Public land management is highly complex. The USFS and BLM have legal mandates to serve as many users as possible while maintaining the long-term sustainability of public land natural resources. However, in reality these agencies do not have the resources required to adequately manage the millions of acres under their stewardship on their own. On rangelands, ranchers are involved in the day-to-day management of public lands. They maintain fences, water resources, and other infrastructure, implement management plans, and conduct resource monitoring. Conservation organizations carry out restoration projects, wildlife management, and work with agencies and other users to carry out management plans.

Pages on this site provide more information on how public lands management takes place, how ranchers and other groups collaborate with federal agencies on land management, and the important laws and regulations that influence rangeland management on public lands, especially the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).