USDA May 21, 2003

Sustainable Sustainable Rangelands Rangelands

RoundtableRoundtable

USDA May 21, 2003

Purpose TodayPurpose Today

Introduce the Sustainable Introduce the Sustainable Rangelands RoundtableRangelands Roundtable

Present Criteria and Indicators for Present Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable RangelandsSustainable Rangelands

Briefly Outline Future PlansBriefly Outline Future Plans Panel Discussion with SRR Panel Discussion with SRR

Participants about the Roundtable Participants about the Roundtable and Criteria & Indicatorsand Criteria & Indicators

USDA May 21, 2003

Sustainability is defined Sustainability is defined with respect to people.with respect to people.

USDA May 21, 2003

Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable Development

“…“…development that meets the development that meets the needs of the present without needs of the present without compromising the ability of future compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own generations to meet their own needs.”needs.”

World Commission on Environment and World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987Development, 1987

USDA May 21, 2003

Sustainable Rangeland Sustainable Rangeland EcosystemsEcosystems

USDA May 21, 2003

Sustainable Productive Sustainable Productive Capacity Capacity

USDA May 21, 2003

Sustainable Communities Sustainable Communities and Economiesand Economies

USDA May 21, 2003

Sustainable RangelandsSustainable Rangelands

Encompasses environmental and Encompasses environmental and social issues, as well as economic social issues, as well as economic activity.activity.

Ensuring human well-being while Ensuring human well-being while respecting ecosystem well-being respecting ecosystem well-being and the environmental limits and and the environmental limits and capacities.capacities.

USDA May 21, 2003

Sustainable Rangelands Sustainable Rangelands RoundtableRoundtable

A stakeholders’ process for identifying A stakeholders’ process for identifying a set of criteria and indicators (C&I) a set of criteria and indicators (C&I) for assessing rangeland sustainability.for assessing rangeland sustainability.

The C&I describe individual elements to The C&I describe individual elements to determine trends in resource determine trends in resource conditions, management, economic conditions, management, economic benefits, and social values derived benefits, and social values derived from rangelands.from rangelands.

USDA May 21, 2003

Sustainable Rangelands Sustainable Rangelands RoundtableRoundtable

Open, positive, future-focusedOpen, positive, future-focused Values and respects all opinions and Values and respects all opinions and

contributions of participantscontributions of participants The group determines the outcomesThe group determines the outcomes Facilitated and interactiveFacilitated and interactive Uses Delphi process between Uses Delphi process between

meetingsmeetings

USDA May 21, 2003

New SRR MissionNew SRR Mission

The SRR will promote social, The SRR will promote social, ecological, and economic ecological, and economic sustainability of rangelands through sustainability of rangelands through the development and widespread the development and widespread use of the criteria and indicators for use of the criteria and indicators for rangeland assessments, and by rangeland assessments, and by providing a forum for dialogue on providing a forum for dialogue on sustainability of rangelands.sustainability of rangelands.

USDA May 21, 2003

New SRR VisionNew SRR Vision

We envision a future in which:We envision a future in which:

Rangelands in the US provide a desired mix of Rangelands in the US provide a desired mix of economic, ecological, and social benefits to economic, ecological, and social benefits to current and future generationscurrent and future generations

There are widely accepted and used criteria There are widely accepted and used criteria and indicators for monitoring and assessing and indicators for monitoring and assessing the economic, social, and ecological the economic, social, and ecological sustainability of rangelandssustainability of rangelands

..

USDA May 21, 2003

Benefits of the Work of Benefits of the Work of SRRSRR

Common framework for monitoring Common framework for monitoring and assessing rangelands.and assessing rangelands. National, Regional and Local utilityNational, Regional and Local utility Across agenciesAcross agencies Across land ownershipAcross land ownership

Expand the understanding of Expand the understanding of rangeland sustainability.rangeland sustainability. Status of rangeland systems over Status of rangeland systems over

time.time.

USDA May 21, 2003

Benefits of the Work of Benefits of the Work of SRRSRR

Improved efficiencies:Improved efficiencies: Direct monitoring effortsDirect monitoring efforts Development of common data Development of common data

collection techniquescollection techniques Focusing research on developing Focusing research on developing

methods to measure indicatorsmethods to measure indicators

USDA May 21, 2003

SRR Time LineSRR Time Line Twelve Meetings:Twelve Meetings:

Four meetings in 2001; five in 2002; three in Four meetings in 2001; five in 2002; three in 2003.2003.

Indicators designated by Oct., 2002.Indicators designated by Oct., 2002. Identify data sources and needs: May 2002 Identify data sources and needs: May 2002

through 2004.through 2004. Report on Rangeland Sustainability Report on Rangeland Sustainability

Indicators – May 2003. Indicators – May 2003.

Http://Http://sustainablerangelands.cnr.colostate.edusustainablerangelands.cnr.colostate.edu

USDA May 21, 2003

SRR Criteria & IndicatorsSRR Criteria & Indicators

Criteria and indicators described here Criteria and indicators described here represent the current development.represent the current development.

The indicators may be refined as the The indicators may be refined as the SRR advances towards a widely SRR advances towards a widely accepted set for monitoring and accepted set for monitoring and assessing rangeland sustainability.assessing rangeland sustainability.

USDA May 21, 2003

Conservation and Conservation and Maintenance of Soil and Water Maintenance of Soil and Water ResourcesResources

Soils influence hydrologic processes by Soils influence hydrologic processes by providing the medium for the capture, providing the medium for the capture, storage, and release of water. storage, and release of water.

Flow of water through rangelands Flow of water through rangelands influences soil physical and biological influences soil physical and biological properties. properties.

In most rangelands, water is extremely In most rangelands, water is extremely limiting. limiting.

10 Indicators10 Indicators

USDA May 21, 2003

Conservation and Maintenance of Conservation and Maintenance of Plant and Animal Resources on Plant and Animal Resources on RangelandsRangelands

Plant & Animal ResourcesPlant & Animal Resources “reflects the “reflects the degree to which the integrity of the soil degree to which the integrity of the soil and the ecological processes of rangelands and the ecological processes of rangelands are sustained”are sustained”

Biodiversity Biodiversity .. “variety of life and its .. “variety of life and its processes” which encompasses “the variety processes” which encompasses “the variety of living organisms, the genetic differences of living organisms, the genetic differences among them and the communities and among them and the communities and ecosystems in which they occur”ecosystems in which they occur”

10 Indicators10 Indicators

USDA May 21, 2003

Maintenance of Productive Maintenance of Productive Capacity on Rangeland Capacity on Rangeland EcosystemsEcosystems

Productive capacity … provide the Productive capacity … provide the current generation with a wide current generation with a wide variety of goods and services variety of goods and services depending on the mix desired by depending on the mix desired by society at any particular timesociety at any particular time

Maintenance … that future Maintenance … that future generations will be able to obtain generations will be able to obtain their desired mix...their desired mix...

6 Indicators6 Indicators

USDA May 21, 2003

Maintenance and Enhancement of Maintenance and Enhancement of Multiple Economic and Social Benefits to Multiple Economic and Social Benefits to Current and Future GenerationsCurrent and Future Generations

Socio-economic indicators provide a Socio-economic indicators provide a measure of societal values reflecting measure of societal values reflecting allocation of scarce economic allocation of scarce economic resources.resources.

Economic indicators complement Economic indicators complement social measures by assessing changes social measures by assessing changes resulting from adjustments in social, resulting from adjustments in social, ecological, legal, and political systems. ecological, legal, and political systems.

28 Indicators28 Indicators

USDA May 21, 2003

Legal, Institutional, and Economic Legal, Institutional, and Economic Framework for Rangeland Framework for Rangeland Conservation and Sustainable Conservation and Sustainable ManagementManagement

Support for sustainability through legal, Support for sustainability through legal, institutional and economic frameworkinstitutional and economic framework

Capacity to monitor change in Capacity to monitor change in sustainable management of rangelandssustainable management of rangelands

Capacity in R&D for improving Capacity in R&D for improving management and delivery of goods and management and delivery of goods and servicesservices

10 Indicators10 Indicators

USDA May 21, 2003

Future Direction: Five Future Direction: Five GoalsGoals

Continue criteria and indicator Continue criteria and indicator development and refinement, development and refinement, including data setsincluding data sets

CoordinationCoordination Enhanced outreachEnhanced outreach Sustainability researchSustainability research Funding and supportFunding and support

USDA May 21, 2003

Continued Criteria and Continued Criteria and Indicator Development and Indicator Development and RefinementRefinement

Expand efforts to identify data sets and Expand efforts to identify data sets and data set needs for indicators.data set needs for indicators.

Issues related to data sets:Issues related to data sets: Data base management – content, format , Data base management – content, format ,

and structureand structure Definitions of rangeland and forestsDefinitions of rangeland and forests Implementation and conversion of existing Implementation and conversion of existing

data setsdata sets Coordination of indicators between Coordination of indicators between

roundtablesroundtables

USDA May 21, 2003

CoordinationCoordination

Agreements on roles and responsibilitiesAgreements on roles and responsibilities Develop & promote assessment capabilities Develop & promote assessment capabilities

among wide range of users.among wide range of users. Workshop on data sets, sources, gaps, Workshop on data sets, sources, gaps,

and data quality.and data quality. Build coordination with other indicator Build coordination with other indicator

groups.groups. Local & regional dialogue with Local & regional dialogue with

stakeholdersstakeholders Work with other roundtablesWork with other roundtables

USDA May 21, 2003

Enhanced SRR OutreachEnhanced SRR Outreach

Develop examples using Criteria Develop examples using Criteria and Indicators at different scalesand Indicators at different scales

Individual meetings with agency Individual meetings with agency administrators and Congressional administrators and Congressional staff annually.staff annually.

Encourage championsEncourage champions

USDA May 21, 2003

Rangeland Sustainability Rangeland Sustainability ResearchResearch

Research organization have Research organization have defined program emphasizing SRR defined program emphasizing SRR criteria and indicators by 2008criteria and indicators by 2008

Identify and prioritize SRR research Identify and prioritize SRR research needsneeds

Work with funding groups to Work with funding groups to implement program changesimplement program changes

Periodic reviews of research needsPeriodic reviews of research needs

USDA May 21, 2003

A Strategic Course for the A Strategic Course for the FutureFuture

An An ambitiousambitious strategy for strategy for SRR in 2003 and beyond.SRR in 2003 and beyond.

A A boldbold course for the SRR course for the SRR to achieve its mission.to achieve its mission.

USDA May 21, 2003

Today’s PanelToday’s Panel

Stan Hamilton, National Stan Hamilton, National Association of State ForestersAssociation of State Foresters

Bill Fox, Texas A&M UniversityBill Fox, Texas A&M University Lori Hidinger, Ecological Society of Lori Hidinger, Ecological Society of

AmericaAmerica Larry Bryant, Forest ServiceLarry Bryant, Forest Service