Can Ranchers Slow Climate Change?

Abstract

Carbon credits can be created on rangelands at costs that are competitive with credits from cropland and forestry, revealing that ranchers could play a role in reducing climate change.

Influence of management and precipitation on carbon fluxes in great plains grasslands

“…Adjusting stocking rates, adding cattle watering facilities to improve utilization, inter-seeding alfalfa, burning, fertilizing, and grassland restoration have all been cited as management actions that could promote carbon sequestration (Campbell et al, 2004;Ritten et al, 2012). Generally, practices that reduce soil erosion and increase grassland productivity will also increase carbon sequestration rates and the sustainable livestock carrying capacity (Campbell et al, 2004).…”

“…Generally, practices that reduce soil erosion and increase grassland productivity will also increase carbon sequestration rates and the sustainable livestock carrying capacity (Campbell et al, 2004). In ecoregions with little difference in NEP among EPA classes, management may be relatively less important than climatic drivers, or the diversity of management (grazing) impacts may be low.…”

Contributing to the Mitigation of Climate Change Using Rangeland Management

“…However, the offset potential of private grazing lands in the United States was recently examined. 8 Those authors noted that there are some 254 million acres (100 million ha) of private grazing lands in the United States with the potential to store an additional 60 million tons of carbon (220 MTCO 2 e) per year. Their study examined the costs of creating offset credits on a 40,000-acre cow/calf operation in Wyoming through a variety of practices: alfalfa interseeding, summer movement of cattle from sensitive grazing areas, sagebrush thinning, and fencing.…”

“…Even commonly used and well-understood management practices such a grazing and burning can have either negative or positive effects on soil carbon, depending on initial conditions, implementation protocols, and postimple mentation environmental conditions. 8 Although rangeland research studies have been helpful in gaining a general understanding of carbon dynamics, a site-specifi c predictive model is not yet available.…”

Semi-Arid Rangelands and Carbon Offset Markets: A Look at the Economic Prospects

“…For example, one recent study looked at the economic possibilities for carbon storage on private grazing lands in the United States and concluded that it was a "win-win opportunity." 2 The purpose of this article is to examine the economic prospects for semiarid rangeland participation in carbon offset markets. To that end, it explores the results of a recent study of carbon sequestration on Arizona's rangelands and considers their possibilities in carbon-offset trading.…”