Offered Papers Theme B: Grassland and the Environment

Description

Pasture systems have the potential to improve both economic and environmental sustainability in agricultural communities worldwide. To achieve maximum benefits, pasture plant communities must be tailored to the climate, the site type and the goals of the producer. Little is known about how to accomplish this, beyond very broad recommendations. We approached the problem by adapting a three-step conceptual framework from restoration ecology for use in managed pasture communities of the northeastern United States. The three steps, inventory, assessment and remediation, were designed for managers interested in restoring degraded native ecosystems, but can be applied equally well in managed ecosystems.

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Ecosystem Management in Pasture Communities: Tools from Restoration Ecology

Pasture systems have the potential to improve both economic and environmental sustainability in agricultural communities worldwide. To achieve maximum benefits, pasture plant communities must be tailored to the climate, the site type and the goals of the producer. Little is known about how to accomplish this, beyond very broad recommendations. We approached the problem by adapting a three-step conceptual framework from restoration ecology for use in managed pasture communities of the northeastern United States. The three steps, inventory, assessment and remediation, were designed for managers interested in restoring degraded native ecosystems, but can be applied equally well in managed ecosystems.