Researchers

Biography, Education and Training

Lawrence Ford, PhD, is Senior Rangeland Conservation Scientist and Principal for LD Ford, Consultants in Rangeland Conservation Science. He specializes in planning, monitoring, and research to define beneficial management of conservation lands. Earlier, he was a Science Advisor to the U.S. Agency for International Development (AAAS Fellowship, 1991-94) and Manager of the Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve, UC Natural Reserve System (1978-84). He has consulted about rangeland ecology and grazing management in the western states (CA, AZ, HI, and TX), serving military bases, land trusts, municipalities, ranchers, rangeland management agencies, developers, other consulting firms, and law firms since 1995. He has prepared grazing and related management prescriptions, monitoring plans, and mitigation enhancement specifications for numerous special resources, including habitat for carnivores, small mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, plants, riparian woodlands, wetlands, oak woodlands, native grasslands, and other natural communities as well as controlling fire hazards and pest plants. He has assessed and monitored impacts, contractual and regulatory compliance, ecosystem health, and management effectiveness for a wide variety of rangeland projects. Notable recent products include protocols for the “Indicators of Sustainable Rangeland Stewardship” monitoring program for the NRCS in California and the Central Coast Rangeland Coalition, modeling of site potential for native grass enhancement, and innovative grazing leasing to incentivize stewardship and support a sustainable livestock operation. Research has focused on guidelines for grazing management of upland habitat for the California red-legged frog and California tiger salamander, fire ecology of Northern Coastal Scrub, grazing effects on oak woodlands, control of pest plants, and impact assessment for novel energy technologies.

Ph.D. Wildland Resource Science, UC Berkeley, 1991
M.S. Range Management, UC Berkeley, 1986
B.A. Biology and B.A. Environmental Studies, UC Santa Cruz, 1978

• Certified Rangeland Manager (License #M70), California-Pacific Section of the Society for Range Management and California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection
• Certified Professional in Rangeland Management, Society for Range Management (#CP99-07)
• Certified Range Management Consultant, Society for Range Management (#C05-02)
• Certified Senior Ecologist, Ecological Society of America
• Technical Service Provider, U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service (TSP-03-1600 for grazing/forages services, CA and HI)

Honors, Awards and Grants

Range Manager of the Year, CA-Pacific Section, Society for Range Management (2012)

Science and Diplomacy Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science. (1991-92 and 1992-93)

Certificate of Appreciation (for Melanesian project), U.S.D.A. Forest Service, International Forestry (1993)

Charles Lathrop Pack Prize (for publication), Univ. of CA, Berkeley (1989)

Regents' Fellow, Univ. of CA, Berkeley (1984-85 and 1985-86)

Baccalaureate Honors in the Major (Biology), Univ. of CA, Santa Cruz (1978)

Baccalaureate College Honors (Kresge), Univ. of CA, Santa Cruz (1978)

Selected Publications

Barry, S., S. Larson, L. Ford, and P. Brownsey. 2020. “A Guide to Livestock Leases for Annual Rangelands.” Univ. of CA Agriculture and Natural Resources, Publication 8679.

Shackelford, G.E., R. Kelsey, W.J. Sutherland, C.M. Kennedy, S.A. Wood, S. Gennet, D.S. Karp, C. Kremen, N.E. Seavy, J.A. Jedlicka, K. Gravuer, S.M. Kross, D.A. Bossio, A. Munoz-Saez, D.G. LaHue, K. Garbach, L.D. Ford, M. Felice, M.D. Reynolds, D.R. Rao, K. Boomer, G. LeBuhn, L.V. Dicks. 2019. Evidence Synthesis as the Basis for Decision Analysis: A Method of Selecting the Best Agricultural Practices for Multiple Ecosystem Services. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems 3(83):1-13.

Ford, L.D., H.S. Butterfield, P.A. Van Hoorn, K.B. Allen, E. Inlander, C. Schloss, F. Schuetzenmeister, and M. Tsalyuk. 2017. Testing a Remote Sensing-Based Interactive System for Monitoring Grazed Conservation Lands. Rangelands 39(5):123-132.

Barry, S., L. Bush, S. Larson, and L. Ford. 2015. “The Benefits of Grazing California’s Annual Grasslands.” Understanding Working Rangelands fact-sheet series. Univ. of CA Agriculture and Natural Resources, Publication 8517.

Barry, S., S. Larson, and L. Ford. 2015. “Bay Area Ranching Heritage: a Continuing Legacy.” Understanding Working Rangelands fact-sheet series. Univ. of CA Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Barry, S., S. Larson, and L. Ford. 2015. “Grazing Systems Management: Achieving management goals by balancing livestock grazing with time and space.” Understanding Working Rangelands fact-sheet series. Univ. of CA Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Barry, S., S. Larson, and L. Ford. 2015. “Cows Need Water Too.” Understanding Working Rangelands fact-sheet series. Univ. of CA Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Bartolome, J., B. Allen-Diaz, S. Barry, L. Ford, M. Hammond, P. Hopkinson, F. Ratcliff, S. Spiegal, and M. White. 2014. Grazing for Biodiversity in Californian Mediterranean grasslands. Rangelands 36(5):36-43.

Ford, L.D. and P. Van Hoorn (Tech Editors), D.R. Rao, N. Scott, and P. Trenham, and J.W. Bartolome. 2013. “Managing Rangelands to Benefit California Red-Legged Frogs and California Tiger Salamanders." Livermore, CA: Alameda County Resource Conservation District.

Ford, L.D. and G.F. Hayes. 2007. Northern coastal scrub and coastal prairie. Chp. 7, Pp. 181-207 in: M.G. Barbour, T. Keeler-Wolf, and A. Schoenherr (Eds.). Terrestrial vegetation of California, Third Ed. Berkeley: Univ. of CA Press.

Castillo, J.M., G. Enriques, M. Nakahara, D. Weise, L. Ford, R. Moraga, and R. Vihnanek. 2006. Effects of cattle grazing, glyphosate, and prescribed burning on fountain grass fuel loading in Hawaii. Pp: 230-239 in R.E. Masters and K.E.M. Galley (Eds.) Proceedings of the 23d Tall Timbers Fire Ecology Conference: Fire in Grassland and Shrubland Ecosystems, Oct 17-20, 2005. Tallahassee, FL.

Bartolome, J.W., M.P. McClaran, B.H. Allen-Diaz, J. Dunne, L.D. Ford, R.B. Standiford, N.K. McDougald, and L.C. Forero. 2002. Effects of fire and browsing on blue oak. Proc. 5th Symposium on Oak Woodlands, Oct 22-25, 2001, San Diego, CA. USDA Forest Service GTR-184. Pp 281-286.

Vollmar, J. (Ed. with L.D. Ford). 2002. Wildlife and rare plant ecology of eastern Merced County’s vernal pool grasslands. Berkeley, CA: Vollmar Consulting. 522 p.

Ford, L., G. Ahlborn, and R. Dalen. 2001. “The Tonto Creek Riparian Unit Monitoring Study 1994-98: summary of conclusions.” Proceedings of the 14th Annual Meeting of the Arizona Riparian Council, 12-13 May 2000, Thatcher, AZ.

Dalen, R. and L. Ford. 2001. The Tonto Creek Riparian Unit Monitoring Study 1994-98: forage production and livestock utilization. Proceedings of the 14th Annual Meeting of the Arizona Riparian Council, 12-13 May 2000, Thatcher, AZ.

Ahlborn, G. and L. Ford. 2001. The Tonto Creek Riparian Unit Monitoring Study 1994-98: an evaluation of riparian habitat values and change. Proceedings of the 14th Annual Meeting of the Arizona Riparian Council, 12-13 May 2000, Thatcher, AZ.

Ford, L.D. 1995. Ecological challenges for sustainable development of rural wildlands. Pp. 295-302 in: An Aging Population, an Aging Planet, and a Sustainable Future. Denton: Univ. of North Texas.

Ford, L.D. 1993. Community forestry in Papua New Guinea: the promise of portable sawmills. Development Strategies for Fragile Lands 7(1).

Ford, L.D. 1990. Conservation Biology at the Univ. of California, Berkeley. Pp. 96-100, in: Ford et al. (Eds.) Conservation biology at Berkeley: proceedings of the third conservation biology lecture series, Fall 1989. Univ. of CA, Berkeley: Dept. of Forestry and Resource Management.

Ford, L.D. 1990. Global climate change and nature conservation. Pp. 30-34, in: Ford et al. (Eds.) Conservation biology at Berkeley: proceedings of the third conservation biology lecture series, fall 1989. Univ. of CA, Berkeley: Dept. of Forestry and Resource Management.

Ford, L.D., F.D. Hempel, and G.E. Batista A. (Eds.) 1990. Conservation Biology at Berkeley: Proceedings of the Third Conservation Biology Lecture Series, Fall 1989. Univ. of CA, Berkeley: Dept. of Forestry and Resource Management and Berkeley Conservation Biologists. 102p.

Ford, L.D. and K.S. Norris. 1989. The Univ. of CA Natural Reserve System: progress and prospects. Fremontia 17(2):11-16.

Ford, L.D. and J.W. Bartolome. 1988. Post-burn study in Coastal Scrub community suggests fire severity may be used to manipulate vegetation (California). Restoration and Management Notes 6(2):99.

Ford, L.D. and K.S. Norris. 1988. The Univ. of CA Natural Reserve System: progress and prospects. BioScience 38(7):463-470.

Millar, C.I. and L.D. Ford. 1988. Managing for nature conservation: from genes to ecosystems. BioScience 38(7):456-457.