Type: report

Article abstract: The SDMMP established a subcommittee in 2019 which proposed a Grazing Monitoring Pilot Project (GMPP) with goals to investigate the efficacy of grazing to: a) reduce fire risk, b) enhance disturbed native habitats, and c) promote MSP species. This document presents an annotated review of the core literature related to the GMPP goals and is intended to provide SANDAG and the SDMMP with links to relevant published experimental, observational, model-based, reviews/book chapters, and technical reports. The collection of literature reviewed below is presented in a bibliographical format with accompanying abstracts, summaries, purposes, or conclusions (primarily taken from the original documents) to help inform development of an efficient and effective MSP Grazing Monitoring Plan benefitting southern California native habitats and species. The specific subtopics start with historical background and the use of predictive models, move to topics of fire risk reduction, grazing to enhance disturbed native grasslands and forbland habitats, and grazing to enhance disturbed coastal sage scrub habitat. Then it reviews topics of climate/drought responses, coastal sage scrub type conversion, grazing in relation to some MSP species, monitoring, and the benefits and tradeoffs of different grazing animals. Finally, we provide some summary observations and conclusions.