Ranching families own or manage more than 22 million acres of privately-owned rangeland in California. Combined with over 19 million acres of publicly-owned grazing land in the state, this privately-owned ranchland provides the economic foundation for many rural communities. Today's ranching families are adopting innovative management practices that blend old ways with new, and protect and enhance the environment. In short, rangelands are economic, ecological and cultural resources that California cannot afford to lose. But California is losing its rangelands. By 2040, according to the estimate of the California Department of Finance, the state's population will swell to more than 50 million people. Rangelands that were once home to cattle, coyotes and blue oaks are now home to subdivisions, shopping malls and freeways, and this conversion is accelerating. Ranchettes and large lot developments damage rangeland ecosystems by disrupting natural water cycles and fragmenting wildlife habitat.
Articles, citations, reports, websites, and multimedia resources focused on rangeland ecology, management, restoration, and other issues on American rangelands.