Rangeland Management Before, During, and After Drought

The University of Arizona’s School of Renewable Natural Resources created this document to help land manager prepare and respond to drought events in North American grasslands.

The document focuses on maintaining healthy rangelands through the implementation of beneficial management practices as an effective means to protect operations against the effects of drought. Such beneficial practices include grazing management, which can optimize available forage and promote plant vigor.

The document also highlights the important concept of stocking rates that, “because of its relation to grazing intensity and frequency, is considered the most important of all range management decisions.” (p. 3) As such, it notes that grazing systems should be planned to give grazed areas periodic deferment or rest, and ungrazed areas should be set aside to be used during drought emergencies.