resource. We only hope to use what we learn to the advantage and bettennent 

 of all of us. 



I have implied that factual information in range management is somewhat 

 limited. This raises a question of research needs. We hope that you will 

 help us determine the right priorities. Because of the long time natiore of 

 this kind of research it is more important than ever that we do a thorough 

 job of planning before we start any projects. While many of our projects are 

 scheduled for terms of three to five years, I know a few in the range manage- 

 ment area that will not produce meaningful results before fifteen years. When 

 you are working out in the field interpreting a variable climate and weather 

 and you are trying to influence ecology and species relationship, it requires 

 time. At the present time we are working on grazing management, timeliness, 

 alternative management plans and others. We are working on sagebrush ecology, 

 trying to find out what makes the sagebrush plant grow and if not why not. 

 We are doing some work on remote sensing as a means of trying to find a better 

 way to evaluate the condition of the range at any point in time. We are 

 working on the effects of "potential" smokestacks on range production. Ren- 

 ovation and range fertilization are important research projects. This latter 

 topic can become somewhat of a controversial subject because of different 

 approaches and different interpretations that can be made of the data obtained. 

 It is both interesting and stimulating to get into a discussion of the pros 

 and cons of range fertilization. We have considerable data on short-term re- 

 sults, but long-term results are not as well known. We obviously need more 

 complete answers applicable to the many conditions under which our rangelands 

 are found. For example, how do we allocate the resources among the various 

 demands. There are many who give lip service to the multiple-use concept, but 

 because of the reactions of the public or because of personal conflicts they 

 don't really believe in it. How do we select the best management system for 

 a particular area? We know some but not enough. How do range resources 

 interact under different management systems, seasons, etc.? I suppose in the 

 final analysis we need to know more about the economics of rangeland improve- 

 ment. This is difficult enough with private land, but more so with public 

 lands. The uncertainty of public land policy does not lend itself to the 

 stability required for good range management planning. We have a question 

 of rights versus privileges. As I see it, the concept of land as a public 



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