Landowner Profile Mike Bonnheim

helping people help the land United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service LANDOWNER PROFILE Innovative rancher and Upper Salinas Las Tablas Resource Conservation District (RCD) Director Mike Bonnheim has accomplished his family’s goal of self-sustainable ranching that maintains the ecological balance on their Las Tablas Ranch. He uses livestock grazing as a tool to maintain the ecological balance on the ranch and identifies recreation NRCS District Conservationist Margy Lindquist and livestock grazing as visits Rancher and RCD Director Mike Bonnheim compatible land uses for at his Las Tablas Ranch. ranchers that are ecologically friendly. Bonnheim said, “Using cattle as a tool for disturbance is important for wildlife and for grazing. We use a hay bale twice a day as an attractant. When the cows bunch, in an excited manner to get to the hay, they create disturbance and also remove surplus vegetation. The disturbance is what the native grasses ‘remember’ and need. We are mimicking how the herbivores and native grasses co-evolved over thousands of years when man himself was just a component of the environment himself.” Bonnheim explained that opening dense vegetation to sunlight through clearing and grazing, increases plant and animal diversity. It also allows dormant seed to germinate, which reestablishes native grasses. His management techniques maximize production and improve wildlife habitat, without depleting natural resources. The San Luis Obispo County Native Tree Committee named Bonnheim, Tree Steward of 2006, for his innovative woodland and wildlife-friendly, management practices. Mike was also recently appointed as Chairman of the California Cattleman’s Association Wildlife Management Committee. Bonnheim said, “We have been very conservative regarding the number of trees that we have thinned in the project areas. The tree stands that are thinned are exclusively Live Oaks. The natural life span of these trees is about 300-400 years. ‘Regeneration’ occurs when, sometime during the 300-400 year period, one acorn is successful in becoming another adult tree. Otherwise, you have an increase in forest. This is not a tree cutting issue. Cutting trees was just one step in the course of managing the environment and increasing diversity to achieve a natural balance. Regeneration will only take place where the soil is exposed to the sun.” “You cannot take something as dynamic as natural resources and manage with a ‘One size fits all’ approach. Successful management requires an intimate knowledge of the land.” — Mike Bonnheim, Cattle Rancher According to Bonnheim, there are six tools that land managers can use: 1. Rest as nondisturbance 2. Fire 3. Technology 4. Animal impact 5. Grazing 6. Living organisms. Bonnheim’s use of “technology” includes clearing excess vegetation with a bulldozer and some herbicide to create openings for sunlight. Bonnheim has also used fire for the same effect. Now he is going into a maintenance mode with grazing. THE NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND PROVIDER The Bonnheim’s placed two conservation easements on their ranch so that it can never be used for commercial residential development. The easements decrease their estate taxes so that they can better afford to keep it. The Bonnheim’s also recently completed a Farm Bill Grassland Reserve Program 30 year easement on the remaining balance of the ranch. Mike and his wife Barbara have a teen-aged daughter Michelle and son Bo. Together, they raise 300 head of Hereford beef cattle. Their goal is 400 head as they continue to learn “even better management techniques.” Mike and Barbara are the 3rd generation on their Las Tablas Ranch. Mike is the Director on the Upper Salinas Las Tablas RCD; Director of the Cattleman’s Association; Director of the San Luis Obispo County Agriculture Task Force; and a member of the Native Tree Committee. “Across the valley we left undisturbed vegetation on top. There was no sun reaching the soil. We noticed that deer won’t use more than 50 feet from the edge. We created a transition zone that is more in balance. The deer can enter through the top or the bottom and they can travel all of the way through.” — Mike Bonnheim Opening dense vegetation to sunlight, increases plant and animal diversity. NRCS Rangeland Management Specialist, Karl Striby has helped Bonnheim identify six native species of grasses that have germinated from formerly dormant seeds in the soil. HELPING PEOPLE HELP THE LAND