- Rangelands are among the most important ecosystems in the Himalayas (Blamont 1996)
- Rangeland comprise grazing area including grassland, alpine meadow, pasture, scrubland, and other non-forest vegetation area used for animal grazing, in which cultivation is not suitable due to its climatic, topographic and other physical limitations (Clement & Young 2003)
What needs to know for RM?
Inventory
Developing a plan for using rangeland resources requires information about the productive capability of the rangelands, current condition, intended use, and land owner objectives
Practices
The 1st consideration is management of the vegetation resource through the use of a prescribed grazing system: periods of grazing, deferment, rest, animal impact, and levels of use to bring about the desired changes
The 2nd consideration is identifying those practices necessary to implement the desired prescribed grazing system.
These practices help control or influence the movement of livestock necessary for uniform distribution of grazing. These practices may include water developments, fencing, salting, stock trails, and herding
Some of the practices to consider are seeding, brush management, prescribed burning, fertilizing, mechanical treatment, and water spreading
CC: "How many cattle, sheep, horses, etc. can I graze on this land?“
Stocking Rate
the number of specific kinds and classes of animals grazing or utilizing a unit of land for a specified time period, or animal unit months or animal unit days per acre, hectare, or section, or the reciprocal (area of land/animal unit month or day)
Grazing capacity
the total number of animals which may be sustained on a given area based on total forage resources available, including harvested roughages and concentrates.
Coordinated Resource Management
It is a team approach at the local level that promotes active participation and input from everyone concerned, It is used as a tool for coordinating resource planning, management and educational activities with local agencies, private landowners and others
Monitoring
Once a plan is developed & the identified practices are being applied, the resource needs to be monitored to see if the desired changes are occurring
Monitoring may be short term or long term
Major threats for Rangelands
- Declining quality of Rangelands
- Higher no. of livestock and insufficient Kharkas
- Colonization of white clover in the Kharkas
- Insufficient pasture infrastructures
- Low productivity of livestock population
- Human-wildlife conflict
- Livestock disease and lack of veterinary services
- Herder-herder conflict
- High consumption of fuel wood
- Limited mobility of milk collection center
Strategies of RL Management
- Strengthen local institution like RMC
- Implement Rangeland management practices
- Use alternative sources of energy
- Promote forage production and stall feeding
- Animal health and improved breeds
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