This document discusses collaborations between land managers and ranchers on conservation lands in California. It describes the California Rangeland Trust, which has protected over 286,000 acres of rangeland under conservation easements. It notes that rangelands cover over 1.9 million acres or 41% of the Bay Area region, with over 585,000 acres owned by public agencies and over 150,000 acres protected by private land easements. Rangelands provide ecosystem services like wildlife habitat, water and air quality, carbon sequestration, and food production. Ranchers help manage public lands through activities like maintaining infrastructure and reducing hazards. The median date of establishment for ranches in the Bay Area was 1890, and maintaining the

1. Grazing and Conservation Part II:
Cooperating with Ranchers
January 28, 2016

2. Goal for Gathering
Increase understanding of:
• how land managers and ranchers can
collaborate successfully to reach
conservation goals
• challenges each face when leasing public
or private conservation lands for grazing

3. California Rangeland Trust
• Founded in 1998
• 286,000+ acres under easement
• 400,000 acres on waiting list
www.rangelandtrust.org

4. Why rangelands and ranching matter
• Bay Area rangelands cover ~1.9 million
acres or ~41% of the region.
• ~585,000 acres are owned by public
agencies and conservation organizations.
• ~150,000 acres are protected by
conservation easements on private land.
• ~1,200,000 acres are privately owned.

5. Why rangelands and ranching matter
Both Conservation Lands Network and Critical Linkages: The
Bay Area and Beyond emphasize the importance of
rangelands and ranching to sustaining biological diversity.

6. Why rangelands and ranching matter
Ecosystem services from managed rangelands:
• wildlife habitat
• water quality and supply
• clean air
• carbon sequestration/climate change
mitigation
• nitrogen deposition mitigation
• food production
• crop pollination
• scenic viewshed

7. Role of ranchers and grazing
Privately owned managed rangelands:
• provide many ecosystem benefits
• buffer against development
• fire hazard reduction
• complement management of adjacent
or nearby public lands

8. Role of ranchers and grazing
Grazing on public lands:
• habitat for sensitive species (California red-legged frog, San Joaquin kit
fox, California tiger salamander)
• fuels reduction
• native plant species management
Ranchers:
• maintain fencing and water developments
• reduce vandalism, poaching

9. Median date of establishment: 1890
Ranching in the Bay Area
Sustainable ranches need a stable, year round forage supply.
A typical East Bay ranch
(A. Sulak 2007)
• Average of 4 private leases, one
used 15 private and public
• Competition for public leases is
fierce as the forage base shrinks.

10. Ranching in the Bay Area
www.rangelandtrust.org
Nancy Schaefer
Bay Area Program Manager
nschaefer@rangelandtrust.org
Keeping the ranching economy viable reduces need to sell the land.
Thanks to:
Pelayo Alvarez, CA Rangeland Conservation Coalition
Sheila Barry, UC Cooperative Extension
Larry Ford, LD Ford Rangeland Conservation Science
Grey Hayes, Central Coast Rangeland Coalition