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At NAPI, caring for the land is not only part of our charter, it is essential to our culture. Consequently, we have been engaged in a variety of conservation efforts for many years. The Conservation Program works cohesively with Crop Managers and Contractors to keep NAPI within compliance with Natural Resource Conservation Services (NRCS) and Farm Service Agency (FSA) guidelines. A cover crop is planted that protects all low residue fields after harvest from the elements and proper application of water for germination prior emptying canal for winter maintenance. In the 1979’s NAPI irrigated solely on a side-roll irrigation system and since then more efficient, state-of-the-art center pivot irrigation system are in place. These systems provide consistent, efficient water application, leaving previous side roll fields dormant and unproductive on non-CRP side-roll fields. Currently native shrubs including Mountain Mohogany, 3-leaf sumac, Winter fat are being transplanted in some of the fields for our culture purposes and restore our native vegetation for livestock as well as wild life grazing. Native grasses such as Indian ricegrass, Alkali sacaton, Galleta grass, Sand Dropseed, Four-wing Saltbush and Bluegrama grass, all serve as foraging, protection and breeding grounds for wildlife. The root systems on these grasses are clod formers, and once established, also help hold down the topsoil. Western wheat grass, a non-native plant, is added to the native seed mix to stimulate the growth of other indigenous plants. NAPI personnel study, plant, irrigate and maintain these plants and grasses to recover large land masses back to their natural states. This will be our continued goal of being a good steward to the land. NAPI engages in restoration projects on our land, rehabilitating extensive areas with new and native plant cover. The predominant native grasses in this region are generally drought tolerant, hearty plants, accustomed to the 5,500-6,000 foot elevation level and relatively low-precipitation zone. |
