Managing fish and livestock on Idaho rangelands
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Authors: W. S. Platts
Date: 1986
Journal: Rangelands
Volume: 8
Number: 5
Pages: 213-216
Summary of Methods: This paper is a synopsis of professional resource knowledge looking at Idaho's rangeland livestock-fishery resources from their historic development to the future, and discusses the importance of managing rangelands to produce the optimum mix of forage and fisheries resources.
Article Summary / Main Points: Non-residents have intensified fishing pressure based on increasing numbers of fisherman. Although, this large increase in fishermen has improved the states economy, it has been difficult for natural fisheries to satisfy the demand of fishermen. Better stream management is the only choice resource managers have that will improve fish habitat and populations. Idaho failed to take care of its riparian habitats and has lost its once productive streamside vegetation, resulting in altered streambanks and channel conditions. Idaho streams are incapable of producing the historically high numbers of fish due to combined impacts over the last century. An important influence in Idaho economy was the introduction of domestic livestock during the 1700s first by Native Americans and followed by settlers. Inappropriate livestock grazing has degraded streamside vegetation, stream channel condition, shape, water quality and the structure of the streambanks which make up a fisheries habitat. New grazing approaches (rest-rotation) have been enhanced to the point that they could move Idaho ahead in rangeland and fisheries management.
Vegetation Types: Grazed Forest Intermountain Grasslands (includes Palouse Prairie and Canyon Grasslands) Ponderosa Pine Woodlands Riparian and Wetlands Sagebrush Steppe Salt Desert Shrublands
MLRA Ecoregions: Not Applicable
Agrovoc Control Words: Riparian zones Grazing Inland Fisheries
Article Review Type: Peer Reviewed
Article Type: Professional Resource Knowledge
Keywords: management, idaho rangelands, forage, fisheries resource, livestock, grazing, riparian degradation
Annotation: The facts presented here are a nice summary of the effect of the resource decisions that were made over the last century on the Idaho fisheries. Many of these same issues are present in many other western states, and though the exact numbers presented here will not be the same, these thoughts and ideas outlined here are same across the West.
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