Livestock grazing has been an important but sometimes devastating use of this ecoregion since settlement. It will most likely remain a part of the ecoregion. However, livestock grazing remains tradition bound and often not ecologically or economically practiced. Livestock grazing systems that provide rehabilitation to riparian and wetland areas is a critical need. Unfortunately, the full extent of our knowledge on livestock grazing, either riparian or upland is not being implemented for various reasons.
More work needs to be done on the use of livestock to meet specific landscape goals.
The invasion of exotic plant species is the single biggest risk to ecological integrity of the ecoregion. Some exotics, like cheatgrass, medusahead, whitetop, and dalmation toadflax are firmly established in portions of the ecoregion. These plants are responsible for such things as a replacement of natives, altered fire cycles and decreased biodiversity. Disturbance is a natural part of much of the ecoregion. However, with disturbance comes the opportunity for weed invasion.