Rangeland Condition and the Appropriate Rangeland Management Methods

Abstract

Improvement, development and proper exploitation of current rangelands conditions and selecting a range management method (balanced, natural and, artificial) to be implemented in the form of a range management plan (RMP). Data was collected from the rangelands of Haraz River watershed. Information including the total percentage of vegetation and each of the increasing species, rangeland condition and production were studied in 2016. To determine the best range management method, the analysis of variance was used. To compare the quantitative characteristics measured before and after the implementation, a two-sample independent t-test was used. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare qualitative characteristics. Results showed that the vegetation percentage of palatable species composition did not increase, the balanced and natural methods were the best methods in good and fair rangeland condition. The reason for the lack of increase in the number of palatable species was the unsuccessful implementation of planned programs in RMPs. The artificial method was performed in the RMPs with poor vegetation types, the implementation of these plans had no significant effect on the rangeland condition of the study rangelands due to the high livestock population. Rangeland plans will be more effective when there is a balance between grazing capacity and livestock population.

Keywords

• rangeland condition
• rangeland
• management methods
• rangeland trend