BLM OR-WA - SUSTAINABLE RANGELANDS ROUNDTABLE (for WASHINGTON DC)

Background: The Sustainable Rangeland Roundtable is a continuing project that has resulted in the development of criteria and indicators for conservation and sustainable management of biological, social, and economic values of both public and private rangelands. The project is currently focused on communicating the outcomes and recommendations from a workshop held in June 2014 to discuss future directions of useable science for sustainable rangelands, including conserving the values of rangeland ecosystem goods and services. The workshop included ranchers, university scientists, agency personnel and non-governmental organizations (NGO). Objectives: The BLM wishes to provide support for creating handouts and developing briefings and presentations to communicate the results of the workshop to policy makers, agency leaders and NGO representatives. Briefings and presentations would include identifying and providing information about existing and needed useable science for assessing and maintaining soil health, vegetation, water, animal and socio-economic characteristics of rangelands. Public Benefit: The communication of roundtable workshop outcomes and recommendations will provide the opportunity for improved public policy making, better decisions that improve the value of ecosystem services from public and private rangelands, and improved public awareness of science that is used to make management choices that sustain rangelands and its uses.