Sand dunes dominate the landscape in the North Algodones Dunes Wilderness Area.
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Hiker King Range National Conservation Area Flannel Bush Flower Bighorn Sheep Three Pump Jacks, Midway-Sunset Oilfield
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Grazing

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has begun implementation of the standards for rangeland health and guidelines for livestock grazing that apply to public lands administered by BLM in central and northern California and northwestern Nevada.  Links to these documents and accompanying information follow at the bottom of this webpage.

These standards and guidelines, approved by the Secretary of the Interior in July 2000, were prepared in consultation and coordination with three of BLM-California's four Resource Advisory Councils (RACs), composed of individuals representing a broad spectrum of public land interests and users.   The RACs involved in helping to develop these standards and guidelines represent northwestern California, central California, and northeastern California/northwestern Nevada.

The complete text of both the standards and guidelines approved by the Secretary as well as the records of decision (ROD) approved by the BLM State Director implementing those standards and guidelines are linked below.  Because of the different nature of the landscapes in the three regions cited above, each set of standards and guidelines and its accompanying ROD is tailored specifically to the areas involved.  Each ROD contains important information on the implementation and monitoring that will occur in each of the areas covered.

A final environmental impact statement (FEIS) was prepared analyzing the environmental impacts of five alternatives, including the standards and guidelines that were eventually adopted.   The FEIS, analyzing the impacts of implementing the standards and guidelines in all three public land areas, was released to the public in April 1998.  The BLM-California State Director signed the RODs for each of the three sets of standards and guidelines in June 1999.  Final implementation of these standards and guidelines awaited approval of the Secretary on July 13, 2000.

  Northwestern California:

Central California:

Northeastern California/Northwestern Nevada:

  Archive: Status Report, August 1999


 Grazing Program Contacts
 Grazing Program Fact Sheet
 2011 Grazing Fee
 Cattle grazing in the desert

Quick Facts:
  • 572 permittees

  • 699 allotments

  • 8.1 million acres

  • 525,000 animal unit months of forage for livestock