|
1. Definition
| Name |
GRAZING
CONTROL |
| Brief definition |
The regulation
of the number and kind of livestock as well as of the season
and duration of their grazing. |
| Unit
of measure |
Stocking
rate vs grazing capacity, both expressed in Sheep Equivalents/ha/year
(SE/ha/yr) |
| Spatial scale |
|
| Temporal scale |
Annual |
2. Position
within the logical framework DPSIR
| Type
of Indicator |
Regulatory
measure (management). |
3. Target and
political pertinence
| Objective |
To
evaluate the current use of rangelands by grazing animals (livestock)
as compared with the proper use determined by the grazing capacity
of that particular rangeland. |
| Importance
with respect to desertification |
Grazing
control is a measure to mitigate the negative effects of livestock
husbandry on rangelands. These effects are caused by irrational
livestock grazing, especially overgrazing. Readjusting the whole
grazing management with control measures will result in reversing
desertification in desertified rangelands. |
| International
Conventions and agreements |
The
UNCCD emphasizes that in order to combat desertification it
must be tackled within the general framework of actions that
promote sustainable development. Within Agenda 21 animal carrying
capacity is relevant to Chapter 12 (Managing fragile ecosystems:
Combating desertification and drought). |
| Secondary
objectives of the indicator |
To
restore soil integrity and ecosystem processes in desertified
rangelands. |
4. Methodological
description and basic definitions
| Definitions
and basic concepts |
Grazing
control is a management action aiming at establishment of an
equilibrium between herbivores and the resource base of rangelands
so that sustained production is ensured. This equilibrium suggests
that animal grazing should be practiced so that range condition
is maintained at a productive state and rangelands stay healthy. |
| Benchmarks
Indication of the values/ranges of value |
Range
condition should be in a good state. This means that more than
70% of the plant species should be desirable to the animals,
the bare soil should be covered by litter and no soil erosion
should occur. In woody rangelands, the density and height of
woody species should not be so high as to prevent an homogeneous
distribution of animals all over the rangeland. |
| Methods
of measurement |
The
methodology involves the calculation of stocking rate (SR) and
grazing capacity (GC) and their comparison. If SR equals GC
the rangelands are properly grazed, but if SR does not equal
GC then grazing is improper and irrational and should be adjusted.
The formulas for calculation are:
| SR= |
 |
| GC= |
 |
one sheep equivalent (SE)
= 1 sheep = 0,8 goats = 0,2 cattle
|
| Limits
of the indicator |
The
indicator is affected by the forage production of a particular
rangeland which in turn is affected by the weather conditions.
The latter change from one season to the next and between years.
This means that the indicator is only a rough guide and the
range condition should be frequently checked to make sure that
the grazing management applied is under control. |
| Linkages
with other indicators |
The
indicator is linked with the other grazing indicators (Grazing,
Grazing intensity, Husbandry
intensity) as well as with the climate and soil indicators. |
5. Evaluation
of data needs and availability
| Data required
to calculate the indicator |
Data of the
number and kind of grazing animals, the grazing period, the
area grazed and the forage production of the rangelands. |
| Data sources |
National and
European statistical records on livestock husbandry and rangelands,
vegetation maps, research and management reports, published
papers. |
| Availability
of data from national and international sources |
Census data
are available at all levels (local, regional, national) in each
country as well as at the European level. Forage production
data are less available and it requires searching in national
institutions involved with the research and development of rangelands. |
6. Institutions
that have participated in developing the indicator
| Main institutions
responsible |
National and
Statistical Services and Eurostat. |
| Other contributing
organizations |
Aristotle University of
Thessaloniki, Greece
University of Sassari,
Sardinia
|
7. Additional
information
| Bibliography
|
Kyriakakis, S.D. and V.P.
Papanastasis. 1999. Seasonal growth of forage production in
relation to altitude in rangelands of western Crete and its
implication to sustained animal production. Cahiers Options
Mediterraneennes, 39: 151-155.
Papanastasis, V.P. 2000.
Shrubland management and shrub plantations is southern Europe,
p. 54-66. In: Fodder Shrub Development in Arid and Semi-arid
Zones. Gintzburger, G., M. Bounejmate and A. Nefzaoni (eds).
Proc. of the workshop on Native and Exotic Fodder Shrubs in
Arid and Semi-arid Zones, 27 Oct – 2 Nov 1996, Hammamet,
Tunisia. ICARDA, Aleppo, Syria. Vol. I: vii-290pp
Papanastasis, V.P., S.
Kyriakakis, G. Kozakis, M. Abid and A. Doulis. 2003. Plant
cover as a tool for monitoring desertification in mountain
Mediterranean rangelands. Management of Environmental Quality:
An International Journal, 14(1): 69-81.
|
| Other references |
Le Houerou
HN, 1981. Impact of man and his animal on Mediterranean vegetation.
In: di Castri F., Goodall D.W., Specht R.L., (eds). Mediterranean-type
Shrublands. Ecosystems of the World 11, Elsevier Scientific
Publ., Amsterdam: 479-521 |
| Contacts
Name and address |
Contacts Name and address
Prof. Vasilios P. Papanastasis
Laboratory of Rangeland
Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle
University, 54 124 Thessaloniki, Greece.
Tel:+30 2310 998933
Fax:+30 2310 992721
E-mail: vpapan@for.auth.gr
|
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