Get reliable rangeland science

The Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition developed a rangeland monitoring program (RMP) to assist land owners in developing range monitoring programs on their grazing lands. As part of the program, producers voluntarily signed up to have a range technician come to their ranches to teach them how to set up a monitoring program, discuss current grazing management, and provide range monitoring equipment at a minimal cost. In the first 6 years of the program 320 land manager have participated in the monitoring program. Surveys were sent to 230 of the past RMP participants with the objective of determining how beneficial this program was in helping producers better monitor their rangelands. Seventy participant surveys were returned (30.4% response rate). Survey participants managed approximately 20,000 animals on over 200,000 acres of range and pastureland. Eighty-six percent of participants indicated that they had continued monitoring following the initial training. Nearly 90% of the participants that said they continued monitoring conducted photo monitoring. Seventy-one percent of survey participants indicated the RMP gave them a greater understanding of rangelands and was a catalyst in changing their grazing management. Many (84 %) of the participants indicated that the RMP and monitoring has helped them better visualize their rangelands and make adjustments in management. The RMP program has improved grazing management on many ranches in Nebraska and has increased awareness of grazing management issues.