Determining Trend of Range-Watershed Condition Essential to Success in Management

Accurate determination of the condition and trend of the plant cover and soil mantle, site by site, is considered the key to satisfactory range-watershed management. Many unsatisfactory range-watershed situations are attributed largely to an inadequate understanding of conditions and trend, including a tendency to rely upon single-factor indices rather than to consider all of the observable site factors. As a solution, the author advocates further research in ecology and soils, a fuller use of range condition and trend in surveys and inspections, and higher professional qualifications for range-watershed managers.