Agencies which manage rangelands often attempt to achieve specific landscape objectives.  These objectives may range from wildlife habitat quantity and quality to rangeland health to riparian area health.  In addition, a wide range of tools are available to agencies to achieve these objectives including regulations, incentive programs and extension.  Hierarchy theory is a method of examining complex problems which recognizes that phenomenon are scale dependent.  This approach is useful for examing the tools which agencies may use to achieve landscape objectives.   For example, landscape objectives which are local in nature are often better addressed by tools which are flexible and can change quickly.