Rangeland and Grazing
The Forest Service administers over 6,000 active permits for livestock grazing on National Forest System lands. Grazing permittees are individuals or organizations who have applied for and acquired the privilege to graze livestock on National Forests or National Grasslands.
It is the Forest Service's goal to conserve the rich resources of the National Forests and Grasslands while supporting communities greatly dependent upon these same resources.
The Forest Service’ top priority is to maintain and improve the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of current and future generations. A few items included in the agency’s multiple use, sustained yield mission includes recreation, minerals and geology, water, and restoration.
While grazing is an important use, we will also continue to move forward with improving our management and preventing degradation of soil, water, and vegetation.
Rangelands are grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, wetlands, and deserts that are grazed by domestic livestock or wild animals. Ranching and livestock grazing continue to be traditional cultural values in the rural communities adjacent to the Santa Fe National Forest. Today, the Santa Fe National Forest is grazed by cows, calves, and yearlings, with incidental use by permittees' working horses.
Santa Fe Range Allotment and Pasture Information
Allotment Management Plan (AMP)
A Forest Service grazing allotment management plan (AMP) is a document that outlines how livestock grazing will be managed on a specific area of National Forest System land, ensuring sustainable rangeland health and meeting multiple-use objectives. AMPs should describe acceptable levels of livestock use or impacts within a pasture and thresholds which indicate acceptable use levels, criteria for determining livestock entry into an allotment, and management strategies to secure long term rangeland health.
Annual Operating Instruction (AOI)
A Forest Service grazing Annual Operating Instruction (AOI) is a document that supplements a term grazing permit, outlining annual actions needed to implement the allotment's management plan, including resource protection, grazing use, and improvement maintenance for the upcoming grazing season. Operating Instructions should clearly articulate permittee responsibilities for annual livestock numbers, dates for livestock entry and removal, livestock movement within and between pastures, and range improvement maintenance.
Maps of Range Allotments and Pastures on the Santa Fe National Forest
Rangeland Management Laws, Policies and Manuals
- Laws, regulations and policies that govern Forest Service range management.
- Forest Service Manual and directives on rangeland management.
- How grazing permits align with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) mission to provide a safety net for millions of Americans who are food-insecure.
- How to obtain a grazing permit.