Key Excerpts selected by The Project to Reform Public Land Grazing in Northern California
Key Results
Linear regression analysis was used to identify grazing management activities and site characteristics which were positively and negatively correlated with U.S. EPA HAFDS health score (0 to 20).
Increased effort to distribute livestock away from meadows and associated streams was correlated with increased macroinvertebrate richness.
Management Implications
Management of livestock distribution is a critical management activity to enhance and sustain riparian health in mountain meadow grazing systems. Simple distribution tools such as herding, salting, and off-stream water are effective for protecting riparian areas, but management effort must be invested to assure success. Expectations for stream health based upon macroinvertebrate metrics must account for inherent site differences in stream substrate type.
