Monitoring of Livestock Grazing Effects on Bureau of Land Management Land |
| |
| Institution: | 1. Assistant Professor, Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA;2. Supervisory Research Ecologist, US Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA;3. Assistant Professor, Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory and Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Colorado State University, in cooperation with the US Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA;4. Research Wildlife Biologist, US Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon, CA 95620, USA;5. Ecologist, US Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA;6. Environmental Scientist, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Napa, CA 94558, USA.;1. Professor Emeritus, Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA;2. Research Associate, Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA;3. Professor of Range Science, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA;4. Range Scientist, retired, US Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Reno, NV 89512, USA;5. Postdoctoral Research Scientist, US Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service, Fire Treatments, OR 97720, USA;6. Research Ecologist, US Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Reno, NV 89512, USA.;1. Research Ecologist, US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, UT, 84532;2. Postdoctoral Researcher, US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, UT 84532;3. Ecological Site Specialist, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426;4. Rangeland Management Specialist, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Salt Lake City, UT 84105;5. Chief of Resource Stewardship & Science, National Park Service, Southeast Utah Group, Moab, UT 84532;6. Research Leader, USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003 |
| |
| Abstract: | Public land management agencies, such as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), are charged with managing rangelands throughout the western United States for multiple uses, such as livestock grazing and conservation of sensitive species and their habitats. Monitoring of condition and trends of these rangelands, particularly with respect to effects of livestock grazing, provides critical information for effective management of these multiuse landscapes. We therefore investigated the availability of livestock grazing-related quantitative monitoring data and qualitative region-specific Land Health Standards (LHS) data across BLM grazing allotments in the western United States. We then queried university and federal rangeland science experts about how best to prioritize rangeland monitoring activities. We found that the most commonly available monitoring data were permittee-reported livestock numbers and season-of-use data (71% of allotments) followed by repeat photo points (58%), estimates of forage utilization (52%), and, finally, quantitative vegetation measurements (37%). Of the 57% of allotments in which LHS had been evaluated as of 2007, the BLM indicated 15% had failed to meet LHS due to livestock grazing. A full complement of all types of monitoring data, however, existed for only 27% of those 15%. Our data inspections, as well as conversations with rangeland experts, indicated a need for greater emphasis on collection of grazing-related monitoring data, particularly ground cover. Prioritization of where monitoring activities should be focused, along with creation of regional monitoring teams, may help improve monitoring. Overall, increased emphasis on monitoring of BLM rangelands will require commitment at multiple institutional levels. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录！ |
|
