What are some challenges or implications of rangeland degradation and desertification sustainment and management?

Answer 1

Murphy's Law: Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. This Law applies to anything you plan on doing, no matter if it's rangeland management, improving land for better conservation management, or even if you are farming. Things don't always go to plan, for some reason or another. Weather and human error are the main culprits to make the implementation of rangeland sustainment efforts more challenging, because you are not working in a controlled environment like you would in a laboratory. You are subject to Mother Nature's moods, no matter what you can or cannot do. And humans make mistakes; they are not perfect. So, "Even the best of plans laid forth do not always meet the desired result." I hate to say it, but it's as simple as that!

Answer 2

The only problems that I can think of are that the rangeland could be on good land suitable for growing crops, but environmental groups and conservationalists like the local ranchers, hunters, tour groups, etc. will be willing to put up a fight to conserve this valuable piece of native landscape. Rangeland could also become a wasteland if the rancher owning this land is not caring for it properly. For instance, overgrazing, not allowing for wildlife diversity, etc could be detrimental to the rangeland.

Other problems include how the owner should manage this piece of land to maintain the native vegetation and wildlife population, but at the same time graze his cattle or sheep on it and still get income from his herd. No native rangeland is the same all over a large piece of land (there could be ten or more different micro-ecosystems in 1000 acres of land), so flexibility, attention to detail, knowledge of native grasses, forbs, shrubs and trees, and wildlife as well as even better cow-calf management, and appreciation of the rangeland ecosystem all have to be taken into account to maintain good rangeland management.

One may have hunters wanting to hunt on your piece of land, and you may have to make a choice to let those hunters on your property if you think it may be worthwhile. A person may also have tour groups which will want to look over your native rangeland landscape, or even federal environment inspectors over to see if you are doing the right thing by keeping the land in its natural state as possible.

A bigger problem are oil and gas companies. They may want to come and drill or do survey drilling to see if there are any oil or gas reserves on your land. You may have a right to deny these companies access, but only if you have gained mineral rights. If you do not have mineral rights, you will have to comply, sacrificing an important piece of rangeland on your ranch.