Manual for describing land degradation indicators

Table of Contents

1. Editor
2. Introduction
3. Classification of indicators
4. Land degradation indicators
5. Evaluation and short-list of indicators
6. Explanations for filling the information sheets
   1. General information
   2. Climate indicators
   3. Water indicators
   4. Soil indicators
   5. Vegetation indicators
   6. Water runoff indicators
   7. Forest fires indicators
   8. Agricultural indicators
   9. Cultivation indicators
   10. Husbandry indicators
   11. Land management indicators
   12. Land use indicators
   13. Water use indicators
   14. Tourism indicators
   15. Social indicators
   16. Institutional indicators
7. Farm survey research
8. Focus group approach
9. References

Husbandry indicators

Grazing control: Grazing control is a management action aiming at the establishment of an equilibrium between herbivores and the resource base of rangelands so that sustained production is ensured. This equilibrium suggests that animal grazing should be practiced so that range condition is maintained at a productive state and rangelands stay healthy. Controlled grazing may include the following actions: selection of a sustainable number of grazing animals, fencing of grazing land and alternatively grazing, avoidance of grazing when soils are very wet, fire protection of grazing land, etc.

Grazing intensity:It is a measure of the pressure imposed on the growing vegetation by the grazing animals. A methodology for assessing it is the calculation of stocking rate (SR) and grazing capacity (GC) and their comparison. If SR equals GC the rangelands are properly grazed, but if SR does not equal GC then grazing is improper and irrational and should be adjusted. The formulas for calculation are:

one sheep equivalent (SE) = 1 sheep = 0,8 goats = 0,2 cattle. The following classes are used: low grazing intensity (SR<GR), moderate grazing intensity (SR = GC to 1.5GC), high grazing intensity (SR>1.5GC).