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Rangelands

Rangelands. Objective: I will evaluate the importance of rangeland management and connect it to my knowledge of food production and consumption. Rangelands. 40% of all lands in US (most in Western US) Purpose: Habitat for animals and plants Water, clean air, and open space source

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Rangelands

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  1. Rangelands Objective: I will evaluate the importance of rangeland management and connect it to my knowledge of food production and consumption.

  2. Rangelands • 40% of all lands in US (most in Western US) • Purpose: • Habitat for animals and plants • Water, clean air, and open space source • Recreation • Cattle industry • Most of the grain that is grown in the US goes towards feeding our livestock

  3. Overgrazing • Theme of tragedy of the commons • Top 5 rated threat to endangered species (plants and animals) • A plant is considered overgrazed when it is regrazed before its roots recover (root die back) • Consequences: • Less fertile soil • Less productive pastures • Weed species thrive • Decrease in biodiversity • Soil erosion • Eutrophication from animal waste • Decreased sustainability

  4. Desertification • Steps of desertification • Overgrazing • Rain washes away trampled soil • All sources of water dry up • What vegetation is left dries from drought • Weeds take over and nothing else can grow • Wind blows away the top soil

  5. Federal Management • Controlled by Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) • Must have a federal grazing permit • Distributed by resource advisory councils • 40% of all permits are owned by 3% of livestock operators • Reduce cost through federal subsidies • Methods • Control number of livestock • Restoration • Moving livestock to allow areas to recover • Fencing off streams • Replanting barren rangeland to reduce soil erosion • Providing supplemental livestock feed

  6. Urbanization • The movement of people from rural areas to cities • Asia and Africa are experiencing the greatest growth of urbanization • Reasoning: • Access to jobs • Higher standards of living • Easier access to health care • Access to education Think Box: How has urbanization impacted our agricultural industry?

  7. Urbanization Pros Cons Higher impact on concentrated areas of the environment Overcrowded schools Increase crime rates Pollution levels are higher in urbanized areas • Uses less land  less impact on the environment overall • High tax revenues • Recycling is more efficient • Better sanitation systems

  8. Transportation Infrastructure • Federal Highway System • 160,000 miles of roadway • Important for economy, defense, and mobility • Distribution of all goods and services use interstate highways at some point • Benefits • Less pollutants • Reduce greenhouse gases • Improve fuel economy and reduce foreign oil dependence • Improve the economy • Improve quality of life • The “roadless rule”  protects more than 60 million acres for wildlife habitats and endangered species

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