Valuing and Funding Rangeland Stewardship Paying for Ecosystem Services

Cattle ranching and rangeland stewardship on the Central Coast supports numerous ecosystem services including carbon sequestration, fire fuels reduction, and habitat and weed management. While rangeland livestock production can provide income to ranchers, the full cost of management and the value of specific ecosystem services is often not paid for by livestock production. With growing recognition of the value of managed livestock grazing and the ecosystem services provided, there are increasingly programs and opportunities to fund rangeland stewardship. There are also some new tools including virtual fencing that expand opportunities to support stewardship but also have cost.

Goal:  To build capacity for funding of rangeland stewardship by improving attendees’ understanding of the type and values of ecosystem services provided by ranching and rangeland stewardship and discussing opportunities to fund stewardship or pay for ecosystem services.

Objectives:

• Attendees will understand the value and cost of rangeland stewardship, including managed cattle grazing to reduce fire fuel loads, support habitat, manage weeds and conserve open space values.
• Attendees will learn about programs that provide funding for ecosystem services including payments for managed grazing, USDA NRCS Conservation Stewardship Program, and Carbon Credit funding.
• Attendees will learn about grazing management for fire fuels reduction, habitat, carbon sequestration and weed control.
• Attendees will understand practical opportunities for agencies and landowners to support ranchers in obtaining funding for rangeland stewardship.