Description
Managing grasslands in the western United States has become much more complex over the last few decades. A century ago the goal was to survive as a livestock producer, and grassland management involved using forage effectively and overcoming obstacles such as predators and shortages of water and feed. Today the successful grassland manager also needs to consider the diversity and health of the ecosystem as a whole. Livestock grazing can negatively and/or positively affect riparian areas, sensitive plants, and endangered wildlife. Since the impact on a specific factor will vary depending on the timing, intensity and class of livestock grazed, land managers need a decision support system that will help them simultaneously evaluate the affect of different grazing management strategies on a variety of environmental and economic factors. Understanding Livestock Grazing Impact, an interactive website, assembles and presents information on the impacts of livestock grazing in a way that is both comprehensive and accessible. This makes it easier for ranchers and land managers to analyse, compare and choose the grazing strategies that best achieve the goals for a given grazing unit.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Understanding Livestock Grazing Impacts: A Decision Support Tool to Develop Goal-Oriented Grazing Management Strategies
Managing grasslands in the western United States has become much more complex over the last few decades. A century ago the goal was to survive as a livestock producer, and grassland management involved using forage effectively and overcoming obstacles such as predators and shortages of water and feed. Today the successful grassland manager also needs to consider the diversity and health of the ecosystem as a whole. Livestock grazing can negatively and/or positively affect riparian areas, sensitive plants, and endangered wildlife. Since the impact on a specific factor will vary depending on the timing, intensity and class of livestock grazed, land managers need a decision support system that will help them simultaneously evaluate the affect of different grazing management strategies on a variety of environmental and economic factors. Understanding Livestock Grazing Impact, an interactive website, assembles and presents information on the impacts of livestock grazing in a way that is both comprehensive and accessible. This makes it easier for ranchers and land managers to analyse, compare and choose the grazing strategies that best achieve the goals for a given grazing unit.
