Add-on Field Day
Planning on leaving at 7:30 am. Arrive at the ranch at 8 am. Return to Alpine by 12 pm.
TSSRM 2025 Field Trip: Mimms Unit, Dixon Water Foundation
For the 2025 Texas Section Society for Range Management (TSSRM) meeting in Alpine, TX, we are pleased to announce that the field trip will take place at the Mimms Unit of the Dixon Water Foundation, located just northwest of Marfa, TX. This ~16,000-acre ranch serves as a premier demonstration site for livestock grazing and watershed stewardship in the Chihuahuan Desert grasslands.
This field trip aligns with our annual meeting theme, highlighting the integration of sustainable land management practices with ecological research. The Mimms Unit exemplifies how thoughtful grazing strategies can enhance watershed health, biodiversity, and rangeland resilience.
About the Mimms Unit
Acquired by the Dixon Water Foundation in 2008, the Mimms Unit is situated at elevations ranging from 4,724 to 4,944 feet and is characterized by diverse grassland communities, including blue grama, sideoats grama, and black grama. The ranch's soils vary from gravelly and sandy to clay and clay loam, supporting a rich array of native grasses and forbs. These grasslands are crucial habitats for wildlife such as pronghorn, scaled quail, and migratory grassland birds like Baird’s sparrow and Sprague’s pipit.
Management and Research FocusThe Mimms Unit employs a comparative approach to grazing management, featuring three distinct grazing systems. This setup facilitates research on the ecological impacts of different grazing strategies:
Rotational Grazing (Adaptive Multi-Paddock Grazing): Approximately 9,000 acres are divided into smaller pastures where cattle are rotated to allow for grazing followed by extended rest periods.
Continuous Grazing: Near 2,000 acre pasture is continuously grazed by a cow-calf herd, representing traditional grazing practices.
Ungrazed Exclosures: Nineteen 1 acre plots are fenced to exclude large herbivores, serving as controls to study vegetation changes without grazing pressure.
What to Expect on the Field Trip
Tour Grazing Regimes: Visit areas under different grazing management to observe firsthand the effects on vegetation and soil health.
Wildlife Habitat Discussion: Engage in discussions about habitat requirements for species like pronghorn and grassland birds, and how grazing practices influence these habitats.
Research Insights: Learn about ongoing research (e.g., soil health, vegetation communities, dung beetles, grassland birds, etc.) collaborations with institutions such as the Borderlands Research Institute.
Scenic Overlook: Experience the 2.5-mile Overlook Trail, culminating in panoramic views of the Marfa grasslands and surrounding mountains.
Preparation and Logistics
Attire: Wear sturdy footwear suitable for uneven terrain, and dress in layers to accommodate variable weather conditions.
Essentials: Bring sun protection (hat, sunscreen), and any personal necessities.
Optional: Binoculars for wildlife observation and notebooks for field notes.
Planning on leaving at 7:30 am. Arrive at the ranch at 8 am. Return to Alpine by 12 pm.
TSSRM 2025 Field Trip: Mimms Unit, Dixon Water Foundation
For the 2025 Texas Section Society for Range Management (TSSRM) meeting in Alpine, TX, we are pleased to announce that the field trip will take place at the Mimms Unit of the Dixon Water Foundation, located just northwest of Marfa, TX. This ~16,000-acre ranch serves as a premier demonstration site for livestock grazing and watershed stewardship in the Chihuahuan Desert grasslands.
This field trip aligns with our annual meeting theme, highlighting the integration of sustainable land management practices with ecological research. The Mimms Unit exemplifies how thoughtful grazing strategies can enhance watershed health, biodiversity, and rangeland resilience.
About the Mimms Unit
Acquired by the Dixon Water Foundation in 2008, the Mimms Unit is situated at elevations ranging from 4,724 to 4,944 feet and is characterized by diverse grassland communities, including blue grama, sideoats grama, and black grama. The ranch's soils vary from gravelly and sandy to clay and clay loam, supporting a rich array of native grasses and forbs. These grasslands are crucial habitats for wildlife such as pronghorn, scaled quail, and migratory grassland birds like Baird’s sparrow and Sprague’s pipit.
Management and Research FocusThe Mimms Unit employs a comparative approach to grazing management, featuring three distinct grazing systems. This setup facilitates research on the ecological impacts of different grazing strategies:
Rotational Grazing (Adaptive Multi-Paddock Grazing): Approximately 9,000 acres are divided into smaller pastures where cattle are rotated to allow for grazing followed by extended rest periods.
Continuous Grazing: Near 2,000 acre pasture is continuously grazed by a cow-calf herd, representing traditional grazing practices.
Ungrazed Exclosures: Nineteen 1 acre plots are fenced to exclude large herbivores, serving as controls to study vegetation changes without grazing pressure.
What to Expect on the Field Trip
Tour Grazing Regimes: Visit areas under different grazing management to observe firsthand the effects on vegetation and soil health.
Wildlife Habitat Discussion: Engage in discussions about habitat requirements for species like pronghorn and grassland birds, and how grazing practices influence these habitats.
Research Insights: Learn about ongoing research (e.g., soil health, vegetation communities, dung beetles, grassland birds, etc.) collaborations with institutions such as the Borderlands Research Institute.
Scenic Overlook: Experience the 2.5-mile Overlook Trail, culminating in panoramic views of the Marfa grasslands and surrounding mountains.
Preparation and Logistics
Attire: Wear sturdy footwear suitable for uneven terrain, and dress in layers to accommodate variable weather conditions.
Essentials: Bring sun protection (hat, sunscreen), and any personal necessities.
Optional: Binoculars for wildlife observation and notebooks for field notes.
Planning on leaving at 7:30 am. Arrive at the ranch at 8 am. Return to Alpine by 12 pm.
TSSRM 2025 Field Trip: Mimms Unit, Dixon Water Foundation
For the 2025 Texas Section Society for Range Management (TSSRM) meeting in Alpine, TX, we are pleased to announce that the field trip will take place at the Mimms Unit of the Dixon Water Foundation, located just northwest of Marfa, TX. This ~16,000-acre ranch serves as a premier demonstration site for livestock grazing and watershed stewardship in the Chihuahuan Desert grasslands.
This field trip aligns with our annual meeting theme, highlighting the integration of sustainable land management practices with ecological research. The Mimms Unit exemplifies how thoughtful grazing strategies can enhance watershed health, biodiversity, and rangeland resilience.
About the Mimms Unit
Acquired by the Dixon Water Foundation in 2008, the Mimms Unit is situated at elevations ranging from 4,724 to 4,944 feet and is characterized by diverse grassland communities, including blue grama, sideoats grama, and black grama. The ranch's soils vary from gravelly and sandy to clay and clay loam, supporting a rich array of native grasses and forbs. These grasslands are crucial habitats for wildlife such as pronghorn, scaled quail, and migratory grassland birds like Baird’s sparrow and Sprague’s pipit.
Management and Research FocusThe Mimms Unit employs a comparative approach to grazing management, featuring three distinct grazing systems. This setup facilitates research on the ecological impacts of different grazing strategies:
Rotational Grazing (Adaptive Multi-Paddock Grazing): Approximately 9,000 acres are divided into smaller pastures where cattle are rotated to allow for grazing followed by extended rest periods.
Continuous Grazing: Near 2,000 acre pasture is continuously grazed by a cow-calf herd, representing traditional grazing practices.
Ungrazed Exclosures: Nineteen 1 acre plots are fenced to exclude large herbivores, serving as controls to study vegetation changes without grazing pressure.
What to Expect on the Field Trip
Tour Grazing Regimes: Visit areas under different grazing management to observe firsthand the effects on vegetation and soil health.
Wildlife Habitat Discussion: Engage in discussions about habitat requirements for species like pronghorn and grassland birds, and how grazing practices influence these habitats.
Research Insights: Learn about ongoing research (e.g., soil health, vegetation communities, dung beetles, grassland birds, etc.) collaborations with institutions such as the Borderlands Research Institute.
Scenic Overlook: Experience the 2.5-mile Overlook Trail, culminating in panoramic views of the Marfa grasslands and surrounding mountains.
Preparation and Logistics
Attire: Wear sturdy footwear suitable for uneven terrain, and dress in layers to accommodate variable weather conditions.
Essentials: Bring sun protection (hat, sunscreen), and any personal necessities.
Optional: Binoculars for wildlife observation and notebooks for field notes.