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Land and Water Use

Land and Water Use. Part 3. Rangelands. What is Rangeland?. Uncultivated land dominated by native plants: grasses, grass-like plants, or shrubs. All land that is not farmland, dense forest, barren desert or land covered by solid rock, concrete, or glaciers. How much rangeland is there?.

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Land and Water Use

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  1. Land and Water Use Part 3

  2. Rangelands

  3. What is Rangeland? • Uncultivated land dominated by native plants: grasses, grass-like plants, or shrubs. • All land that is not farmland, dense forest, barren desert or land covered by solid rock, concrete, or glaciers

  4. How much rangeland is there? 47% of the EARTH is rangeland 36% of the US is rangeland 53% of Western States is rangeland

  5. Issues Facing Rangelands • Overgrazing • Desertification

  6. How Overgrazing Kills Plants • When grazed severely, use energy stored in roots for regrowth • Roots die back • Severity depends on grazing • Grazed again before roots recover

  7. Positive Effect of Root Dieback • Adds organic matter • Increased soil porosity • Increased infiltration • Increased moisture holding capacity

  8. Consequences of Overgrazing

  9. Causes of Desertification • Overgrazing • Soil erosion • Prolonged drought or climate change • Overuse of available resources

  10. Who owns rangeland? • “Public Land” is owned and managed by federal and state governments • Bureau of Land Management (BLM) • U.S. Forest Service

  11. What is rangeland management? • The careful use and management of rangeland resources (plants, animals, soil, and water) to meet the needs and desires of society

  12. Rangeland Management Goals • Controlling the number and distribution of livestock • Restoring degraded rangeland • Moving livestock to allow recovery • Reduce damage to sensitive areas (riparian zones) • Boundary zone between land and stream

  13. Rangeland Management Goals • Suppress growth of invasive species • Reduce soil erosion • Replant native grasses • Provide supplemental feed • Locating water holes, water tanks, salt blocks in areas where will not affect environment.

  14. Mining

  15. Overview

  16. Will Site be Profitable?

  17. Extraction • Site development

  18. Extraction • Surface Mining • Pros: • Cons

  19. Extraction • Underground Mining • Pros • Cons

  20. Extraction • In-situ Leaching • Pros • Cons

  21. Processing • Intensive chemical processing • Often uses extreme heat and toxic chemicals • Chemical frequently leak into ground water

  22. Global Reserves • 2 billion tons of minerals extracted in US every year • Oil • Coal • Natural Gas

  23. Relevant Laws • General Mining Law 1872 • Free access to prospect for minerals on federal lands • Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act 1977 • Regulates surface coal mining and reclamation activities

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