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Environmental Impacts of Cattle Ranching
June, 2020
Christa Kirby, UF/IFAS Extension Manatee County, Palmetto
Looking out over the picturesque fields of lush green
grasses growing and cattle grazing may be the best view of all. How
does that view affect our environment? Depending on which day it is,
you may come across a news story showing how ranchers are destroying our
environment. While other news stories show how they are some of the best
stewards of the land. So what is the environmental story behind the
view?
Ranchers have long recognized the importance and value
of preserving these natural resources. When ranches are managed
properly, they can provide wildlife habitat, store carbon, contribute to
purifying air and water, and preserve soils. Ranchers can serve an
important role in mitigating the impacts of many invasive species that
threaten native plants and wildlife. In Florida, the dollar value of
these services has been estimated at $4.6 billion annually, as documented in
the UF/IFAS Florida’s Pastures and Rangelands infographic.
Ranches with a combination of improved pastures, wooded
native areas, and wetlands offer a diversity of ecosystems. These
diverse ecosystems provide habitat and open space for many wildlife species
to prosper. In these areas, you can find many native and endangered
plants and animals. Some plants you may find are bromeliads, scrub
palmetto, bald Cyprus and bluestem grass, just to name a few. Animals
you may find are alligators, gopher tortoise, or the bald eagle. The
Caracara and the native Florida panther, depend upon ranchland for their
continued survival. For example, the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission estimates that more than 50% of habitat used by
Florida panthers exists on privately owned land, most of which supports
cattle ranching.
Another resource ranches can provide is water storage.
Depending on the time of year and amount of rain we receive, ranches can
provide areas to store water. Ranches can also provide resources to
clean water prior to it reaching waterways. Wetlands provide an
important resource to clean and filter water. Through the Best
Management Practices (BMP) program, ranchers have installed structures in
waterways to slow the flow of water. In some instances, they have also
returned areas of the ranch to its native state. This allows the water
to spend more time on the ranch and clean the water. This water is
also able to infiltrate the soil and replenish ground water sources rather
than running off to larger bodies of water like lakes or the ocean.
The carbon footprint is reduced on the ranch by
improving efficiency. Over the years, the overall efficiency has been
improved to produce each pound of beef. Well managed grazing systems
and improved feed production systems can both be contributors to this
reduction. Along with the reduction of the ranches carbon footprint,
these changes can also slow climate change.
Along with providing habitat for wildlife and plants,
assisting in providing clean water to our waterways and reducing our carbon
footprint, preserving the land for future generations is also important.
More ranchers are beginning to enroll parts of their ranch into conservation
easements to preserve the natural areas for future generations to enjoy.
Conservation easements are provided through federal, state, and private
organizations. Entering into these agreements, ranchers are selling
their development and land-use conversion rights to achieve environmental
protection goals. These easements are voluntary to enroll. The
conservation easement allows current and future owners to use the land for
detailed purposes such as ranching or agricultural operations.
There are two different programs in the state of
Florida to conserve natural resources and protect land, Florida Forever and
Rural Family Lands Protection Program. These programs are administered
through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Citizens of Florida voted, by 75 percent, in 2014 for conservation funding.
The level of funding varies from year to year. On the federal level,
the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) also has a conservation
easement program that protects land and simultaneously conserves natural
resources as long as the easement makes economic sense for the agricultural
operation.
The Florida Conservation Group was developed to focus
on conserving natural and agricultural lands. This group is comprised of
representation from a variety of groups including the Florida Cattlemen’s
Association.
Ranchers in Florida are going above and beyond to
preserve their lands for future generations. Assisting in providing
ideal habitats for some of Florida’s endangered species, cleaning and
holding water, reducing carbon footprints, and preserving the land.
Ranchers are ensuring that we will have those picturesque fields to enjoy
for many generations.