History of Rangeland Management Eras of Rangeland Management

History of Rangeland Management

Eras of Rangeland Management (in United States) o o o o Native Americans Explorers & Trappers Settlers and Pioneers Open Range Homesteaders Rangeland Scientists Land Managers

Native Americans o o o Focus on survival Heavy use of natural products Early agriculture Hunting/gathering Use of fire Impact on land varied

Explorers & Trappers o o o Cortez in 1515 and Coronado in 1540 – first introduced livestock to North America Lewis & Clark 1804 -1806 Lands were largely unmanaged – created roads and trails, set the stage for development o Steve Long expedition 1819 -1820 described the western range as the “Great American Desert”

Settlers and Pioneers Private ownership of land encouraged from late 1800 through early 1900 o Homestead Act in 1862 n o Enlarged Homestead Act in 1909 n o 320 acres “proved up” & 5 yrs residence Stock Raisers Homestead Act in 1916 n o 160 acres “proved up” & 5 yrs residence 640 for 50 cows John Wesley Powell Expedition in 1869 n n Realized limitations of western lands Suggested 2560 acres for each homestead

Open Range o After Civil War (1861 -1865) n o o o Livestock sold by the “Head” not the “Pound” Railroads important for livestock sales Open Range Livestock peaked in 1880 n o Livestock production boomed 1886 drought, low cattle prices, and several bad winters ended the “open range” livestock Cattle vs Sheep = Range Wars (1870’s)

Homesteaders o o o Had to “prove up” to gain claim. Settled around water sources. Affected land ownership patterns seen today.

Rangeland Scientists o o o Discipline of range science and management is completely “American” Morrill Act (1862) First degree in range in 1919. n o By 1925, 15 universities with degrees. First grazing management research 1910 -1915 by Arthur Sampson as Director of Great Basin Experiment Station. (Photo from U. S. Forest Service)

Birth of Land Management o Taylor Grazing Act 1934 n o “. . to stop injury to the public grazing lands and provide for their orderly use, improvement, and development. ” Soil Conservation Act of 1935 n Birth of the Natural Resources Conservation Service

Improvement of Rangelands o o 1950 -60 created great improvement in rangeland health Control over grazing n n o o o Bureau Land Management -1946 Water developments Invasive plant control Reseeding Range science directed management

Environmental Policies 1960 -Now o o o o Multiple Use Act 1960 Wilderness Act – 1964 National Environmental Policy Act – 1969 Federal Land Policy and Mgmt Act – 1976 Endangered Species Act – 1973 Clean Water Act – 1977 Range Improvement Act - 1978

Effects of European Humans o o o Implemented controlled, annual grazing and heavy overgrazing. Controlled wild ungulates through hunting Exclusion and control of wildland fire Farming and planting Introduced exotic plants and animals.

Future of Rangeland Mgmt o o ? ?

Take home message o o Native Americans influence vegetation patterns and animal populations. European settlers have strongly altered western rangelands. n o Whether these changes are “good” or “bad” depends on philosophy of land management. Much damage to rangelands were created in late 1800’s and early 1900’s.