Grassbanks F.A.Q.'s

Grassbank (n): A partnership that leverages conservation practices across multiple land ownerships based on the exchange of forage for tangible conservation benefits. Grassbank can also refer to a physical place where cattle are temporarily located to feed on forage while home rangelands are undergoing restoration and conservation activities. A grassbanker refers to those who participate in a grassbank process either as a rancher who has decided to exchange forage for conservation on their home range or as a participant in a committee that establishes and oversees a grassbank.

Q: What kind of lands can be used as a grassbank? A: Public or private lands can be used as a grassbank. Private lands may include privately owned ranchlands or those owned by a non-profit organization. Public lands may include state or municipal lands, or federal lands in the form of Forest Service or BLM administered grazing allotments.

Q: What 'conservation benefits' can be exchanged for forage? A: Current grassbanks exchange forage for open space protection, endangered species protection, and ecological rehabilitation. Ecological rehabilitation activities include rangeland improvements, prescribed burns, invasive species control, and woodland thinning.

Q: I am a ___________ why should I be interested?

Rancher " A: Rancher participation in a grassbank provides an opportunity to improve resource conditions and forage production without liquidating or reducing livestock. In addition, ecological rehabilitation helps improve the long-term economic viability of a ranch.

Conservationist " A: A grassbank is an important tool for conservation because it 1) aids ecological restoration; 2) protects open space by encouraging land owners to stay in business and not subdivide their land; 3) protects biodiversity by maintaining and improving native habitat; and 4) encourages better stewardship of public and private lands by integrating scientific knowledge and best management practices.

Government Agency " A: Grassbanks contribute to agency goals by: 1) providing a mechanism for federal and state agencies to restore and rehabilitate federal rangelands without requiring grazing permittees to liquidate or reduce livestock; 2) maintaining open rangeland spaces on private lands near and adjoining federal lands; 3) reducing conflicts between grazing and other land uses; and 4) contributing to rural community economic stability.

Q: Who can organize a grassbank? A: Any community of interest can organize a grassbank. It might involve a coalition of livestock operators, agency personnel, scientists, and conservationists, or it might consist solely of a group of ranchers. The key is for the proponents to muster sufficient resources and management capacity to ensure viability of the project.

Q: Who can participate? A: Grassbanks are local partnerships and decisions on who can participate are made by the grassbank partners. Memorandum of understanding and other administrative agreements specific to each grassbank usually outline who can participate. Some grassbanks have local advisory boards to establish eligibility and approve individual participants.

Q: Can I be forced to participate? A: Absolutely not! Grassbanks are voluntary agreements, and only work if they are voluntary.

Q: Do permittees using the grassbank have their permits reduced or jeopardized? A: To date, no federal grazing permits have been reduced or retired as a result of a permittee using a grassbank. When a rancher moves cattle to a grassbank from a public-land grazing allotment, the usual goal is to enhance the permit by improving forage production and ecological health.

Q: Why is 'grassbank' trademarked, and how do I use it? A: The Malpai Borderlands Group, a 501(c)3 conservation organization based in the Borderlands Region of the U.S. Southwest, pioneered the grassbank concept and its initial application in 1994. It very quickly became a topic of great interest as an innovative approach to improving land health, sustaining open spaces, and enhancing a community's economic potential. Unfortunately, this interest extended to unwelcome commercial applications that bore no relationship to the intended purposes. As a consequence, the Malpai Borderlands Group took the unprecedented step of securing trademark protection to maintain the essential integrity of the grassbank concept so that it would be available to future collaborators who shared similar goals and purposes. The 'grassbank' name and concept can be used after furnishing the Malpai Borderlands Group with basic contact information and program elements.

Q: What does a grassbank cost, who funds it? A: A variety of costs are associated with grassbanks, including the capital cost of the land (if purchased), administration, and implementation of conservation and restoration practices. Typically, costs are shared by the grassbank partners. Current grassbanks have received financial support in the form of foundation grants, user fees, government funds, and in-kind contributions.

I invite your comments, suggestions, and any other sort of feedback you would like to give me Stephanie Gripne.

Stephanie Gripne, Boone and Crockett Wildlife Conservation Program, School of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, steph@compatibleventures.com