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Livestock have played a pivotal and positive role in human development. Yet this has come at a heavy cost to the biological diversity of the world's rangelands and forests. Livestock grazing is the most widespread land use occurring on Earth. In many regions of the world, grazing has reduced the density and biomass of many plant and animal species, reduced biodiversity, aided in the spread of exotic species and disease, altered ecological succession and landscape heterogeneity, altered nutrient cycles and distribution, accelerated erosion, and diminished both the productivity and land use options for future generations. Rangelands, a general term for grasslands, savannas, semi-arid shrublands, and woodlands, are a dominant terrestrial land cover type in all continents (except Antarctica). They contain a significant portion of the world's biodiversity. Ecosystem degradation or desertification associated with livestock grazing is a significant problem throughout these rangelands. In addition, the majority of tropical forests in South and Central America are being deforested at alarming rates primarily for conversion to cattle pasture. In effect, the most biologically diverse ecosystems on Earth are being converted to simple pastures dominated by exotic grasses. To halt this degradation or to restore native ecosystems, innovative approaches to land use and livestock management need to be implemented. Ecosystems should be managed such that natural ecological and physical processes are allowed to occur with minimal disruption. Governmental institutions and policies are among the most significant barriers to land use change.