Opening remarks by WLA CEO Lesli Allison for webinar “Public Lands Grazing Reform: What’s Changing and Why It Matters for the West”

Good morning, and thank you for being here! I am Lesli Allison, chief executive officer of the Western Landowners Alliance. We are a landowner-led organization dedicated to keeping working lands whole, healthy and productive for the benefit of people and wildlife. Many of our members graze livestock on public lands.

We are hosting this webinar today to help everyone better understand the proposed new grazing rules. At the end of the day, we hope to see a set of clear, effective and durable grazing regulations that promote the health and continued multiple use of public lands well into the future.

All Americans have a vested stake in this conversation and passions run high. In the announcement of this webinar, we referenced historic overgrazing and public debate on the topic. Yet for the many ranchers across the West who are excellent land stewards, deeply committed to the health of the land, framing the discussion this way is frustrating—and they let us know it! I understand, agree and apologize. Too often public dialogue and public policy centers on conflict rather than on the many things that are working. The point we were actually trying to make is that rangeland management and grazing have evolved in very positive ways and we need grazing rules to evolve to support that.

Prior to the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934, overgrazing did impact large swaths of land across the West. The TGA was created to regulate and manage grazing to ensure sustainable livestock production and the conservation of natural resource values.

We’ve come a long way since then. The science and art of grazing and rangeland management have evolved. With ever better understanding of the co-evolution of grasslands with grazing animals, we know more not only about how to avoid overgrazing but also how well managed livestock grazing can benefit grassland and rangeland ecosystems. People have increasingly recognized also that livestock grazing is one of the very few economic drivers keeping the West’s lands intact for the benefit of people and wildlife.

As this happens, we are seeing old conflicts over grazing give way to partnerships between ranchers and conservation organizations. Rancher-led collaborations, research and innovative practices are producing some of the best land health outcomes happening today. New technologies such as virtual fencing and remote monitoring hold exciting possibilities.

Our grazing regulations need to evolve, too. We need rules and guidance that not only prevent harm, but recognize, support and promote the good. We need flexibility and collaboration to adapt to changing conditions, new science and technology. All the while we need to remain accountable to the land itself, to the public, to the wildlife that also need these lands, and to future generations.

Finally, I want to say that in today’s polarized political environment, it can be difficult even to have a conversation among people with diverse perspectives. Yet a healthy society and good governance requires that we have such conversations. I want to thank all the panelists for their willingness and courage to be here. I also thank all of our participants in this call for being here. We may have varying opinions and experiences, but everyone present cares deeply about these lands. Let’s then approach this discussion with mutual respect and open minds.