Rangeland Stewardship

Fact Sheet: Grazing Systems Management

Understanding Livestock Grazing Impacts Website

Grazing impacts are complex and occur as a series of continuums, not as an all good or all bad situation. The Understanding Livestock Grazing Impacts website gives livestock managers a better understanding of how to use specific grazing strategies to achieve their objectives. Using the planning and analysis information on this website, livestock managers can:

• Prepare a realistic livestock management plan
• Learn about indicators and criteria used to assist in evaluating rangeland health and predicting grazing impacts
• Analyze and evaluate the indicators relevant to their project
• Understand how and why to monitor grazing impacts
• Include the dominant rangeland cover types when predicting grazing impacts

Grazing Handbook

This handbook, written by Certified Rangeland Manager Lisa Bush, is an excellent resource for small agencies and land trusts that do not have a range manager on staff. The handbook provides an introduction to the use of grazing as a conservation tool, basic terms and concepts, and an overview of the many factors to consider when developing a grazing program. Open handbook.

Other Resources

California Rangeland Conservation Coalition (CRCC) Visit Site

The California Rangeland Conservation Coalition is a groundbreaking partnership between ranchers, environmental organizations, scientists, and government agencies, united around a shared mission of conserving working rangelands. Their purpose is “to create a productive forum for diverse interests to discuss issues facing California’s ranching community and natural resources and to identify solutions.”

Central Coast Rangeland Coalition (CCRC) Visit Site

The Central Coast Rangeland Coalition is a non-profit, consensus-driven organization of rangeland managers and professionals dedicated to improving the sustainability of central coast rangelands and associated livestock operations and communities. Its activities include biannual meetings that focus on current issues important to ranchers, agency land managers, planners, conservation organizations, and agency technical assistance providers. The link, hosted by University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, has archived workshop materials, relevant publications, and other information related to CCRC efforts.

Certified Rangeland Manager Visit Site

State law requires anyone conducting range management planning (and several other related tasks) on forested landscapes in California to have a Certified Rangeland Manager license, unless the work is performed personally by the owner of the land. Possession of the CRM license assures colleagues and prospective employers that educational and experience standards have been met and a code of ethics is followed. The licensing program is overseen by the California-Pacific Section of the Society for Range Management and the Foresters Licensing Office of the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. More information on the CRM program and requirements can be found here. A list of current CRMs can be found here. 

Other Relevant Certifications

Certified or licensed professionals in other specialties are often required for:

(a) studies and handling of special species (entomologists, wildlife biologists, and botanists must be permitted by the USFWS to work with each listed species)

(b) plans for erosion and sediment control (Certified Professionals in Erosion and Sediment Control are certified by the professional association, CPESC, Inc.) and stormwater quality (Certified Professionals in Stormwater Quality are certified by the professional association, CPSWQ, Inc.)

(c) applications of pest controls and pesticides (Certified Pesticide Applicator licenses are awarded by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation).

California Grasslands, Ecology and Management (Stromberg, Corbin and D’Antonio 2007)

This book summarizes scientific literature on a wide variety of California grassland issues, including history, policy, and a wide range of ecological and stewardship topics.

California Range Land (Burcham 1957) Go to Book

This book presents the history and development of California’s livestock industry, as well as a 1950s-era discussion of the impacts of ranching on our rangelands.

Rangeland Categories

Rangeland Vegetation Types

Rangeland Conservation Status