Montana/Dakotas Rangeland Resource Management

Description

Project Description: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rangeland Management Program administers grazing for more than 155 million acres of public land. This includes, but is not limited to, such things as inventorying, controlling and managing noxious weeds and invasive species; improving rangelands through grazing management, vegetation restoration treatments, and grazing management structures; and soil resource management. Coordination with land managers and other stakeholders is conducted to complete priority soil surveys, ecological site descriptions, and on-the-ground projects to improve soil stability and reduce erosion. Appropriate management of rangeland and soil resources also support actions and authorizations that include, but are not limited to, such things as energy development, endangered and special status species recovery, grazing of domestic livestock, recreation, forest management, hazardous fuels reduction, and post fire rehabilitation. To better support land management decisions regarding grazing and other range management treatments, soils management, and invasive species, the BLM will place a priority on collecting data through the use of consistent, comparable, and common indicators, consistent methods, and an unbiased sampling framework which will allow for analyses that are repeatable and comparable across a region, and decisions based on science and data that are legally defensible. Land health assessments completed at a larger scale will be more efficient and less costly over time and provide timely support for decision-making. The Rangeland Management program conducts inventories, assessments and evaluations of soil and vegetation conditions and land health. Monitoring data is collected and analyzed to ensure progress toward meeting land health standards. Expected Outcomes: 1. Gather data to complete land health assessments. 2. Process grazing permits for identified high priority areas. 3. Increased efforts to coordinate shared objectives with wildlife, forestry, aquatic, and cultural and recreation programs, to effectively maintain or restore land health. 4. Evaluate multiple allotments together or at the watershed scale to improve efficiencies for evaluating land health and processing permits. 5. Continue to work with permittees and other stakeholders on targeted grazing to decrease fuel loads and restore desirable perennial grasses and forbs. 6. Implement outcome based grazing with collaborative monitoring with stakeholders to increase flexibility and improve efficiencies. Public/BLM Benefits: Funded projects under this program will focus on high priority work such as activities that support maintaining or achieving land health and productivity and creating resilient landscapes. These activities could include, but are not limited to, such things as: 1. Vegetation monitoring. 2. Vegetation restoration treatments. 3. Installation, maintenance, and monitoring erosion control structures. 4. Soils mapping and development of ecological site descriptions. 5. Engagement of community members and other stakeholders, through mentoring, training, and educational programs. 6. Project development and layout. 7. Planning analysis and document preparation as appropriate, in order to carry out land use planning decisions, and Endangered Species requirements. 8. Cultural survey and assessment, data collection and monitoring.

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