The Effects of Federal Policies on Rangeland Ecosystem Services in the Southwestern United States

Aaron M. Lien, Jenny L. Neeley, George B. Ruyle, Laura Lopez-Hoffman

Abstract


On the Ground
• Rangelands provide a wide array of ecosystem
services – the direct benefits people receive from
nature. There is increasing interest by policymakers
and conservationists in managing for these ecosystem
services.
• Because of complex land tenure arrangements in
the Intermountain West, it is important to understand
the impacts of federal resource management
laws on ecosystem services flowing from public and
private lands.
• All major federal land management laws are
supportive of managing for ecosystem services.
We review the implications of FLPMA, NFMA,
NEPA, ESA, and CWA on ecosystem services on
public and private lands.

Keywords: ecosystem services, public lands, federal
policy, US Forest Service, Bureau of Land
Management, NEPA.


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