The fundamental concept driving the implementation of Environmental Stewardship methodologies is that, for certain practices related to agriculture and natural resource management, there is sufficient science-based evidence indicating the practice will have a positive impact on ecosystem function and implementation of those practices should be supported to the extent possible.
This Environmental Stewardship methodology is designed to support the use of high-density, short-duration rotational targeted sheep grazing in vineyard systems to improve ecosystem functioning through active management of the soil and herbaceous cover in the vineyard understory. As with other Environmental Stewardship methodologies, the environmental benefits are implicit in the practice. Rewards are calculated based on the adoption of the practice under specific parameters outlined below. As such, this is not an outcome-based methodology. The goal of this methodology document is to define the practice and its constraints as well as outline how the practice will be verified. This document also specifies data collection requirements inherent in Environmental Stewardship methodologies to improve our knowledge of the outlined practice.
This methodology intends to encourage the adoption of high-density, short-duration rotational sheep grazing to improve soil and ecosystem health and collect data to improve our understanding of ecosystem health benefits from this practice. The methods aim to be straightforward to understand, and the project approval process will be relatively quick compared to methodologies focused on carbon sequestration. Credits derived from this methodology will be split to reward the grazers and the vineyard owners.Research and a long history of practice have shown that planting appropriate ground cover between rows of perennial crops results in many benefits to ecosystem health, while introducing sheep grazing as a means to control vegetative growth (de Faccio Carvalho et al. 2021) may reduce pesticide, herbicide, and fuel use, decreasing mowing, and build soil organic carbon and soil fertility(Ryschawy et al. 2021, Schoof et al. 2021, Niles et al. 2017, Brewer & Gaudin 2020). Not all these benefits can be expected in every soil and climate type. For example, in Northern California, there are only early indications of soil carbon storage and increased nutrient availability shown to be significant benefits derived from grazing alongside other environmental benefits (Brewer et al., 2023).
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