Rangelands and How They Work
- Rangelands affect us all. They comprise about 40% of the landmass of the United States and about 70% of the landmass throughout the world. Rangelands include grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, savannahs, tundra, most deserts, and riparian and wetland plant communities. Rangelands provide valuable grazing for livestock and wildlife, as well as a source of water, clean air, and open spaces. Rangelands benefit people as a setting for recreation and economic means for agriculture, mining, and communities.
- For more information, see Rangelands and How They Work.
Rangeland Plants and Animals
- Rangelands are home to a variety of both native and introduced plants and animals that dynamically interact to influence the rangeland ecosystem. Collectively, rangeland plants and animals provide for agricultural enterprise, recreation, aesthetics, water resources, wildlife resources, and air quality.
- For more information, see Rangeland Plants and Animals
Rangeland Soils and Water
- Soil is the naturally occurring, nonrenewable thin layer of unconsolidated material on the earth's surface capable of supporting plant life. Soil properties depend on topographic position, parent material, plant influence, climate, and time. Water is cycled over the earth; its usefulness depends upon quality, quantity, availability, and other factors.
- For more information, see Rangeland Soils and Water.
Rangeland Climate, Drought, and Fire
- Understanding climate patterns as well as the variability in climate that can occur is important in the management of rangelands. Episodes of drought require specific management to maintain range condition.
- Fire has been an integral part of most rangelands throughout history. Many rangeland systems have evolved with fire occurring at regular intervals. Because it has been the policy to extinguish wildfires for the past century, many rangeland systems' fire intervals have been disrupted, which may be one of the reasons for the large and catastrophic fires we have today. Prescribed fires, or fires set intentionally under controlled circumstances, and other management techniques are being used to slowly reintroduce fire into rangeland ecosystems.
- For more information, see Rangeland Climate, Drought, and Fire.
Rangeland Vegetation Management and Restoration
- Vegetation management and restoration involves decisions and actions for improving or restoring plant communities across the landscape using various techniques and tools. It focuses on objectives for vegetation to determine what management actions and techniques or tools will be needed to accomplish those objectives. Objectives and management will differ across various types of rangeland due to the fact that each has its own potential, response to management, and opportunity for restoration.
- For more information, see Rangeland Vegetation Management and Restoration.
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