In a previous article, Beschta et al. (Environ
Manag 51(2):474–491, 2013) argue that grazing by large
ungulates (both native and domestic) should be eliminated
or greatly reduced on western public lands to reduce
potential climate change impacts. The authors did not
present a balanced synthesis of the scientific literature, and
their publication is more of an opinion article. Their conclusions
do not reflect the complexities associated with
herbivore grazing. Because grazing is a complex ecological process, synthesis of the scientific literature can be a
challenge. Legacy effects of uncontrolled grazing during
the homestead era further complicate analysis of current
grazing impacts. Interactions of climate change and grazing
will depend on the specific situation. For example,
increasing atmospheric CO₂ and temperatures may increase
accumulation of fine fuels (primarily grasses) and thus
increase wildfire risk. Prescribed grazing by livestock is
one of the few management tools available for reducing
fine fuel accumulation. While there are certainly points on
the landscape where herbivore impacts can be identified, there are also vast grazed areas where impacts are minimal.
Broad scale reduction of domestic and wild herbivores to
help native plant communities cope with climate change
will be unnecessary because over the past 20–50 years land
managers have actively sought to bring populations of
native and domestic herbivores in balance with the potential
of vegetation and soils. To cope with a changing climate,
land managers will need access to all available
vegetation management tools, including grazing.Keywords: Grazing, Riparian areas, Public lands, Climate chang
