Most of the livestock forage in California is produced in the Mediterranean climate zone, despite a long summer dry period.

There are also cold desert steppe and warm desert zones, and montane range, and both fall- and spring-calving cattle herds.

Leased land, public land, irrigated pasture, supplements, by-products, and feeds round out the annual forage calendar.

The Mediterranean zone has been termed a “critically endangered eco-region” and a “global biodiversity hot spot.”

Grazing benefits some of our rarest rangeland species and finest landscapes, and diverse interest groups are cooperating to support ranching.

Spanish colonists brought cattle to California when they landed in San Diego in 1769, with two hundred head of cattle arriving by overland routes.

Mexico, achieving independence, established rules to petition for land grants in California, paving the way for additional settlers by making land grants easier to obtain.

The Gold Rush resulted in cattle numbers quadrupling and sheep numbers increasing more than 60-fold between 1850 and 1860.

Multiple uses, such as agriculture crop production, impacted California rangelands.

Public policies now influence management of approximately 38 million acres of privately and publicly owned rangelands.

The Agricultural Extension Service at the University of California (UC) was established in Humboldt County in 1913 preceding the nationwide establishment of the extension service in 1914.

Improving rangelands by controlling weeds and brush, seeding, fertilization, and grazing management has been a continuing theme of research by UC since the late 1800s.

Restoration of annual-dominated grasslands with native perennials has been a recurring research theme that continues to challenge grassland researchers.

The complexity of research questions and education programs increased when environmental issues including grazing effects on riparian areas, oak regeneration, wildlife habitat, and water quality began to influence range research and extension programs in the 1980s.

A more diversified range extension audience evolved with the increase in small farms and ranches and diversification of agency staff in response to affirmative action.

In this six year study fall calving cows grazing annual grassland in the Sacramento Valley of California weaned heavier calves than their cohorts fed hay in the mountains.

The heavier weaned calves wintered on annual grasslands continued to be heavier than their cohorts wintered on hay in the mountains through the yearling phase.

Winter grazing annual grasslands was economically favorable when compared to feeding hay in the mountains.

The timing and amount of precipitation influence annual grassland forage production tremendously. There may be years when cattle fed hay in the mountains perform better than their cohorts grazing annual grassland.

Targeted grazing is an increasingly popular tool for managing vegetation over large landscapes.

While the principles of targeted grazing are scientifically based, the successful practice of targeted grazing requires site-specific knowledge of plant growth, animal nutrition and grazing behavior, ecosystem function, and public relations.

Targeted grazing requires significant producer investment—in livestock, infrastructure and equipment, and knowledge.

California's Mediterranean climate zone supports grasslands that are biologically diverse.

Livestock grazing is being increasingly used to promote native species diversity at both the pasture and landscape scales.

Several federally and state-listed vertebrates and insects respond positively to grazing to improve habitat by opening and lowering grassland vegetation. More work is needed on enhancement of native plants.

Research results need to be more extensively applied, tested, and monitored under variable conditions.

California landownerships are changing—becoming smaller and more amenity-driven, with important implications for ecosystem service production.

Residence on the property, larger property size, source of income from the land, having a long-term outlook, and using an advisory service are associated with landowner management for ecosystem services for the owner and for society.

Advisory services like Cooperative Extension and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, as well as private consultants and professional organizations, have an important role in the future of ecosystem service production.

Droughts are common on California rangelands.

The current drought in California is listed as severe or exceptional for most of the state.

The drought has affected rangeland, and the livestock industry, more than other commodities.

The actual costs associated with this drought are just beginning to be realized.