A page of links to in-depth articles on the role of grazing and grazing management in maintaining and restoring grassland ecosystems.

Index of articles and links

A considerable body of experience, monitoring, and research demonstrates that properly managed and timed grazing is a key component of the "whole" in grassland environments. However, because of the damage inflicted on the world's grasslands by little or no grazing management, many people and organizations oppose livestock grazing in any form.

Index of articles and links

Conventional wisdom says grazing damages land -- yet the same land a few cattle or sheep damage today often supported thousands or millions of wild grazers less than 200 years ago.

Kachana Pastoral Co.

Conventional land monitoring can't detect ecosystem improvement or deterioration until symptoms are severe. Presents methods that detect changes early.

Index of articles and links

According to a U.S. National Research Council report in 1994, using conventional monitoring methods and data, it is impossible to determine whether U.S. rangelands are improving or degrading. They recommended an approach based on multiple indicators of basic ecosystem processes.

Basic knowledge to help you manage ecosystems successfully.

Fundamental ecosystem processes and how they work

Index of articles and links

By understanding and monitoring a few fundamental processes that operate in every ecosystem, we can simplify the complexity of natural systems enough to manage natural resources skillfully.

Practical methods based on proven success.

Improving soil health and building new soil

Soil health is vital to ecosystem health. Today the U.S.A.'s biggest export, in tons and dollar value, is eroding topsoil. What topsoil remains is often drenched with chemicals and nearly devoid of life. This stops the soil-building process.

Fortunately topsoil can be grown fairly quickly. Even land so damaged it has no topsoil can be restored.

Information about the most overlooked and underrated members of land ecosystems.

Index of articles and links

A considerable body of experience, monitoring, and research demonstrates that properly managed and timed grazing is a key component of the "whole" in grassland environments. However, because of the damage inflicted on the world's grasslands by little or no grazing management, many people and organizations oppose livestock grazing in any form.

Index of articles and links

One of today's most profitable small-farm enterprises is pastured poultry, such as free-range chickens and eggs. Clean conditions and a more natural diet produce extra-tasty birds and eggs that can be sold direct to consumers for a premium price. Portable coops give birds continuous access to fresh pasture, and avoid the typical bare wasteland surrounding stationary poultry houses.

The surprising truth about this worldwide problem that affects even "healthy" landscapes.

Index of articles and links

In spite of billions spent to halt desertification, deserts are now spreading faster that any time in human history. Subtler land damage problems such as erosion, loss of biodiversity and landscape productivity, flooding, and droughts affect virtually every person on earth.

Why conventional "solutions" fail to reverse desertification; proven methods that work.

Index of articles and links

Desertification is the process by which formerly productive land (grasslands, savannas, forests, and farmland) becomes desert.