USDA May 21, 2003 Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable

USDA May 21, 2003 Purpose Today Introduce the Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable Introduce the Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable Present Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Rangelands Present Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Rangelands Briefly Outline Future Plans Briefly Outline Future Plans Panel Discussion with SRR Participants about the Roundtable and Criteria & Indicators Panel Discussion with SRR Participants about the Roundtable and Criteria & Indicators

USDA May 21, 2003 Sustainability is defined with respect to people.

USDA May 21, 2003 Sustainable Development …development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987

USDA May 21, 2003 Sustainable Rangeland Ecosystems

USDA May 21, 2003 Sustainable Productive Capacity

USDA May 21, 2003 Sustainable Communities and Economies

USDA May 21, 2003 Sustainable Rangelands Encompasses environmental and social issues, as well as economic activity. Encompasses environmental and social issues, as well as economic activity. Ensuring human well-being while respecting ecosystem well-being and the environmental limits and capacities. Ensuring human well-being while respecting ecosystem well-being and the environmental limits and capacities.

USDA May 21, 2003 Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable A stakeholders process for identifying a set of criteria and indicators (C&I) for assessing rangeland sustainability. The C&I describe individual elements to determine trends in resource conditions, management, economic benefits, and social values derived from rangelands.

USDA May 21, 2003 Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable Open, positive, future-focused Open, positive, future-focused Values and respects all opinions and contributions of participants Values and respects all opinions and contributions of participants The group determines the outcomes The group determines the outcomes Facilitated and interactive Facilitated and interactive Uses Delphi process between meetings Uses Delphi process between meetings

USDA May 21, 2003 New SRR Mission The SRR will promote social, ecological, and economic sustainability of rangelands through the development and widespread use of the criteria and indicators for rangeland assessments, and by providing a forum for dialogue on sustainability of rangelands.

USDA May 21, 2003 New SRR Vision We envision a future in which: Rangelands in the US provide a desired mix of economic, ecological, and social benefits to current and future generations There are widely accepted and used criteria and indicators for monitoring and assessing the economic, social, and ecological sustainability of rangelands.

USDA May 21, 2003 Benefits of the Work of SRR Common framework for monitoring and assessing rangelands. Common framework for monitoring and assessing rangelands. National, Regional and Local utility National, Regional and Local utility Across agencies Across agencies Across land ownership Across land ownership Expand the understanding of rangeland sustainability. Expand the understanding of rangeland sustainability. Status of rangeland systems over time. Status of rangeland systems over time.

USDA May 21, 2003 Benefits of the Work of SRR Improved efficiencies: Improved efficiencies: Direct monitoring efforts Direct monitoring efforts Development of common data collection techniques Development of common data collection techniques Focusing research on developing methods to measure indicators Focusing research on developing methods to measure indicators

USDA May 21, 2003 SRR Time Line Twelve Meetings: Twelve Meetings: Four meetings in 2001; five in 2002; three in Four meetings in 2001; five in 2002; three in Indicators designated by Oct., Indicators designated by Oct., Identify data sources and needs: May 2002 through Identify data sources and needs: May 2002 through Report on Rangeland Sustainability Indicators – May Report on Rangeland Sustainability Indicators – May

USDA May 21, 2003 SRR Criteria & Indicators Criteria and indicators described here represent the current development. Criteria and indicators described here represent the current development. The indicators may be refined as the SRR advances towards a widely accepted set for monitoring and assessing rangeland sustainability. The indicators may be refined as the SRR advances towards a widely accepted set for monitoring and assessing rangeland sustainability.

USDA May 21, 2003 Conservation and Maintenance of Soil and Water Resources Soils influence hydrologic processes by providing the medium for the capture, storage, and release of water. Soils influence hydrologic processes by providing the medium for the capture, storage, and release of water. Flow of water through rangelands influences soil physical and biological properties. Flow of water through rangelands influences soil physical and biological properties. In most rangelands, water is extremely limiting. In most rangelands, water is extremely limiting. 10 Indicators 10 Indicators

USDA May 21, 2003 Conservation and Maintenance of Plant and Animal Resources on Rangelands Plant & Animal Resources reflects the degree to which the integrity of the soil and the ecological processes of rangelands are sustained Plant & Animal Resources reflects the degree to which the integrity of the soil and the ecological processes of rangelands are sustained Biodiversity.. variety of life and its processes which encompasses the variety of living organisms, the genetic differences among them and the communities and ecosystems in which they occur 10 Indicators

USDA May 21, 2003 Maintenance of Productive Capacity on Rangeland Ecosystems Productive capacity … provide the current generation with a wide variety of goods and services depending on the mix desired by society at any particular time Productive capacity … provide the current generation with a wide variety of goods and services depending on the mix desired by society at any particular time Maintenance … that future generations will be able to obtain their desired mix... Maintenance … that future generations will be able to obtain their desired mix... 6 Indicators 6 Indicators

USDA May 21, 2003 Maintenance and Enhancement of Multiple Economic and Social Benefits to Current and Future Generations Socio-economic indicators provide a measure of societal values reflecting allocation of scarce economic resources. Socio-economic indicators provide a measure of societal values reflecting allocation of scarce economic resources. Economic indicators complement social measures by assessing changes resulting from adjustments in social, ecological, legal, and political systems. Economic indicators complement social measures by assessing changes resulting from adjustments in social, ecological, legal, and political systems. 28 Indicators 28 Indicators

USDA May 21, 2003 Legal, Institutional, and Economic Framework for Rangeland Conservation and Sustainable Management Support for sustainability through legal, institutional and economic framework Support for sustainability through legal, institutional and economic framework Capacity to monitor change in sustainable management of rangelands Capacity to monitor change in sustainable management of rangelands Capacity in R&D for improving management and delivery of goods and services Capacity in R&D for improving management and delivery of goods and services 10 Indicators 10 Indicators

USDA May 21, 2003 Future Direction: Five Goals Continue criteria and indicator development and refinement, including data sets Continue criteria and indicator development and refinement, including data sets Coordination Coordination Enhanced outreach Enhanced outreach Sustainability research Sustainability research Funding and support Funding and support

USDA May 21, 2003 Continued Criteria and Indicator Development and Refinement Expand efforts to identify data sets and data set needs for indicators. Expand efforts to identify data sets and data set needs for indicators. Issues related to data sets: Issues related to data sets: Data base management – content, format, and structure Data base management – content, format, and structure Definitions of rangeland and forests Definitions of rangeland and forests Implementation and conversion of existing data sets Implementation and conversion of existing data sets Coordination of indicators between roundtables Coordination of indicators between roundtables

USDA May 21, 2003 Coordination Agreements on roles and responsibilities Agreements on roles and responsibilities Develop & promote assessment capabilities among wide range of users. Develop & promote assessment capabilities among wide range of users. Workshop on data sets, sources, gaps, and data quality. Workshop on data sets, sources, gaps, and data quality. Build coordination with other indicator groups. Build coordination with other indicator groups. Local & regional dialogue with stakeholders Local & regional dialogue with stakeholders Work with other roundtables Work with other roundtables

USDA May 21, 2003 Enhanced SRR Outreach Develop examples using Criteria and Indicators at different scales Develop examples using Criteria and Indicators at different scales Individual meetings with agency administrators and Congressional staff annually. Individual meetings with agency administrators and Congressional staff annually. Encourage champions Encourage champions

USDA May 21, 2003 Rangeland Sustainability Research Research organization have defined program emphasizing SRR criteria and indicators by 2008 Research organization have defined program emphasizing SRR criteria and indicators by 2008 Identify and prioritize SRR research needs Identify and prioritize SRR research needs Work with funding groups to implement program changes Work with funding groups to implement program changes Periodic reviews of research needs Periodic reviews of research needs

USDA May 21, 2003 A Strategic Course for the Future An ambitious strategy for SRR in 2003 and beyond. A bold course for the SRR to achieve its mission.

USDA May 21, 2003 Todays Panel Stan Hamilton, National Association of State Foresters Stan Hamilton, National Association of State Foresters Bill Fox, Texas A&M University Bill Fox, Texas A&M University Lori Hidinger, Ecological Society of America Lori Hidinger, Ecological Society of America Larry Bryant, Forest Service Larry Bryant, Forest Service