Rangeland Management
Stewardship of the Land That Sustains Us
Range management is the science and art of caring for rangelands — the grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, and savannas that cover nearly half of Earth’s land surface. These landscapes support livestock, wildlife, clean water, recreation, and countless livelihoods. Range management ensures that these lands remain healthy, productive, and resilient for generations to come.
What Are Rangelands?
These vast, diverse ecosystems — from prairies and savannas to deserts and shrublands — provide essential resources for people, livestock, and wildlife alike.
Rangelands supply around 70% of the world’s forage for grazing animals, store carbon, regulate water systems, and sustain biodiversity across six continents.
But these landscapes are shrinking at an alarming rate — nearly half of their original area has been lost to conversion, development, and fragmentation.
Rangeland management brings together science, stewardship, and community to ensure these lands remain healthy, productive, and resilient for generations to come.
Why Rangelands Matter
Rangelands are more than open spaces — they are working landscapes that provide food, clean water, wildlife habitat, recreation, and climate regulation.
By the Numbers:
- 🌍 Rangelands cover ~46% of the Earth’s land surface
- 🐄 Provide ~70% of global forage for livestock
- 🌾 In North America, ~40% of the Great Plains have been converted to cropland
- 🌿 Support critical ecosystem services — biodiversity, water storage, carbon sequestration, and wildlife habitat
When managed wisely, these lands offer enduring benefits for both people and the planet. When neglected or overused, they degrade — leading to soil erosion, water loss, and declines in habitat and rural livelihoods.
The Role of Rangeland Management
The Role of Rangeland Management
Rangeland management uses ecological science, local knowledge, and adaptive planning to maintain balance between land health and human use.
This includes:
- Monitoring and improving vegetation health
- Managing grazing systems for livestock and wildlife
- Controlling invasive species and restoring native plant communities
- Reducing fire risk through prescribed burning and fuel management
- Protecting soil and water resources
- Planning for climate resilience in arid and semi-arid regions
Every rangeland is unique — and effective management blends science with local expertise, stewardship, and long-term vision.
The Future of Rangelands
The Future of Rangelands
Rangelands are vital to global sustainability. Yet pressures from land conversion, drought, and mismanagement continue to threaten their health.
Through responsible management, research, and policy, we can:
- Restore degraded grasslands
- Protect water sources
- Sustain ranching livelihoods
- Preserve wildlife corridors
- Strengthen climate resilience
The science of rangeland management — and the professionals who practice it — are key to ensuring that these landscapes remain productive and alive for the next century.
SRM’s Role in Rangeland Stewardship
The Society for Range Management (SRM) plays a leading role in advancing the science and practice of rangeland management.
SRM:
- Supports research through its peer-reviewed journals Rangeland Ecology & Management and Rangelands
- Educates and trains professionals, from students to agency specialists
- Sets professional standards through certification and accreditation
- Promotes sound policy through evidence-based advocacy and collaboration
- Brings together a global network of over 4,000 members in 48 countries
SRM’s work ensures that decisions about land use, grazing, fire, and water are grounded in science, collaboration, and ethics — not short-term gains.
Boots on the Ground
We value our partnerships within the Society for Range Management and fostering collaboration and communication through all channels of rangeland management. We’re proud to be working with partners in the tribal, ranching, academic, gov’t agency, NGO and professional communities to develop trainings, build outreach, and collaborate on multiple fronts to contribute to our role within rangeland management.
SRM builds out boots- on- the- ground initiatives, which we have grown from our partnerships with agencies and other like-minded organizations. In our outreach, we coordinate regularly with partners, looking for opportunities to amplify efforts and discuss current initiatives, needs, and possible collaborations.
SRM builds out boots- on- the- ground initiatives, which we have grown from our partnerships with agencies and other like-minded organizations. In our outreach, we coordinate regularly with partners, looking for opportunities to amplify efforts and discuss current initiatives, needs, and possible collaborations.
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