Rangeland Management 

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NEWS| Weed-free forage now required on BLM-managed lands in Idaho

The BLM manages activities on public rangelands to ensure that that fundamental rangeland health is being sustained or improved.  Under regulations revised in 1995, each BLM State Office worked with its citizen Resource Advisory Councils to develop State-specific standards for rangeland health and guidelines for managing grazing.  Completed in 1997, the Idaho Standards and Guidelines established eight ecological standards for all BLM-managed rangelands in Idaho, along with 20 management guidelines.

The BLM permits livestock grazing on about 160 million of the 245 million acres of public land it administers nationally, in a manner aimed at achieveing and maintaining rangeland health.  Grazing permits containing terms and conditions such as dates of use and type(s) of forage are issued generally for 10-year periods and are renewable if the BLM determines that the permittee is meeting terms and conditions.  Permits are denominated in animal unit months (AUMs) of livestock forage.  An AUM is the amount of forage needed to sustain one cow and calf, five sheep, two burros, or one horse for one month.  The fee for grazing livestock on public lands is computed on a per-AUM basis, adjusted annually for 3 factors: the rate for leasing private grazing land, beef cattle prices, and the cost of livestock production.  The fee may not be lower than $1.35 per AUM and may not increase or decrease more than 25% over the previous year's fee. 

BLM-Idaho is currently assessing all grazing allotments to determine if the standards are being achieved.  Each BLM Field Office in Idaho has established a schedule for completing the assessments.  If an assessment determines that an area is not meeting the standards for rangeland health, rangeland management staff identify adjustments or permit conditions necassary to improve rangeland health.

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University of Idaho poll reveals attitudes and perceptions about Idaho's rangelands