Farmland provides space for crops and livestock to grow alongside wildlife.
Rangeland, unsuitable for other agricultural purposes, provides feed for grazing animals such as beef cattle and sheep. Livestock grazing can improve biological diversity by keeping exotic weeds from choking out native plant species such as meadowfoam, tidy tips and downingia. Livestock grazing keeps delicate ecosystems in balance so that perennial grasses, annual vegetation and wildflowers can flourish. Creeks, stock ponds and reservoirs on private land also provide habitat for many native plant species and wildlife. The long-term success of California livestock ranches depends of careful stewardship of animals and the environment.