Livestock Management on Rangelands

Unlike much of the land at higher elevations which is publicly owned, most of the oak woodlands in California are privately held, with about 80% in private ownership. The majority of this land is used for grazing, primarily for beef cattle. It is therefore essential that these property owners understand the importance of oak woodland conservation and be made aware of the latest management recommendations. Since its inception, the IHRMP has worked closely with ranchers and the professional organizations that represent them, including the California Cattlemen’s Association, the Woolgrowers, and the Farm Bureau. We have also been actively involved in the California Conservation Rangeland Coalition. Our experience is that the vast majority of rangeland owners are good stewards of the land and want to ensure that their properties are passed along to future generations with their conservation values intact. Maintaining large acreages as ranches provides myriad public benefits in terms of high quality water, critical wildlife habitat, and iconic landscapes at little or no cost to the general public. Web sites for the organizations mentioned above, as well as for a UC range research center, are listed below. On the right are some UC Delivers stories written by Oak Woodland Conservation Workgroup members.

California Conservation Rangeland Coalition

California Rangelands Research and Information Center

California Cattlemen's Association

California Woolgrower's Association

California Farm Bureau

UC Delivers Stories

Medusahead is an aggressive and invasive non-native annual grass causing severe undesirable effects on western rangelands. Medusahead grows on more than a million acres of grassland, oak woodland and chaparral shrubland in California. The presence of medusahead can reduce the land's livestock carrying capacity by as much as 75 percent. Medusahead also impacts ecosystems by reducing plant diversity, the productivity of desirable plants, and wildlife habitat. Medusahead control has been explored since the 1950s, but with limited success. Burning is an effective method, but it is not widely used because of air quality and liability issues. Herbicides are not practical in rough terrain and selective herbicides targeting medusahead are not available.

Read about: Controlling medusahead with intensive grazing

Over 3,500,000 acres of rangeland in San Luis Obispo and Monterey Counties serve as watersheds to capture, store and release water for downstream uses. These rangelands provide forage for livestock grazing and their diverse plant communities serve as habitat for many species of wildlife. However, proper management of rangeland is needed to prevent surface water pollution.

Read about: Ranchers Protect Water Quality on the Central Coast

Listen to a Webinar

All webinar segments were taped for the Oak Webinar Series hosted by UCCE Forest Specialists and Advisors in collaboration with University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Division.

Livestock and Grazing Management. Presented by Morgan Doran, UCCE Livestock and Natural Resource Advisor