This document presents information from various land managers and researchers to guide livestock management in riparian areas using their unique responsiveness to accomplish management objectives. Riparian areas, as interfaces between the aquatic and upland components of the ecosystem comprise mosaics of landforms, communities, and environments within the larger landscape. The structure and processes of riparian areas, more than any other ecosystem, are influenced by their connectivity to adjacent ecosystems. An ecosystem perspective provides an ecological basis for evaluating current grazing practices and other land uses, identifying riparian management objectives, and developing future management alternatives.