http://hppr.org en http://hppr.org/post/ogallala-aquifer-conservation-playa-renovation-grissom-ranch <p>Southeast Colorado rancher Grady Grissom and Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory manager Seth Gallagher discuss renovation of a playa on the Grissom Ranch. The wetland had been "pitted," and a flat playa bottom was restored, which normalized plant-life, then birdlife, around the playa. This story is part three of a four-part series on Ogallala aquifer conservation. It originally aired on HPPR on 01/29/13 and was repeated 03/26/13 as part of the Landowner series.</p><p> Tue, 26 Mar 2013 05:01:00 +0000 Dale Bolton 11179 at http://hppr.org Ogallala Aquifer Conservation: Playa renovation on the Grissom Ranch http://hppr.org/post/playa-renovation-haynes-farm-holyoke-co <p></p><p>Holyoke, CO, farmer Larry Haynes talks about putting land "to its best use." For decades he attempted to farm playas in his fields but said he "rarely" was able to harvest crops grown in those wetlands. He decided to forget attempting to farm the playas and instead renovate them and plant large plant buffers around them, thus putting the playas "to their best use" as wildlife habitat. Biologist Jerry Miller drew up plans to renovate the playas and create plant buffers. As expensive as farming is today, Haynes says it makes no sense to pour expensive ag inputs into a mud hole. This the final episode in a four-part series on playa health. It originally aired on HPPR Tuesday, March 5, 2013.</p><p> Mon, 04 Mar 2013 06:01:00 +0000 Dale Bolton 12782 at http://hppr.org Playa Renovation: Haynes Farm, Holyoke, CO