Some people call the arid ranges of the Southwest "Big Country." The ranges may seem limitless. But as a renewable resource for livestock grazing, these ranges are fragile, easily damaged by abuse and subject to droughts. Many have already been damaged by a combination of grazing, droughts, and a rapid increase of unwanted shrubs.

Range managers work to produce the highest possible net return from rangeland while preserving it as a renewable resource. Because each ranch is different, each rancher has to tailor his own management plan to fit his range and his livestock.

This publication brings together conclusions from research and experience in the management of southwestern arid ranges for ranchers to consider as they select management practices for their ranches.