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The On-Ranch Economics of Riparian Zone Cattle Grazing Management

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Abstract

A simulation model of a cattle ranch based in southern Alberta, Canada was developed to evaluate the on-ranch economics of adopting different grazing management strategies to improve riparian grazing capacity in natural grass rangeland. Under low-cost scenarios, there are positive economic incentives to adopt strategies to maintain riparian zones that already have high grazing capacity. However, riparian zones that have declined to moderate or low grazing capacity may require additional economic incentives to encourage ranches to adopt more costly management strategies to improve the grazing capacity. The economic incentives to adopt costly management strategies are highly sensitive to the size and shape of the riparian zone and rates of grazing capacity decline or improvement.

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Acknowledgements

Research funding for this project was provided by the Alberta Riparian Habitat Management Program (Cows and Fish). The authors also thank Barry Adams, Norine Ambrose, Edward Bork, and Lorne Fitch for assistance and advice with this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rural Economy, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2H1

    James R. Unterschultz, Jamie Miller & Peter C. Boxall

Authors
  1. James R. Unterschultz
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  2. Jamie Miller
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  3. Peter C. Boxall
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Correspondence to James R. Unterschultz.

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Unterschultz, J., Miller, J. & Boxall, P. The On-Ranch Economics of Riparian Zone Cattle Grazing Management . Environmental Management 33, 664–676 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-003-0010-9

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