Grazing Statistics for Public Land
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Grazing dispositions occur on more than six million acres of public land in Alberta. An additional two million acres of land in the Rocky Mountains Forest reserve is designated for grazing use through allotments. Public land provides over 1.6 million Animal Unit Months (AUMs)* of forage each summer to about 14 percent of all Alberta's beef cattle. The province of Alberta receives over $4 million in revenue each year from grazing on public land.
Grazing leases, which account for most of the public land grazing, are long-term authorizations to individuals, corporations or associations. Lease size ranges from an average of less than a section (640 acres) in central Alberta to almost three sections (1920 acres) in the southern Alberta grasslands.
Grazing permits are issued on an annual basis, often on land such as fragmented parcels and periodically wet areas.
Head tax permits (HTPs) are issued on a short-term basis, granting the right to forage grazing only. They are used for areas where grazing is only occasionally available, or where grazing must be coordinated with other priority land uses (such as military use at Camp Wainwright). These permits are also used to authorize grazing on provincial grazing reserves (see below).
Grazing licenses are long-term authorizations used predominantly in forested areas where access for other priority activities, such as forest management, need to be accommodated.
Grazing allotments are large areas of forested range in the central and southern foothills of the Rocky Mountains. They have minimal fencing, are defined by natural barriers such as rivers and mountain ranges and cattle only graze a small portion in any given summer.
Provincial Grazing Reserves (PGRs) are community pastures located throughout the province, providing a significant amount of local public land grazing. HTPs issued to the reserve association are used to authorize the grazing. The associations pay additional fees for rental of government buildings, corrals and maintenance of the pastures.
The table below provides information about numbers, acres and AUMs for each type of grazing authorization on public land.
Dispositions Totals |
Grazing AUMs |
Disposition Acres |
Approximate AUMs/Disposition |
Approximate Acres/Disposition |
|
| Grazing Leases | 5700 |
1.3 million |
5 million |
200 |
900 |
| Grazing Permits | 560 |
28,000 |
119,000 |
50 |
200 |
| Head Tax Permits | 30(1) |
13,000 |
110,000 |
N/A (variable) |
N/A (variable) |
| Grazing Licenses | 160 |
20,000 |
114,000 |
100 |
700 |
| Grazing Allotments | 270(2) |
75,000 |
2 million |
300 |
N/A |
| Grazing Reserve Head Tax Permits | 32 |
240,000 |
720,000 |
160(3) |
N/A |
Figures are approximate and based on LSAS data as of November, 2003
(1) Includes Camp Wainwright Grazing
(2) Indicates the number of allotments
(3) Indicates the number of AUMs per patron
*Note: An AUM is the amount of forage required by one animal unit for one month. This is approximately 1,000 pounds of forage dry matter.
For updated information
Contact any of the offices below:
Alberta Sustainable Resource Development
Lands Division
Land Dispositions Branch
South Tower, Petroleum Plaza
9915 - 108 Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta T5K 2G8
Telephone: (780) 427 3570
Rangeland Management Branch
South Tower, Petroleum Plaza
9920 - 108 Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta T5K 2M4
Telephone: (780) 427 3595
OR call the Lands Division office in your area
