The Economics of EBIPM on Great Basin Rangelands

Abstract

Ecologically Based Invasive Plant Management (EBIPM) has been shown to be more effective at rehabilitating sagebrush rangeland degraded by invasive plants than standard invasive plant man- agement practices.1,2,3 The improvements in ecosystem func- tion that result from implementing EBIPM on sagebrush rangelands have numerous economic bene ts, from increased forage productivity for domestic livestock to enhancements in ecosystem goods and services (EGS), such as wild re habi- tat and hydrological function. In this article, we describe how the economic bene ts of EBIPM can be measured as the change in the  ow of EGS resulting from improvements in ecosystem function, and highlight three recent research proj- ects that have quanti ed the economic bene ts of EBIPM on sagebrush rangelands using this approach.

DOI: 10.2458/azu_rangelands_v34i6_rollins