Mostgrazing lands are considered either range or pasture, but grazing lands also include grazed forest lands, grazed croplands, and haylands. These other land use types make up an additional 106 million acres of privately-owned grazing lands, or about 17percentof the total U.S. grazing lands

Three principal themes will guide CEAP investments and activities in the future (Maresch et al. 2008): 1. �Research addressing effective and efficient implementation of conservation practices and programs to meet environmental goals and enhance environmental quality. • �Continue and expand CEAP research projects on the effects and benefits of conservation practices for soil and water quality at the watershed and landscape scales. • �Implement a new research and assessment initiative for grazing lands designed to provide scientific evidence for implementation of conservation practices at the landscape scale. • �Determine the critical processes and attributes to be measured at the appropriate landscape position for evaluation of environmental benefits. • �Expand the scope of assessment to include evaluation of a full suite of ecosystem services influenced by conservation practices and programs.

In a study of 34 grazing systems in operation for 10-20 years in southwestern Montana, Myers (1989a) found timing of grazing, duration of use, and frequency of fall grazing were important factors in successful management (Table 3). The effectiveness of livestock grazing management was judged based on the vigor, regeneration, and utilization of woody species, as well as on bank stability.

When an animal eats a plant, it receives digestive feedback in the form of energy, nutrients, illness, or toxicosis. If the feedback is positive, preferences are formed to the plant and if the feedback is negative, aversions are formed. The strength of the preference or aversion is determined by the magnitude, nature, and timing of digestive feedback

Before collecting field monitoring measurements (Figure 2) it is important to specify why, where, how, at what frequency, and at what intensity you will monitor. The methods described in the Core Methodsvolume are part of Step 8 in implementing a moni-toring program (Figure 3). Describing the anticipat-ed data analysis and interpretation of the monitoring data will also inform the characteristics of the moni-toring program design. Volume II of this manual provides detailed guidance on monitoring program design, data analysis and interpretation. In some cases, you may need to refer to Volume II (see ques-tions below) before continuing to read the rest of the Core Methods volume.

. The distance from the main grazing areas to the nearest pond is never more than 300 m. Most mating takes place in water