Managed Grazing: Ranchers and wildlife managers share the same goal -- a healthy grassland resource. Through sound management techniques, wildlife and livestock can co-exist. The key is "managed" grazing. Both livestock and wildlife, when left unmanaged, can do harm to the land. Intensity and duration of use are the most important factors when considering whether livestock-wildlife interactions will have a neutral, positive or negative effect on the range (CAST 1996).
Today, "a growing number of ranchers are balancing environmental considerations with maintaining and improving their economic conditions. They are demonstrating that, in many cases, changes in range management can prevent pollution and correct past damage to range and riparian areas" (Terrene Institute 1994). In 1996, 73 percent of cattlemen reported their range or pasturelands had improved in the last 10 years (Rockwood Research 1996). And in the "State of the Public Rangelands 1990," the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) reported that "public rangelands are in a better condition now than at any time this century."
Stewardship - enlightened self-interest: Ranchers depend on healthy natural resources for their livelihood, and therefore, place a high value on stewardship of the land. They have learned that environmental practices that conserve and improve natural resources and the productivity of the land make good business sense. This is especially true as ranches are passed on from generation to generation. Cattlemen participate in many environmental practices including (Rockwood Research 1996):
- conducting soil tests (84%),
- rotational grazing (82%),
- water management systems (77%),
- conservation tillage (65%), and
- planting trees (52%).
Technology and Wildlife: Technological advances in range management have greatly benefited the rancher's ability to enhance wildlife populations on private and public lands. Public-land ranchers have built tens of thousands of watering sites on federal lands. These improvements help wildlife as well as cattle. Water improvements, private pastures and feed supplies are ranchers' contributions that have helped big game populations on federal lands increase dramatically (BLM 1990). Between 1960 and 1997:
- Elk populations on federal land increased 1005%, from 18,278 in 1960 to 201,904 in 1997.
- Antelope populations increased 175% from 139,309 in 1960 to 383,595 in 1997.
- Deer increased 15% from 1,113,097 in 1960 to 1,275,030 in 1997 (from 1960 to 1988 deer numbers increased 30% to 1,449,308).
(Public Lands Statistics 1960, 1988, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997)
In the eastern and central United States, wildlife is almost entirely dependent on ranch, farm and other private lands. Many species have blossomed as a result of good private management. In fact, 62 percent of cattlemen reported an increase in wildlife on their land as a result of their stewardship practices (Rockwood Research 1996). More increases in wildlife populations are foreseen as ranchers invest more time and effort in managing for wildlife on their land, particularly as the economic incentives to do so, specifically fee hunting and watchable wildlife opportunities, become the norm in many parts of the country. Practices that cattlemen have reported they use that benefit wildlife populations include:
- leave legume or grass strips along fence lines between crop areas and wildlife habitat (63%),
- provide feed for wildlife in winter (57%),
- leave or plant small areas of grain crops just for wildlife food (35%), and
- delay hay harvest until after nesting season for waterfowl and upland game birds (25%).
(Rockwood Research 1996)
Investments in Public Lands: Ranchers make significant investments in public lands which benefit society as a whole. A rancher has no reason to manage his private land and public grazing allotments differently, as both are crucial to his operation and are most often intermingled. Since these lands are so integral to family ranching operations, ranchers have every incentive to manage them well.
Ranchers often give free access across their private land to BLM and Forest Service lands beyond. As a result of intermingled land ownership, when one is given access they are usually spending time on both public lands and adjoining private land.
Extremism Hurts Everyone: Extreme views hurt the search for common ground. For example, environmental extremists threaten the future of the American ranching family as well as the future of hunting and wildlife management. When these traditional uses of land are discouraged, the incentive is created to sell open spaces for development.
There are many examples of wildlife conservationists and ranchers forming coalitions to address mutual goals, while at the same time protecting their own interests. One example is Seeking Common Ground, established by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in partnership with the BLM and the Forest Service. Seeking Common Ground is a challenge grant program that funds grassroots, cooperative efforts to draw diverse, often conflicting, interests together to make long-term improvements in the West's rangeland ecosystems. These voluntary, landowner-driven projects provide for sustainable natural resource use as well as healthy wildlife populations. Since its creation in 1991, 29 projects have been funded under Seeking Common Ground, totaling more than $1.4 million. Demonstration sites include:
- Owl Mountain, Colorado
- Local government and private citizens have worked to insure large-scale, long-term resource and ecosystem health through grazing and vegetation management and wildlife/livestock impact analysis.
- Upper Muddy Creek, Wyoming
- Big game depredation on forage was reduced through improved range management, the development of a new elk management plan, curtailing the invasion of pinyon and juniper, and reducing sagebrush in meadows. Upland water developments aided fisheries improvement, wetlands expansion, and riparian enhancements.
Fishlake, Utah - Livestock/wildlife conflicts have been minimized through efforts to improve forage for both wildlife and livestock, including building fences to reduce cattle trespass onto private property and between allotments, and improving cattleguards and fences to preserve winter forage for wildlife.