Newswise — Between pristine nature and the urban cityscape lies the working landscape, an area of increasing importance, because of the host of ecosystem services it provides. A special issue devoted to the working landscape and its conservation can be found in the latest Rangelands.
On rangelands, ranching is the key to conserving working landscapes. Ranchers like to produce livestock products, but the ecological benefits are valuable as well. How can this value be harnessed to support and motivate the worker and thereby support working landscapes? Conservation easements are one method, and two of the articles in the issue cover the many options that easements offer the rancher and how the relationship with the easement holder can be a long-term, collaborative process.
Other highlights from the issue include an update on the Rowe Mesa Grassbank, a creative effort to conserve New Mexican working landscapes. There is also an article that illustrates the rich history of rancher interactions with the land and describes the motives and outside influences that have affected those interactions in the Altar Valley of Arizona. Looking back to America's beginnings is a discussion of Native American working landscapes in California and the importance of traditional knowledge.
Initially, many ranchers were reluctant to think that they might be in the business of producing ecosystem services as well as producing livestock. Today, the pendulum has swung in the other direction, with increasing identification of ecosystem services from ranchland, and research that shows us how to use livestock to create ecological benefits and minimize negative impacts. Mechanisms need to be found to reward ranchers for good stewardship that provides public benefits"mechanisms that in turn help the rancher stay in business.
To read the entire introduction, please click here: http://www.allenpress.com/pdf/rala-29-03-08.pdf
Rangelands is published six times a year by the Society of Range Management. For more information, visit http://www.srm.org.
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