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Rangeland Resource Trends in the United States: a Technical Document Supporting the 2000 USDA Forest Service RPA Assessment

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Rangeland Resource Trends in the United States: a Technical Document Supporting the 2000 USDA Forest Service RPA Assessment RangelandRangeland ResourceResource TrendsTrends inin thethe UnitedUnited StatesStates JOHN E. MITCHELL A Technical Document Supporting the 2000 USDA Forest Service RPA Assessment U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOREST SERVICE Mitchell, John E. 2000. Rangeland resource trends in the United States: A technical document supporting the 2000 USDA Forest Service RPA Assessment. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-68. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 84 p. Keywords: rangeland health, rangeland management, weeds, grazing, livestock, sustainability, Conservation Reserve Program Abstract This report documents trends in America’s rangelands as required by the Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974. The Forest Service has conducted assessments of the rangeland situation for 30 years. Over this period, rangeland values and uses have gradually shifted from concentrating upon forage production and meeting increasing demand for red meat to a more broad-based understanding under a framework of sustainable resource management. The total extent of rangeland will likely continue a trend of slow decline, but any changes will be small in relation to the total U.S. grazing land base of about 800 million acres. Lands enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program are not expected to affect this trend. Data from various sources indicate that range condition has been fairly static over the past decade. Non-indigenous weed invasions have offset advances in rangeland health. Regardless, the productive capacity of U.S. rangelands is not expected to degrade because of slowly decreasing livestock utilization and possible advances in biotechnology. Trends in the number of people with adequate technical skills to manage rangelands and conduct research need closer attention. You may order additional copies of this publication by sending your mailing information in label form through one of the following media. Please send the publication title and number. Telephone (970) 498-1394 Email [email protected] Fax (970) 498-1396 Mailing address Publications Distribution Rocky Mountain Research Station 240 W. Prospect Rd. Fort Collins, CO 80526 This publication is also available on the web at http://www.fs.fed.us/rm. Rangeland Resource Trends in the United States: A Technical Document Supporting the 2000 USDA Forest Service RPA Assessment John E. Mitchell Contents Executive Summary . 1 Chapter 1: Introduction. 5 Early Assessments . 5 Criteria and Indicators of Sustainability . 9 Chapter 2: Extent of Rangelands . 11 Introduction . 11 World’s Rangelands . 11 U.S. Grazing Lands . 16 Non-Federal Grazing Lands. 16 Non-Federal Rangelands. 18 The Conservation Reserve Program . 19 National Forest System Lands. 23 Rangelands Managed by the Bureau of Land Management . 23 Outlook for the U.S. Rangeland Base . 24 Chapter 3: Rangeland Health . 27 Introduction . 27 Condition of Non-Federal Rangelands. 28 Pacifi c Coast Region . 28 Rocky Mountain Region . 28 South Region . 29 North Region . 30 Condition of Federal Rangelands . 30 Lands Managed by the Bureau of Land Management . 31 Lands Managed by the Forest Service. 32 Riparian Areas . 40 Lands Managed by Department of Defense. 43 Expansion of Woodlands . 44 Decline of Quaking Aspen . 46 Non-Indigenous Plants. 47 Leafy Spurge . 48 Knapweeds and Starthistles. 49 Saltcedar . 50 Non-Indigenous Thistles. 51 Purple Loosestrife . 51 Cheatgrass . 51 Other Non-Indigenous Weeds . 52 Non-Indigenous Weeds on National Forest System Lands . 52 Future Impacts of Non-Indigenous Plants . 53 Summary . 54 Biological Diversity . 54 Productive Capacity . 55 Ecosystem Health . 55 Soil and Water Conservation . 55 Chapter 4: Maintenance of Productive Capacity . 57 Introduction . 57 Advances in Technology . 57 Research and Development Budgets. 57 Advances in Agricultural Technology . 58 Application of Existing Technology. 59 Changes in Rangeland Health. 60 Riparian Areas . 61 U.S. Livestock Production . 61 Cattle and Sheep Numbers . 63 Distribution of Cattle Operations and Cattle by Herd Size . 64 Grazing.
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