Rangelands: The Original Forages Are Forgotten but Not Gone.

Forages play a vital role in the lives of everyone from the rancher producing red meat, milk, or fiber to the most modern metropolitan airport. Although forage plants are primarily thought of as food for grazing animals, they also provide important ecosystem services that contribute significantly to the lives of urban populations. Much emphasis today is on exotic or introduced forages due to dry matter production potential. As fertilizer prices continue to increase, however, there is an increased awareness regarding the value of rangelands and the ecosystem services provided by these environmentally sensitive regions. Ecosystem services provided by rangelands and the forages present include watershed issues, carbon sequestration, forage for domestic and exotic livestock and wildlife species, and recreation. This discussion is a look at a specific ecosystem, the Edwards Plateau region of Texas; however, many of the comments made apply equally to rangelands located throughout the US and the world.