Range Manager
A Range Manager is a professional specializing in the oversight and management of rangelands, which encompass diverse ecosystems such as prairies, grasslands, deserts, and tundras, covering over one billion acres in the United States alone. These professionals play a crucial role in promoting sustainable land use practices, ensuring the health of natural resources, and balancing the needs of wildlife, livestock grazing, and recreational activities. Generally employed by government agencies, private companies, or as independent consultants, Range Managers often engage in field-based research and management efforts, requiring physical fitness and adaptability to various terrains and outdoor conditions.
Their responsibilities can vary widely, including assisting landowners in developing efficient grazing systems, conducting environmental impact assessments, and implementing land preservation initiatives. The work environment can be demanding, with a mix of office duties and extensive outdoor activity, often involving collaboration with ranchers, scientists, and conservation groups. To enter this field, candidates typically need at least a bachelor's degree in range management or a related discipline, along with relevant work experience. With a median yearly salary of approximately $83,770, the profession requires a strong commitment to environmental stewardship and effective communication skills.
Range Manager
Snapshot
Career Cluster(s): Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources, Manufacturing, Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics
Interests: Ecology, land management, conservation science, natural resource management, development and land use, environmental science
Earnings (Yearly Median): $83,770 per year, $40.27 per hour (2023)
Employment & Outlook: -5 percent (Decline)
Entry-Level Education High school diploma or equivalent
Related Work Experience 5 years or more
On-the-job-Training None
Overview
Sphere of Work. Range managers, natural resource specialists, wildlife managers, land managers, and habitat coordinators engage in research, management, and public and private rangeland protection. Rangeland, which covers approximately one billion acres of the United States and over half of all land on Earth, generally refers to unforested land, including prairies, grassland, savannas, deserts, tundra, and shrubland. This land may be used for animal grazing, timbering, or recreation or may be protected land such as wildlife habitats. In the United States, range managers promote environmentally sustainable development and land use. Range management is a subspecialty of conservation science.
Work Environment. Most range managers work for government agencies, often overseeing field-based research or management efforts in diverse terrain. Others work as consultants or for private companies and may spend their workdays in an office or a laboratory. Work hours tend to be unpredictable due to seasonal research and fieldwork. The work of range managers is very physical and may involve hiking in rugged terrain or traveling by truck, motorcycle, helicopter, or horseback.
Occupation Interest. Individuals drawn to the range manager profession are interested in the environment and conservation of natural resources. They should be physically fit, have good communication and problem-solving skills, and enjoy working in outdoor settings.
A Day in the Life—Duties and Responsibilities. The daily occupational duties and responsibilities of range managers will be determined by the individual’s area of job specialization. Somebody who works with private landowners may help a rancher develop an optimal grazing system or determine the type of animal most suited to the local terrain. An employee of a biological assessment company may document and track the vegetation found on rangeland, prepare environmental impact statements, or study the feasibility and sustainability of land use projects. Government employees may make decisions about hunting and fishing policies, monitor the effects of outdoor recreation activities such as snowmobiling and camping, or meet with land preservation groups to discuss requests for land use or protection. Other possible duties include using fire and herbicides as necessary to control brush, monitoring water composition and volume, meeting with landowners to discuss short- and long-term land management choices and challenges, developing mineral extraction plans, and working to protect rangelands from mineral and energy resource exploitation. Range managers may also be required to aid in times of natural disasters, such as forest fires or mudslides.
Work Environment
Immediate Physical Environment. Range managers may work in offices, laboratories, or the field. Fieldwork tends to be very physical and often requires extensive walking, lifting, and bending. Range managers who work outdoors are at risk for injuries such as twists and fractures, backaches from extended walking with a pack, animal attacks, and extreme heat and cold exposure.
Human Environment. Range managers interact with ranchers, farmers, scientists, landowners, land and animal protection groups, and recreational land users. Due to the sometimes heated and divisive nature of land use discussions and decisions, range managers should exhibit tact and patience with land stakeholders.
Technological Environment. Range managers use a wide variety of equipment to complete their work, including computers, calculators, binoculars, cameras, Internet communication tools, land management software, spreadsheets, global positioning systems, soil and water testing kits, and microscopes.
Education, Training, and Advancement
High School/Secondary. High school classes in agricultural science, biology, and business will provide a strong foundation for work as a range manager or for college-level study in the field. Students interested in this career path will benefit from seeking internships or part-time work with local land management groups, farms, or ranches.
Postsecondary. Postsecondary students interested in becoming range managers should work toward a bachelor’s degree in range management or a related field from a program accredited by either the Society for Range Management or the Society of American Foresters. Coursework in ecology, biology, natural resource management, or environmental sciences may also prove useful in their future work. Those interested in teaching or research positions should pursue a master’s degree or doctorate in a relevant subject.
Related Occupations
− Botanist
− Forester and Conservation Scientist
Bibliography
"Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers." O*NET OnLine, 6 Aug. 2024, www.onetonline.org/link/summary/11-9013.00. Accessed 23 Aug. 2024.
"Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers." US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 17 Apr. 2024, www.bls.gov/ooh/management/farmers-ranchers-and-other-agricultural-managers.htm. Accessed 23 Aug. 2024.