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Perennial bunchgrass restoration will be attempted in an area immediately outside of the <br /> short rough (see Figure 13). The principle species that will be used include purple <br /> needlegrass, blue wildrye,meadow barley, and California brome. These grasses remain <br /> beautifully blue-green during part of the summer,long after the alien annual grasses have <br /> dried and withered. <br /> Several techniques that promote native bunchgrasses have been developed. Native <br /> bunchgrasses evolved in environments subjected to natural disturbance from fire and <br /> grazing by native ungulates. Not allowing some type of disturbance-- either natural or <br /> artificial --can result in an impoverished habitat: ungrazed grasslands can become <br /> dominated by a few species of introduced grasses and forbs. Also, ungrazed or unburnt <br /> grasslands develop a thick thatch in which raptors find hunting difficult. <br /> Several management practices can be used to mimic natural disturbances. At golf courses, <br /> mowing can approximate the natural disturbance formerly caused by grazing and fire. The <br /> preferred technique for this kind of site includes a combination of various farming <br /> techniques, such as light disking or harrowing to remove exotic annual grasses,planting <br /> with special seed drills, supplemental irrigation (especially the first year), and the use of <br /> mowers to selectively cut the taller,rapidly growing exotic grasses. Table 10 provides <br /> detailed information regarding these techniques. <br /> 8.12 Golf Course - Wildlife Relationships <br /> A number of birds are likely to benefit from the open, short grass habitat provided by <br /> fairways and the short rough grasses. The limiting factor is the availability of food such as <br /> seeds, green grass, and insects. The course's plan to limit pesticides should allow for an <br /> adequate food supply. <br /> Buckeye Ranch Resource Plan (November, 1993) <br /> 223 <br />