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Submodule 3: Economic and Ecological Impacts

Economic Impacts

The biological diversity and abundant resources found on western U.S. rangelands provides valuable economic resources. These resources include grazing land, minerals, timber, and recreational uses. The ability of rangeland to supply these resources is dependant on its “health” or “condition,” which can be seriously compromised by the invasion of non-native plants.

 

Economic impacts of invasive plants on western rangelands are generally poorly documented but known to be quite serious. Estimates have been made on farm and pasturelands for some crops that have been negatively impacted by weeds. Economic losses on rangelands are harder to assess and reported less frequently than farm land. Nevertheless, economic impacts on rangelands are important to consider because, as more evidence of detrimental effects is presented, legislators and society in general begin to take notice.

 

Because different invasive plants can result in different degrees of economic impacts, we will look at some information for several of the most damaging invasive western weeds. For some of these weeds, studies on specific economic impacts have been conducted for rangelands, while for others, crop devaluation data on farmland is presented.

 

(photo courtesy John Hays)

 

 

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