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Range management, like most disciplines of natural resource management, has been characterized by human efforts to reduce variability and increase predictability in natural systems (referred to as command and control paradigm). Examples of traditional command and control in natural resource management include wildfire suppression, fences to control large ungulate movements, predator elimination programs, and watershed engineering for flood control and irrigation, including dams, terraces, and sub-surface tile drainage. Recently, a robust theoretical foundation has developed that now focuses on our understanding of the importance of variability in nature. This understanding is built upon the concept of heterogeneity, which originated from seminal calls to consider spatial and temporal scaling in ecological research. Understanding rangelands as dis-equilibrial ecosystems that are highly variable in space and time cannot be achieved without a focus on heterogeneity across multiple scales. We present example of the importance of heterogeneity of rangelands to 1) animal populations and production, 2) fire behavior and management, and 3) biodiversity and ecosystem function. Rangelands are complex, dynamic, and depend on the variability that humans often attempt to control to ensure long-term productivity and ecosystem health. We suggest an ecological perspective that targets variation in rangeland properties-including economic output in addition to ecosystem services-as an alternative to the myopic focus on maximizing agricultural output which may expose managers to greater risk. Globally, rangeland science indicates heterogeneity and diversity increase stability in ecosystem properties from fine to broad spatial scales and through time.