Since 1984, over 1.4 million acres of agricultural land in California has been converted to other uses, with 78% of those lands lost to urban development.
In the past, the benefits of California’s rangeland—food, wildlife habitat, clean air and water, wildfire protection, vibrant communities, and more—have been difficult to quantify.
Because clear valuation is essential when making policy decisions, UC Berkeley scientists set out to identify specific values for the ecosystem services provided by rangelands conserved by the Rangeland Trust.