Such improvement is directly correlated with increased production of 

 range forage — on average through both wet and drought years. Stocking 

 rates may be lower but live-weight gain per acre will be greater. The 

 stopping of sheet erosion is an early result and the healing of gullies is 

 most favored. Most significantly, improvement in ecological range condi- 

 tion increases the amount of rainfall and snowmelt that is stored in the 

 soil for plant growth — up to the maximum attainable without costly arti- 

 ficial treatments. Such reductions in erosion and runoff from uplands, are, 

 of course, directly related to reductions in damages from flooding and sed- 

 imentation on lower croplands and in ponds, streambeds, and reservoirs. Such 

 improvements are the most certain long-term habitat improvement for native 

 wildlife — not for a specific species but for a natural variety or community 

 of wildlife from bees and birds, through fur-bearers to big game. 



The benefits of excellent and good range condition classes in times of 

 drought need special emphasis. The native perennial grasses in the higher 

 range condition classes are not only taller than the weedy grasses of the 

 lower range condition classes, they are also more deeply rooted and better 

 able to survive droughts. Moreover, when dormant from drought, or in winter, 

 they make better forage than old growth of tame pastures or the weedy plants 

 of ranges in poor condition. A deferred native pastiire with abundant old 

 growth can provide far more economical relief from drought than reserve hay. 

 It ' s cheaper to haul concentrates than both roughage and concentrates to a 

 range herd. 



Many of you here may already be convinced of most all that I have aaid 

 about range in good or excellent condition. Lay your plans to convince the 

 ranchers who are not. The unconvinced; why do they stumble in droughts \in- 

 prepared? Well, they may be newcomers; but not necessarily. Why isn't 

 stocking adjusted promptly in times of drought? Such planning and adjust- 

 ments have been urged by rangemen for at least 40 years. Forty years ago I 

 helped write Senate Doc. #199» also called the Norris Report, after Senator 

 Norris of Nebraska, who requested a report from the U.S.F.S. on our western 

 ranges. That 620 page book, entitled " The Western Range; A great but neglected 

 natural resource ", has an entire chapter on climatic fluctuations, including 

 a map showing the number of drought years out of each ten for the 1? western 

 states. There was considerable evidence then that major peaks in livestock 



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