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̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Conservation Ranching is expanding its technical support into central and southwest Minnesota. Annie Bahe, new ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Range Ecologist joining ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Upper Mississippi River’s team, is a recent graduate from North Dakota State University where she received her Masters of Natural Resources Management in December 2025. During her time at NDSU, she immersed herself in the science and practice of restoring rangelands and wetlands.

From monitoring long-term restoration studies to studying how seasonal grazing shapes plant communities, Annie’s time at NDSU gave her a deep understanding of what healthy grasslands need to thrive. She’s now bringing that experience to ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡, helping protect birds and the working lands they depend on through thoughtful and effective conservation ranching.

Digging Into Her Research: Tackling Invasive Rangeland Species

A major focus of Annie’s graduate research explored how herbicides can be used as a strategic pretreatment in invaded rangelands to specifically target leafy spurge, Kentucky bluegrass, and smooth brome.

Leafy spurge, an invasive perennial forb, poses a serious challenge for ranchers. Not only is it unpalatable to cattle, it also spreads rapidly and outcompetes native vegetation. Annie found that broadleaf-specific herbicides can suppress leafy spurge for at least two years, often without harming surrounding native plants. This makes herbicide a valuable tool when used carefully and intentionally.

But invasive cool season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass and smooth brome tell a different story. These species offer decent early-season forage, yet they frequently dominate pastures, pushing out warm-season natives that provide critical habitat and better summer grazing potential. Unfortunately, herbicide isn’t an effective solution here. Herbicide treatments often harm the broader plant community while failing to meaningfully reduce the presence of these grasses, so other management methods are often needed.

Fire + Grazing: A Powerful Combo

Rotational grazing combined with spring or fall prescribed fire, practices often used in conservation ranching, are effective ways to manage the spread of Kentucky bluegrass and smooth brome. Rotational grazing helps reduce pressure on native plants, giving them the rest they need to rebound and compete. Prescribed fire, whether applied in spring or fall, removes the thick litter mats created by Kentucky bluegrass and smooth brome, opening space for native species adapted to fire. Together, these practices create the disturbance patterns that native grasslands evolved with, helping them reclaim ground from persistent invasive cool-season grasses.

Additional Insights: Timing Matters

During her time at NDSU, Annie also contributed to a project examining how the timing of grazing affects smooth brome. Over multiple years, spring-only, fall-only, and combination grazing treatments all helped reduce smooth brome tiller density. Consistent cool-season grazing can gradually suppress smooth brome and create better conditions for native species to establish.

Bringing It All Back to the Ranch

Annie is eager to put her research and field experience into action by supporting producers across Minnesota. Her goal is to help ranchers manage their grasslands in ways that boost forage productivity, improve ecological health, and create vital habitat for grassland birds.