Utilization Monitoring

Monitoring the utilization of the range vegetative resources is an important component of a complete monitoring program. The short term utilization monitoring serves two important purposes. First, utilization is often used as a guide to managers in determining when livestock need to move from an area. Utilization figures may be stated in Allotment Management Plans, Forest Plans, or in Monitoring Objectives. However, used by itself, utilization data really doesn't offer us an opportunity to learn much about the ecology of the site.

The utilization standards generally are the result of "best guess" estimates of the amount of season long use that a plant community can withstand year after year. A monitoring program which gathers and compiling annual use numbers over a period of years will provide a more accurate estimation of the impact of the use actually applied to a site when compared to the long-term trend monitoring data. In other words, if there is an apparent downward trend, then the use applied over the years is probably to much or ill timed. Conversely, if the trend seems upward, then the grazing use is lighter than the site can offer and continue to maintain stability. Ideally, the objective for the site will guide interpretation of the use and trend data.

Utilization methodology

The methodology the Permittee Monitoring protocol suggests for measuring utilization is the USFS Utilization Gauge (stubble height) method.

Detailed Instructions on Utilization Gauge Use

Detailed explanation of Height Weight Utilization Methods
 
 

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