In this Section:

	Background
	Project Overview
	Research Methods
	Results
	References
	Related Links
	Contacts

Research and Products:
Ranching and Climate

Background

Ranching is a culturally, historically, ecologically, and politically important livelihood in the Southwest. With more than two-thirds of the land area in Arizona classified as rangeland, any change in the ability of ranchers to continue their range activities could have considerable implications for the rate and direction of land use change, the balance of ecological and economic resource needs, the pace of urban development, and trends in water consumption and conservation. The prolonged sequences of dry and wet years that are common in the region, interspersed with high year-to-year variability, present substantial challenges to ranchers and range managers. Most of the state’s cattle ranches rely solely on rain-fed range to support their herds. Drought conditions can result in significant declines in forage production and nutritional quality. Failure to respond to these changes with appropriate management can compound the effects of drought on already stressed vegetation, resulting in poor range and animal condition. In the 1990s, Arizona experienced two severe droughts and at least as many years of high moisture conditions. As a consequence of diminished winter rains in 1995–1996, many ranchers did not have enough forage to support their cattle. The persistence of dry conditions forced some ranchers to resort to emergency coping strategies while other ranchers left the industry entirely.