Livestock and Horse Owners

The fertile soil of the Stillaguamish River valley provides lush pastures for cows, horses, and other livestock. The manure they generate is also a valuable resource that can be recycled back into the ground, returning nutrients to the soil, thereby enriching growth of vegetation. The key is to keep the nutrients and the soil where they belong, and not lose them as runoff into ditches, streams and the river.

Use these livestock “big three” best management practices to protect the land and water, while safeguarding residents’ investments at the same time:

• Install livestock heavy-use areas to keep pasture soils and grass healthy
• Compost or store manure appropriately and apply it at proper agronomic rates
• Fence livestock away from streams and allow grass or native plants to filter surface water before it reaches the stream

Resources

• Betterground Website - Information on livestock-related topics including composting, reducing mud, and growing healthy pastures
• Compost livestock manure and use it as stall bedding
  • View these helpful videos about composting manure:
    • Composting Manure
    • Building a manure compost bin
    • Using composted manure as stall bedding
• Protect the soil and prevent erosion
• Grow healthy pastures
• Reduce mud
• Protect horses’ health
  • Track Paddocks for Equine Mental Health
  • Manage mud, manure, and pastures to protect horse hooves, control parasites, and control sugar intake
• Discretionary Fund Information - Assistance for private landowners, community groups, and/or local agencies in undertaking small-scale projects to improve water quality on private or public property.