Range stewardship

Overview

As an Alberta livestock producer, your management can affect the health and productivity of native grasslands, forest and pastures. When rangeland is healthy, present and future generations benefit from clean water, available forage, and fish and wildlife habitat values.

The department has many educational resources to help you, including:

• extension tools
• range management research
• rangeland awareness publications

What is Stewardship

Stewardship is the ethical approach demonstrated through management that results in sustainable rangeland resources.

Successful range stewardship is achieved through the application of the principles of range management to maintain range and riparian health and ensure successful resource integration on the land.

The Principles of Range Management

1. Balance forage supply and demand
2. Avoid grazing during vulnerable periods
3. Distribute livestock evenly
4. Provide effective rest

Range Health

Is a measure of stewardship.  This protocol measures the ecosystem function of Alberta’s rangeland. An introductory brochure and field workbooks are available to help you understand how range health is measured.

Find this information at: Measuring Rangeland Health – The Rangeland Health Assessment Protocol: An Ecological Tool for Land Stewards.

Extension Resources Supporting Range Stewardship

• Assessing Factors Affecting Cattle Use of Montane Rangelands – Bob Creek Project
• Beneficial Grazing Management Practices for Sage Grouse and Ecology of Silver Sagebrush in Southeastern Alberta
• Evaluating Livestock Use of Boreal Grazing Lands Little Smoky River Project
• Evaluating Livestock Use of Boreal Grazing Lands Little Smoky River Project – Summary Report
• Forest grazing
• Grazing Management Adjustments for Healthy Rangelands
• Grazing Management for Boreal Riparian Areas
• Impact of grazing on soil mesofauna diversity and community composition in deciduous rangelands of northwest Alberta
• Indicators of Forest Rangeland Health
• Range Management During a Drought
• Stewardship Assessment: Rangeland Audit Process
• Support in drought conditions in Alberta
• Tenure for Stewardship Determination Criteria

For additional resources on conservation of native grasslands with industrial disturbance see:

• Native Grassland

Carbon storage

Alberta’s rangelands have a role to play in carbon storage, an important issue related to climate change. Soil scientist Eric Bremmer has written a scientific paper on the issue for AEP.

Access the paper and a summary brochure at:

• Potential of Rangelands to Sequester Carbon in Alberta
• Potential of Rangelands to Sequester Carbon in Alberta Brochure