Part 3

Land and Water Use

RANGELANDS

• Uncultivated land dominated by native plants: grasses, grass-like plants, or shrubs.

• All land that is not farmland, dense forest, barren desert or land covered by solid rock, concrete, or glaciers

What is Rangeland?

How much rangeland is there?

47% of the EARTH is rangeland

36% of the US is rangeland

53% of Western States is rangeland

• Overgrazing

• Desertification

Issues Facing Rangelands

• When grazed severely, use energy stored in roots for regrowth

• Roots die back– Severity depends on grazing

• Grazed again before roots recover

How Overgrazing Kills Plants

• Adds organic matter• Increased soil porosity• Increased infiltration• Increased moisture holding capacity

Positive Effect of Root Dieback

Consequences of Overgrazing

• Overgrazing• Soil erosion• Prolonged drought or climate change• Overuse of available resources

Causes of Desertification

• “Public Land” is owned and managed by federal and state governments – Bureau of Land Management (BLM)– U.S. Forest Service

Who owns rangeland?

• The careful use and management of rangeland resources (plants, animals, soil, and water) to meet the needs and desires of society

What is rangeland management?

• Controlling the number and distribution of livestock

• Restoring degraded rangeland• Moving livestock to allow recovery• Reduce damage to sensitive areas

(riparian zones)– Boundary zone between land and stream

Rangeland Management Goals

• Suppress growth of invasive species• Reduce soil erosion

– Replant native grasses• Provide supplemental feed• Locating water holes, water tanks,

salt blocks in areas where will not affect environment.

Rangeland Management Goals

MINING

OverviewSteps Description Environmental

Effects

Mining Removing mineral resources from the ground

• Mine wastes – acids and toxins

• Displacement of native species

• Reclamation of land and recycling

Processing Removing ore from mined material

• Pollution• Human health

concerns

Use Distribution to end user

Will Site be Profitable?

• Site development

Extraction

• Surface Mining– Pros:

– Cons

Extraction

• Underground Mining– Pros

– Cons

Extraction

• In-situ Leaching– Pros

– Cons

Extraction

• Intensive chemical processing

• Often uses extreme heat and toxic chemicals

• Chemical frequently leak into ground water

Processing

• 2 billion tons of minerals extracted in US every year

• Oil

• Coal

• Natural Gas

Global Reserves

• General Mining Law 1872– Free access to prospect for minerals on federal

lands• Surface Mining Control and Reclamation

Act 1977– Regulates surface coal mining and reclamation

activities

Relevant Laws