U.S. Grasslands : Conservation and Conversion

Grasslands provide both ecological and economic benefits. The importance of grasslands lies not only in the areas they cover, but also in the diversity of environmental benefits they produce. The lands provide forage for livestock, water for urban and rural uses, flood protection, wildlife habitat, purification of air, and carbon sequestration. The lands also provide aesthetic values and open space. This book discusses the Grasslands Reserve Program (GRP), which provides assistance to landowners and operators to protect grazing uses and related conservation values on eligible private range and pasture lands. The program emphasizes support of grazing operations, maintaining and improving plant and animal biodiversity, and protecting grasslands and shrublands under threat of conversion to cropping, urban development, and other non-grazing uses.