States findings of the Legislature and supports recognizing 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists.

LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO
Sixty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2026
IN THE SENATE
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 123
BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION	1
STATING FINDINGS OF THE LEGISLATURE AND SUPPORTING THE 2026 INTERNATIONAL	2
YEAR OF RANGELANDS AND PASTORALISTS.	3
Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:	4
WHEREAS, rangelands are natural ecosystems in which the native vegeta-	5
tion is predominantly grasses, grass-like plants, forbs, or shrubs that are	6
typically grazed by livestock and wildlife; and	7
WHEREAS, such ecosystems cover up to 19.8 billion acres of land glob-	8
ally, roughly 54% of Earth's terrestrial surface, which is proportionally	9
mirrored in Idaho; and	10
WHEREAS, rangelands are economically, socially, and culturally vital	11
to communities across the world as they provide an array of ecological ser-	12
vices; and	13
WHEREAS, the productivity and environmental health of rangelands are	14
critical for the livelihoods and cultures of more than 500 million pastoral-	15
ists globally; and	16
WHEREAS, billions more non-pastoralists across the world benefit from	17
these areas through animal products, tourism, wildlife, biodiversity con-	18
servation, renewable energy, and other uses and services; and	19
WHEREAS, pastoralists are stewards of rangelands who raise livestock	20
or semidomesticated animals on rangelands and who may be otherwise known as	21
ranchers, sheepherders, or nomads; and	22
WHEREAS, pastoralists played a foundational role in Idaho's formation	23
and development and maintain their cornerstone enterprise in Idaho; and	24
WHEREAS, pastoralism is a dynamic and transformative livelihood linked	25
to the diverse ecosystems, cultures, identities, traditional knowledge, and	26
historical experience of coexisting with nature; and	27
WHEREAS, through deep knowledge and connection with the land, pastoral-	28
ists have coupled the health of landscapes with economic prosperity; and	29
WHEREAS, healthy rangelands are vital for contributing to economic	30
growth, resilient livelihoods, and the sustainable development of pastoral-	31
ism. However, rangelands and pastoralism are currently facing urgent and	32
different challenges around the world; and	33
WHEREAS, Idaho's pastoralists contribute directly and indirectly to a	34
variety of experiences in Idaho's rural and urban economies, thereby sup-	35
porting local families and businesses, reinforcing an Idaho tradition, and	36
sustaining overall vitality in Idaho's communities; and	37
WHEREAS, recognizing 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and	38
Pastoralists provides a timely opportunity to reaffirm Idaho's support for	39
sustainable livestock grazing, balanced public use, and collaboration among	40
pastoralists, recreationalists, conservation partners, and land management	41
agencies to ensure healthy working landscapes throughout the state.	42

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2
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Second Regular Ses-	1
sion of the Sixty-eighth Idaho Legislature, the Senate and the House of Rep-	2
resentatives concurring therein, that the Legislature recognizes and sup-	3
ports Governor Little's proclamation recognizing 2026 as the International	4
Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists.	5
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of the State of Idaho sup-	6
ports the 2026 International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists and the ef-	7
forts made by the associated global and regional alliances and groups.	8
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature recognizes the importance	9
of national policies on conservation and sustainable use of natural re-	10
sources in order to manage grazing areas, wildlife, water sources, livestock	11
movement, risk, and resilience and to enable land use planning and ecosystem	12
management by pastoralists and relevant public entities.	13

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