Criterion III: Maintenance of rangeland productive capacity [Chapter 4]

Maintenance of rangeland productive capacity is one of five criteria established by the Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable (SRR) to monitor and assess rangeland sustainable management. Within this criterion, six indicators were developed through the Delphi Process and the expert opinions of academicians, rangeland scientists, rangeland management agency personnel, non-governmental organization representatives, and other interested stakeholders. The indicators are standing aboveground biomass; annual net primary productivity; percent of suitable rangeland grazed by livestock; number of livestock on rangeland; presence and densities of wildlife functional groups on rangeland; and annual removal of native hay and non-forage plant materials, landscaping materials, edible and medicinal plants, and wood products from rangeland. A rationale for these six indicators is made.