CAN COWS AND FISH COEXIST

Our paper provides an ecological perspective on the interrelationship between livestock grazing and riparian areas through a review of topic al literature. We also describe the Alberta Riparian Habitat Managemen t Project (also known as ''Cows and Fish''), and draw upon our experie nce to provide a perspective on future riparian management actions. Th ose actions should begin with an understanding that prairie landscapes evolved with herbivores, in a grazing regime timed and controlled by season and climatic fluctuations where grazing by native grazers was f ollowed by variable rest periods. Prevailing range management principl es represent an attempt to imitate the natural system and describe eco logically based grazing systems. Traditionally, range management guide lines have focused on grazing practices and impacts in upland, terrest rial rangelands, with a lack of attention devoted to riparian areas. T hree decades of riparian investigation have quantified the effect unma naged livestock grazing can have on range productivity and watershed f unction. We contend that suitable grazing strategies for riparian area s will be developed first by understanding the function of riparian sy stems and then by applying range management principles to develop ripa rian grazing strategies. A key step towards determining the fit of liv estock grazing is an understanding of the formation of riparian system s and their ecological function. We describe riparian structure, funct ion and process to provide linkages between livestock grazing, riparia n vegetation health and stream channel dynamics. We summarize the effe cts of unmanaged livestock grazing on riparian habitats and fish and w ildlife populations. The general conclusion is that unmanaged grazing results in overuse and degradation of riparian areas. The literature p rovides several options for the development of riparian grazing strate gies. We provide an overview of strategies suitable for riparian areas in Southern Alberta which should maintain ecological function and sus tained use.