A paradigm shift

Abstract

We are coming full circle in chemical control of brush and weeds. The first large-scale herbicide applications for brush management were individual plant treatments with kerosene. We then progressed into broadcast aerial application using many herbicides with varying degrees of success. We learned volumes of information about the ecophysiology of many species, which has proven to be critical in understanding brush management. Today, changes in land ownership patterns, management goals, and public concern for herbicide use and wildlife habitat have elucidated the need for precision application of herbicides for brush management, challenging the paradigm that bigger is better. Albert Einstein stated, "Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." We have the responsibility and opportunity to identify the things that count on rangelands, and develop treatment options that address the problems at hand. © 2004 by Texas A&M University Press. All Rights Reserved.