Linkages Between Rangeland Indicator Efforts: Sustainable Rangeland Roundtable and Heinz Center Programs Duncan T. Patten Montana State University

Need for common understanding of changing conditions of the nation’s • U.S. Forest Service ecosystems.

Too many “players” and too many approaches • Natural Resource and Conservation Service • Bureau of Land Management • Environmental Protection Agency • National Park Service • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service • U.S. Geological Survey • State Departments of Natural Resources • State Departments of Wildlife (fish and game) • Local resource agencies • And more……

Diversity of Grassland and Shrublands Examples: • Tall, mid- and shortgrass prairies • Sagebrush steppes • Florida grassland/scrub • Chaparral and savannas • Deserts • Tundra • Mountain grasslands • pastures

Indicator Concept

“measurable characteristics of the environment, both abiotic and biotic, that can provide quantitative information on ecological resources” EPA - EMAP

Ecosystem Coverage

Heinz Program • Grass/Shrubland • Forest • Farmland • Freshwater • Coastal • Urban/Suburban Sustainable Rangeland • Rangeland

Themes or Working Groups

Heinz Program • Extent: system dimension • Chemical/Physical Conditions • Biological Condition • Human Use Sustainable Rangeland • Ecological Health and Diversity • Soil and Water Conservation • Productive Capacity • Economic Criteria • Social Criteria • Institutional Criteria

Indicator Development Process

Heinz Program * Oversight Design Committee • Small Working Groups • Several Meetings • Comparison With Other Working Groups • Internal Review • External Review Sustainable Roundtable * Planning/organizing Committee • Large Working Groups • Many Meetings • Delphi Process • Comparison With Other Roundtables and Indicator Development • Review

Audience

Heinz Program • National Decision makers • National Resource Managers Sustainable Roundtable • State and National Resource Managers • Rangeland Managers at All Levels

Plan on attending the Heinz Center Program: “Rangeland Indicators from the State of The Nation’s Report” Monday, February 18, 2002 At 1:00 pm