Special Report 953 January 1996 S 05 U, .E55 Unbound issue Gl 5 3 Does not circulate cOpn O 2 Proceedings of a Symposium on S .Qtaining. Rangeland Ecosystems Eastern Oregon State CollegeLa Grande, Oregon . 29-31 August 1994 6OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION SERVICE For additional copies of this publication, send $5.00 for shipping and handling to: Range Symposium Oregon Chapter of The Wildlife Society P.O. Box 2214 Corvallis. OR 97339-2214 Make checks payable to Oregon Chapter of The Wildlife Society. The opinions expressed in these papers are those of the individual authors and do not represent the views of Oregon State University, the OSU Extension Service, or the symposium sponsors. Oregon State University Extension Service Special Report 953 January 1996 Proceedings of a Symposium on Sustaining Rangeland Ecosystems Eastern Oregon State College La Grande, Oregon 29-31 August 1994 Edited by W. Daniel Edge Extension wildlife specialist Oregon State University and Sally L. Olson-Edge Symposium Sponsors Blue Mountains Natural Resources Institute Bonneville Power Administration Bureau of Land Management Governor's Watershed Enhancement Board (Oregon State Lottery Funds) Grande Ronde Model Watershed Program Oregon State University Agricultural Experiment Station National Biological Service Society for Range Management The Nature Conservancy Symposium Organizers American Fisheries Society, Oregon Chapter Blue Mountains Natural Resources Institute Society for Range Management, Pacific Northwest Section The Wildlife Society, Oregon Chapter References from these proceedings should be cited as: Authors(s). 1995. Title of paper. Pages x-y in W. D. Edge and S. L. Olson-Edge, eds. Proc. Sustaining Rangeland Ecosystems Symposium, Oregon State Univ., SR 953, Corvallis, Oreg. 213pp. MISSION AND GOALS OF THE ORGANIZING GROUPS Blue Mountains Natural Resources Institute Mission: to enhance the long-term economic and social benefits derived from the area's natural resources in an ecologically sound and sustainable manner. The BMNRI mission will be achieved through research, development, application, demonstration, and education programs. There are currently 81 partner organizations that have (1) agreed with the mission statement, (2) agreed that cooperation is the key to solving our natural resource problems, and (3) agreed to work together when it is in everyone's best interest. Goals Compile basic biological and ecological information needed to improve forest and rangeland health and vigor. Develop technology to guide intensive multi-resource management and policy for sustaining long-term productivity and ecological values in the early decades of the 21st century. Develop new technology that will enable forest and range managers to emphasize multi-resource benefits, reduce the hazards of fire and insect and disease outbreaks, and accommodate potential climate change. Develop long- and short-term forest management practices for use by land management agencies and landowners in concert with public values. Rapidly convert results of research into applicable technology. Establish mutually beneficial relations with individuals and groups to inform them of new research, development, and management direction, and to obtain responses and advice from them. Stimulate cooperative research and development among universities and other federal and state agencies. Enhance the long-term economic and social benefits derived from the region's forest- and rangeland-associated resources in cooperation with county and regional economic strategies. Demonstrate the application of technology and resource knowledge. Focus research on management for production of multiple resource benefits such as water, fish, grazing, wildlife, timber, and recreation. Provide an unbiased forum for open and objective debate, discussion, and consensus on policy and management issues. Pacific Northwest Section of the Society for Range Management Vision: Properly functioning ecosystems providing for sustainability of watersheds, plants, animals, and people. Mission: Promote ways to maintain or enhance the integrity of the ecological community critical to the watersheds, plants, animals, and people that depend on rangelands for their sustenance. Goals To maintain a high degree of professionalism among the membership through workshops, symposia, written materials, and training sessions. To provide information to the public and rangeland users about the values and management of rangeland resources. To forge relationships with other natural resource-based organizations. Sustaining Rangeland Ecosystems Symposium Ii American Fisheries Society, Oregon Chapter Policy: AFS promotes the scientific management of aquatic resources for the optimum use and enjoyment by people of this continent. Included are sport and commercial fisheries in both fresh and marine waters for aquatic plants and animals. Included also is the promotion of the best possible quality of the aquatic environment consistent with the use for fish production. Scientific management of these resources is best achieved by promoting the theory and application of all appropriate branches of science including the social as well as the natural sciences and the applied as well as the basic. The Wildlife Society, Oregon Chapter Mission: Serve and represent wildlife professionals in all areas of wildlife conservation and resource management. H E Goals Develop and maintain a program that facilitates professional development of natural resource professionals. Promote sound stewardship of wildlife and their habitats through the use of sound ecological information. F Increase awareness and appreciation of wildlife through education. SOCIETY Develop an active and diverse membership and maintain an organization that provides excel- lence in member services. Organizing Committee John Tanaka, Co-Chair Blue Mountains Natural Resources Institute Society for Range Management, Pacific Northwest Section Dave Pyke, Co-Chair Society for Range Management, Pacific Northwest Section Marty Vavra Society for Range Management, Pacific Northwest Section Tom Quigley Blue Mountains Natural Resources Institute Society for Range Management, Pacific Northwest Section Dan Edge The Wildlife Society, Oregon Chapter Kate Boula The Wildlife Society, Oregon Chapter Mike Wisdom The Wildlife Society, Oregon Chapter Phil Howell American Fisheries Society, Oregon Chapter Rich Carmichael American Fisheries Society, Oregon Chapter Lynn Starr Blue Mountains Natural Resources Institute Linda Fratzke Symposium Coordinator Joanne Parsons Symposium Coordinator Sustaining Rangeland Ecosystems Symposium iii CONTENTS Introduction to the Sustaining Rangeland Ecosystems Symposium John A. Tanaka and David A. Pyke What is a Healthy Rangeland, and How Would We Know One? Rangeland Management: Past, Present, and Future in Sustainable Systems Thadis W. Box 3 Patterns of Retrogression in the Sagebrush Steppe Rick Miller 11 New Concepts of Rangeland Condition E. Lamar Smith and Patricia Johnson .........................................................................................................................12 Blending New Knowledge with Old Paradigms: By Design or Decree? New Concepts in Landscape Ecology for Managing Wildlife on Rangelands Steven T Knick Adapting to Change in Commodity Ranching Jack Southworth 24 Ecosystem Management on Public Lands: an Environmental Perspective A. Joy Belsky 26 Fish Habitat Needs in Rangeland Aquatic Systems Jeffrey L. Kershner 26 Managing Exotic Versus Native Flora and Fauna What is Native? Kevin J. Rice 27 Vegetation Management and Weed Invasion Larry Larson, Roger Sheley, and Mike McInnis .......................................................................................................... 30 Rangeland Seedings and Plantings: Exotics or Natives? David A. Pyke 32 Exotic Versus Native Fishes in Rangeland Streams Hiram Li Riparian Rehabilitation with Native Vegetation Michael M. Borman 45 Feral Equids in the Western U.S.-a Continuing Controversy Michael L. Wolfe 52 Problems Facing Bighorn Sheep in and near Domestic Sheep Allotments Paul R. Krausman 59 Improving Biological Control of Yellow Starthistle with Geographic Information Systems Eric M. Coombs, Daniel B. Sharratt, and Dennis L. Isaacson....................................................................................65 Changing Social and Economic Values Range, Ranch, Real Estate: the Construction of a Sustainable Landscape Lynn Huntsinger and Peter Hopkinson ........................................................................................................................71 Alternative Products on Public Rangelands Rebecca T Richards Sustaining Rangeland Ecosystems Symposium iv Geographic Information Systems as a Tool for Land and Mineral Management Dean I. Delavan 84 Ecotourism as a Rural Development Strategy in Oregon Patrick Corcoran 90 Creating Awareness of Clean Water Issues Among Private Landowners Melvin R. George 96 Wildlife Damage Management to Protect Livestock: Ecological Effective or Socio-political Appeasement Thomas Hoffman Predator Control on Rangelands: Socio-political Appeasement Tom Skeele Public Lands Grazing-the Cowboy Perspective Mack Bi rkmaier Possible and Probable Gains Arising from Cessation of Cattle Grazing Public Lands Kathleen Simpson Myron 111 Rangeland Sustainability: Where's the Beef? Marc C. Liverman 119 Legal Landscape of Wetlands Regulation Murray D. Feldman Landowner Rights and Resultant Implications for Ecosystem Management Frederick W Obermiller