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Grazing & Agriculture
For generations, ranchers, hunters, and farmers have relied on the PUF Lands for their livelihood. Today, University Lands (UL) remains committed to ensuring these activities can continue for future generations through careful range and wildlife management. This includes monitoring livestock stocking rates, to maintain range health and ecosystems, and overseeing wildlife populations. Quarterly aerial surveys using helicopters and drones improve monitoring and provide detailed insights into wildlife density, health, and harvest recommendations, further supporting UL’s sustainable land management efforts. UL also continues its commitment to infrastructure management, including fencing and water distribution systems, and works with the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) on strategic grazing infrastructure placement. These efforts support the implementation of rotational grazing and other conservation practices. As part of its ongoing sustainability and conservation efforts, UL is engaged in a multi-year soil carbon sequestration research project titled “BCarbon,” focusing on rangeland soils across the Midwest United States. This study, conducted in collaboration with Rice University’s Baker Institute and sponsored by ExxonMobil, aims to evaluate carbon storage in these soils. The findings, expected in spring 2025, will inform future conservation strategies. UL is committed to land stewardship, partnering daily with oil, gas, and pipeline operators to remove abandoned well pads, roads, and pipelines. Once equipment is removed and caliche is cleared, the land is reseeded with a grassland mix, including pollinator-friendly species tailored to each site. These efforts restore the land to native or improved conditions, enhancing grazing and wildlife habitats as further demonstration of UL’s dedication to sustainability.
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ANNUAL REPORT 2024
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