Anecdotes, Analyses, and Unexpected Advantages: Why Degraded Landscapes Benefit More from Biosolids

ABSTRACT British Columbia (BC) is 1.4 times the size of Texas. While only 1% of its land base is native grassland, these areas have been historically prized for homesteading and early agriculture. Today they are mainly used for ranching, but over a century of use has left many BC grasslands in a degraded state. These grasslands support more threatened and endangered species of birds, animals, and vegetation than any other terrestrial biome in the province. The OK Ranch is a 15,000 acre cow-calf operation located in the interior of BC, and was emblematic of these challenges. The upland grasslands of the OK Ranch experienced a decrease in productivity over the last century due to long-term agricultural and grazing practices, now compounded due to climate change. First Nations oral histories tell of tall grasses 'belly high to a horse' flowing with the upland winds, but due to historic homesteading and more recent attempts at cereal production in this dry, high-altitude area, soils were exposed to harsh elements and the natural forage was unable to return to previous production levels. In 2013, SYLVIS partnered with the OK Ranch's landowner to emphasize grassland restoration using biosolids to achieve effective stewardship as well as productivity for the ranch operation. Since that time, SYLVIS and Metro Vancouver, together with several research partners, have sought to understand and quantify the benefits conferred to the site through the careful use of biosolids as a soil amendment tool. This presentation will share the unprecedented understanding of what can happen for a degraded ecosystem when provision of critical soil conditioning supports rehabilitation. Specifically, we will discuss how: -Soils have been protected through the growth and expansion of a thatch layer, and reduction of bare soil and crusting throughout the site. -Grasses have recovered and now grow with vigour, producing up to 400% more biomass, while also being more nutritious for cattle and ungulates. -The changes in biomass and resilience have resulted in significant carbon capture on the landscape, both in short-term annual carbon through above ground biomass, but also in long-term belowground carbon capture and storage in soils and roots. -The improved grass structure has resulted in favorable habitat development for endangered or threatened insects, which in turn support threatened bird species, which has become a major research focus at the OK Ranch through a partnership with the University of British Columbia. -Mammals, large ungulates, and predators appear to spend more time in the grasslands. -The productivity has resulted in increased employment at the OK Ranch, with more cattle and more hands hired to help manage those cattle. -A desktop analysis of climate change mitigation and ultimate benefits to the environment provides a compelling case for the economic, environmental and societal value of grasslands restoration. The OK Ranch grasslands restoration project is more than just land application of biosolids. It demonstrates the layers of co-benefits provided through the restoration of semi-arid grasslands of not just soil improvement, but of carbon capture, habitat recovery, and economic development. . The presentation will conclude with a discussion of what levels of awareness and information sharing might be required, and what innovative strategies are available to increase uptake of beneficial use messages to achieve this kind of scale for grassland restoration in North America.