig McGee has spent the last six years working toward goals that are similar to many landowners - reducing Eastern red-cedar and increasing wildlife on his property.

Natural materials enable erosion control

Erosion typically starts small and increases over time. Here are some strategies using natural materials to reduce actively eroding gullies.

Redear Sunfish

Redear sunfish is a member of the sunfish family. This family of fish contains many species, including bluegill, largemouth bass and white crappie, just to name a few.

Full ponds enable fish restocking

With full ponds again, many pond managers are wondering whether the fish in the ponds survived or if they will need to be restocked. Restocking fish can be expensive and time consuming, so make sure fish are needed before any are stocked.

Coontail: The Positives and Negatives of an Aquatic Plant

Aquatic vegetation is the proper name for the moss seen in ponds and other bodies of water. Unfortunately, many people do not view aquatic vegetation in a favorable light.

McMillan East Farm provides real-world examples

An update of the demonstration projects conducted on the property thus far.

Bluegill

Bluegill are an important species when it comes to fisheries management. Bluegill provide an excellent forage for bass due to their ability to reproduce at incredible rates. During one summer, a female bluegill can spawn three times releasing 2,300 to 81,100 eggs per spawn.

Restored turkey populations inhabit Southern Great Plains

Unregulated hunting and habitat loss reduced wild turkey numbers, almost to extinction, in some areas by the early 1900s. However, due to the efforts of wildlife agencies, the birds have recovered in most areas.

Managing a Stunted Largemouth Bass Fishery

Many small lakes and ponds across the country are not actively managed for quality or trophy largemouth bass. However, if fishing for largemouth bass is an important goal, lack of or improper management can result in a stunted largemouth bass fishery.

Education, experience produces successful burn bosses

Anyone can become a burn boss with time and patience.

Northern cardinal fascinates birdwatchers year-round

The northern cardinal is found across the eastern half of the United States, even into extreme southeastern Canada and much of Mexico.

Growing-season prescribed burns offer many benefits

Burns conducted during the summer months can be very beneficial for improving wildlife habitat, livestock forage and brush management.

Introduced grasses can cause problems for wildlife

Across the United States, introduced and invasive plant species have displaced and replaced many native plant species. These plants are spreading across the landscape primarily due to human...

The Largemouth Bass

The largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) is a member of the sunfish family. This family of fish contains many species, including smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), bluegill (Lepomis...

Key Concepts Regarding Prescribed Fire

Fire is an important process in the ecology of most native plant and animal communities, especially in uplands. Most plant and animal communities in the Great Plains and eastern forests evolved with...

How to Attract Wildlife to Your Property

With cities and towns spreading into rural areas and more people moving to the country, people and wildlife interactions are becoming more common. Attracting wildlife to ones property can be...

Eastern Red-cedar: Positives, Negatives and Management

Eastern red-cedar (Juniperus virginiana) is a native evergreen tree. This now very common tree was once limited to rocky bluffs, deep canyons and other areas where fire historically did not occur....

How to Convert to Wildlife Land Tax Evaluation in Texas

In Texas, most rural land is evaluated for tax purposes as agricultural. The agricultural evaluation (1-d-1 open-space) is commonly referred to as an agricultural tax exemption. This is not a true...

Producer Spotlight: Dan Ham, Managing for Wildlife

Dan Ham began working with the Noble Research Institute in March 2008 shortly after he purchased property in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma. We helped him develop a strategy to achieve his goals of managing the property for wildlife.

Know Your Plants to Prevent Overgrazing on Native Range

Knowing key plants enables producers to develop management plans that address the specific needs of the plant community.

Key Concepts: Quality Largemouth Bass Sport Fishing in Ponds

Sport fishing is a common recreational use of many ponds. This handout highlights items that pond managers should consider when managing a pond for a quality largemouth bass sport fishery.

Have Your Bass Stopped Growing? What You Do Next Depends on Your Goal

How to manage a stunted largemouth bass fishery depends on whether you want trophy fish or not. Here are best practices for either situation.

Proper Stocking Rates Make Growing-Season Burns Possible

As more land managers use growing-season burns to meet their goals, livestock stocking rates become even more important.

Where to Find Technical Guidance for Land Management and Conservation

Land managers can seek technical guidance from several nongovernment organizations as well as state and federal entities.

Growing-Season Burns Improve Winter Forage Quality

Growing-season prescribed burns offer land managers the opportunity to extend their burning season to manage brush encroachment and improve forage quality.

7 Lessons Learned While Switching to Regenerative Grazing

Here are some of the lessons I have learned through my regenerative grazing transition while managing a stocker herd for the Noble Research Institute.

How to Decide Which Brush Management Method is Right for You — And Why It’s So Important

Brush encroachment is a common problem for land managers, and it’s often a struggle to know how best to respond to the unwanted trees, vines and shrubs invading your land. On the other hand, there are times when a manager may want to increase brush or a particular brush species in certain areas.

10 Things You Should Do To Get Started With Regenerative Grazing

An important part of the regenerative ranching process is regenerative grazing. The use of livestock grazing is an important part of the ecological process to improve soil health and plant diversity.

Controlling Eastern Red-cedar, a Common Noxious Weed

Eastern Red-cedar trees have become more abundant in many fence rows and pastures. This now very common tree was once limited to rocky bluffs, deep canyons and other areas where fire did not historically occur.

Growing-Season Burns Hold Potential for Fall and Winter Forage

The traditional burning season for the Southern Great Plains goes from December to April. However, when land managers limit their burn season to these five months, they often find it difficult to implement the number of burns needed to achieve their goals. This is one reason why more and more land managers are conducting growing-season burns, during late spring through early fall months, to meet some of their prescribed burning goals.

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