Revised and Reviewed (2026): Kaylee Wheeler
Original Authors (2009): Kathryn Reeves, Roger Gates, James Johnson, and Kelli Spleiss
Rangelands and grasslands are important South Dakota resources. Ranchers depend on grazing lands to provide feed for their cattle. Rangelands also provide habitat for wildlife and recreation areas for people. Careful management is necessary to use this natural resource wisely.
Rangelands are lands that are useful for grazing livestock or wildlife foraging. The plants found on rangelands are grasses, grass-like plants, forbs, and shrubs. In South Dakota, our rangelands are both natural and introduced grasslands, woodlands, and forests.
