Transcript Document

Sustainable
Rangelands
Roundtable
July 30, 2002
Purpose Today
Introduce the Sustainable Rangelands
Roundtable
 Introduce the Criteria and Indicators for
Sustainable Rangelands
 Provide Future Plans of the Sustainable
Rangelands Roundtable

July 30, 2002
Rangelands

42% of continental U.S.
587 million acres non- federal
 Forest Service – 75 million acres
 BLM – 155 million acres

Concern about the condition of natural
resources in the 20th century.
 Adoption of the concept of sustainability
as appropriate analysis paradigm.

July 30, 2002
Sustainable Rangelands
Roundtable
A stakeholders process for identifying a
set of criteria and indicators (C&I) for
assessing sustainability of rangelands.
The C&I describe individual elements to
assess and determine trends in
resource conditions, management,
economic benefits, and social values
derived from rangelands.
July 30, 2002
Benefits of the Work of SRR
Provide a common framework for
monitoring and assessing progress
towards sustainable rangeland
management.
 Expand the understanding of
rangelands sustainability.
 Enhance quality of debate about
rangeland management issues.

July 30, 2002
Benefits of the Work of SRR

Improved efficiencies:
Directing monitoring efforts
 Development of common data collection
techniques
 Focusing research on developing methods
to measure indicators

July 30, 2002
Benefits of the Work of SRR

Improve accountability to rangeland
stakeholders and Congress:
Multi-level, coordinated data reporting
 Assess compliance with applicable laws
 Facilitate interagency coordination
 Facilitating planning and funding priorities
 Improve rangeland management to meet
social, economic and ecological goals

July 30, 2002
Sustainable Development
Brundtland Commission (WCED) – 1987
“… development that meets the needs of
the present generation without
compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.”
July 30, 2002
Sustainable Development
Encompasses environmental and social
issues, as well as economic activity.
 Ensuring human well-being while
respecting ecosystem well-being and
the earth’s environmental limits and
capacities.

July 30, 2002
International Background

Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, 1992

Plan for achieving sustainable development in the
21st century.
1993 – International seminar on sustainable
development of boreal and temperate forest
in Montreal. (Montreal Process)
 1995 Santiago Declaration – 7 Criteria and 67
Indicators – temperate and boreal forests.
 2002 Earth Summit in South Africa.

July 30, 2002
U. S. Background
Roundtable on Sustainable Forests
(1998)
 Sustainable Minerals Roundtable (1999)
 1999 – First meeting on Sustainable
Rangelands
 2001 – First meeting of the Sustainable
Rangelands Roundtable

July 30, 2002
Sustainable Rangelands
Roundtable
Identify criteria and indicators for
Sustainable Rangelands.
 Indicators are suitable for national
reporting.
 Gain from other efforts:

Roundtable on Sustainable Forests
 Sustainable Minerals Roundtable
 Heinz, EPA, TNC, NRI, SDIC, others

July 30, 2002
Sustainable Rangelands
Roundtable
The group determines the outcomes.
 Open, Positive, Future Focused
 Dynamic
 Values and respects all opinions and
contributions of members.

July 30, 2002
SRR Time Line

Twelve Meetings:

Four meetings in 2001; five in 2002; three
in 2003.
Indicators completed by Oct., 2002.
 Identify and compile data sources: May
2002 through March 2003.
 Report on Rangeland Sustainability
Indicators – May 2003.
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July 30, 2002
SRR Meeting Sites, 2001 to 2003
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DWorkshops and Forums
SRR Success
Time and effort of all individuals and
organizations participating.
 Participating groups

Federal, state and local agencies
 Representatives from 16 universities
 Non-governmental groups & organizations


Over 100 members of SRR
July 30, 2002
Products of SRR
Symposium and Proceedings at the Feb. 2002
SRM Annual Meeting in Kansas City, MO
 Workshop ESA Meeting in Tucson, AZ in
August 2002
 Symposium/Workshop on Indicators at Feb.
2003 SRM Annual Meeting in Casper,
Wyoming
 Report on Sustainable Rangelands in Spring,
2003
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July 30, 2002
Today’s Remarks
Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable
Rangelands – Dr. David Pyke
 Break
 Start of Full SRR Meeting
 Status of Criterion Groups
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July 30, 2002