State and Federal
Land Management

STATUS: Only a small percentage of our District is privately owned, the
remainder being mostly state and federally owned. Most of our ranches utilize
some combination of all three types of land, yet sometimes management is not
well coordinated. In some cases, lack of coordination unnecessarily hampers
livestock operations, wildlife management, as well as the proper use of grazing
resources.

POLICY: We believe a close working relationship between ranchers and the
various land management agencies is desirable. We support the concept of
coordinated management plans which emphasize the needs of the total livestock
operation as well as the land resources. We do not support coordination where it
becomes cumbersome, impractical, financially unsound, or violates private
property rights.

IMPLEMENTATION: The mechanism for coordinated planning has been set up
with the Forest Service and will be further refined as it is exercised. The District
is available to any rancher to sponsor a coordinated plan if he feels it is in his
and the land's best interest. Submittal of such a request is all that is necessary.
Once all parties have sat down together and developed a viable plan, the District
will critically evaluate it to determine if it will bring about improved resource
use and provide economic benefit. The District will offer input to the Forest
Service and other agencies on land management plans to facilitate the
implementation of multiple use concepts of timber, grazing, wildlife, recreation,
watershed, and the protection of private property rights. The District will
participate in management plan reviews where appropriate.