Society for Range Management Blog

Young Professionals Conclave at the Annual Meeting 2012

2011-12-21T09:57:00.001-07:00

Young Professionals Conclave (YPC) meetings at the Spokane 2012 Annual Meeting

By Angie Reid, YPC

Hey Everyone! This year the Young Professionals are gearing up for a busy 2012 Annual Meeting in Spokane, Washington! The YPC will be helping out with the Career Development Workshops Sunday January 29, 2012 1-5 pm by providing information we learned as we entered into the field as well as tips and important information about professional relations and networking once hired into a position.

Monday January 30, 2012 from 7-9 pm we will be hosting our annual YPC Social at O’Doherty’s Irish Grille, located within walking distance of the meeting at 525 West Spokane Falls Boulevard, to get together in an informal setting and talk about our careers, meet other young professionals, and just get to know each other! If you have never been to a YPC event and you are young in the career field please join us for the social and where you will be introduced to others in the same position. Come enjoy good food and good people!

Tuesday January 31, 2012 from 10:30 am - 12:00 pm we will be having our annual YPC business meeting to give a summary of the year and in lieu of a speaker this year we will be working on a 5-year strategic plan for the YPC so make sure to come and provide your input. So far we have determined four main points to be discussed, which include 1) increasing YPC involvement at the section level, 2) improving outreach and networking, 3) improving fundraising, and 4) defining and meeting YPC member expectations. The overall goal of the strategic plan is to improve YPC involvement within the parent Society. We would love to hear what you have to say so please join us at the meeting!

In an effort to become more visible within the parent Society and help recruitment of new young professionals, YPC representatives will be making brief appearances and announcements at several student events during the Annual Meeting. We are looking for people to help out with this so please volunteer!

This year we will be having our first ever fundraising raffle! We will have a table set up near registration Sunday-Tuesday for raffle ticket sales. We know that a lot of our young professionals won’t get to come to the meeting this year so we need extra help with the raffle sales. We need people to volunteer to sit at the table for a shift selling tickets or walk around the meeting selling tickets. We will be raffling off a framed art print from Cabela’s, two hand-quilted wall hangings, handmade antler knife and lamp, and handmade fishing lures. Our members have really stepped up to help provide the raffle items so please support our efforts! To volunteer please contact Angie Reid at areid@ttrs.org.

Interagency Ecological Site Applications Workshop, Venus, Florida, November 15 - 17, 2011

2011-12-16T15:41:00.001-07:00

The Society for Range Management and agency partners held the second regional Interagency Ecological Site Applications Workshop this past month as part of the Ecological Site Description (ESD) Workshop series. The workshop took place at the beautiful Archbold Biological Station in Venus, Florida and spanned a total of three days. There were 40 workshop participants representing 10 federal and state agencies and other organizations. Organizations represented included: the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Air Force (USAF), Agriculture Research Service (ARS), the National Park Service (NPS), the Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI), and others. This broad participation resulted in an effective series of discussions and field exercises.

Participants spent a considerable amount of time in the field over the course of the workshop and were able to get a great first-hand look at the local Florida landscape. While the ESD workshop was field-focused, the first day was spent primarily in the classroom with a series of presentations. First day content focused on the components of an ecological site description and the background for how ESDs are developed, with the intention helping users understand the process and ultimately, the application of ESDs.

The keynote presentation by Dr. Hilary Swain of the Archbold Biological Station provided a basis for understanding the presentations on soil landscapes and vegetation dynamics that followed. Additionally, the presentation by Menges (fire ecology) greatly added to the workshop.

Presentations by Bestelmeyer (general concepts), Weber (soil processes), Cleland (land hierarchies), Shaver (state and transition models), Sanchez (ESD components), Brown (development process), Herrick (establishing reference state conditions) and Ellis and Hendricks (uses and applications) all set the stage for understanding ESDs and the field portions of the workshop. Presentations by Wight (policy), Biggam (National Parks Service), Gulledge (FNAI) and Sanchez (accessing ESDs) provided context for ESD projects and the resources available professionals to work on and with ESDs.

The field portions of the workshop were critical to supplement classroom material for forming a working understanding of ecological sites on the ground. The key elements in the field exercises were to:

Demonstrate how different vegetation (states) can occupy the same soil to illustrate the importance of a well-developed state and transition model
Demonstrate how different soils can have similar states resulting from different use histories and requiring different management responses.

Each field site visit had different stations focused describing climate, soil properties, vegetation attributes and management at the site. Participants moved from station to station and interacted with experts at each to get a better understanding of the different attributes associated with the ecological site. Field portions of the workshop provided a good basis for the discussion of how differing management regimes can result in distinctly different states with differing values and management requirements. Likewise, the contrast between soils and similar vegetation can be very powerful in illustrating the need for verifying the soil at the site.

The Venus, Florida ESD workshop built on evaluation form data and recommendations submitted at the Nunn, Colorado workshop as well as the Pilot ESD workshop in Las Cruces, New Mexico held in November 2010. Future ESD workshops are in development for 2012 and 2013 and will continue to build on feedback from previous workshop to enhance the overall program and tailor workshops to each location.

There will be two ESD workshops at the SRM Annual Meeting in Spokane, Washington. The next regional three day ESD workshop is scheduled for Reno, Nevada in June 2012. Additional workshops are in the planning stages for 2012 and 2013.

SRM and the Training Coordination Committee would like to extend a huge thank you to local and national teams that have worked hard to make this workshop series a success.

*Photos courtesy of the USDA-NRCS, photographer: Gail Hendricks.

Native American Rangeland Workshop at the 2012 SRM Annual Meeting

2011-12-08T14:40:00.004-07:00

Working Together to Develop Comprehensive and Long-term Strategies for Sustainable Tribal Rangelands

January 31 – February 1, 2011
Spokane, Washington
Part of the 65th Society forRange Management Annual Meeting

The United States Government holds almost 6 million acres of land in trust for Native Americans, much of which is considered to be rangeland. These rangelands should be able to provide the foundational sustenance for Native Americans, habitat for native wildlife and livestock, and other resources needed for a high quality and healthy life. Yet tribes are challenged to keep up with the complex task of managing these lands for their benefit and long-term sustainability. Help is needed to assist with education programs that tie in to employment opportunities in natural resources, compliment tribal cultural and traditional teachings, and help prepare native youth for the task ahead.

The Society for Range Management (SRM) has established the Native Range Initiative with the goal of helping America’s First Nations restore and manage their rangelands back to health. During the upcoming 65th SRM Annual Meeting in Spokane, Washington, January 28 - February 2, 2012, a two-day session will be dedicated to the management of rangelands on tribal lands and the Native Range Initiative.

Tribal range managers, students, college natural resource faculty, and others dealing with native rangeland management are invited to attend. Entire conference registration is available online here for the 2012 Annual Meeting.

Workshop Includes:

Native American Rangelands Brainstorming and Strategy Session
Programs that Work on Native American Rangelands
Feral Horses in Indian Country
Native Range Luncheon
Native Craft Fair

Workshop Fee:

$60/day or $100/both days if you register before December 18, 2011
$75/day or $125/both days if you register after December 19, 2011

For more information, contact:
Robert Compton, Colville Confederated Tribe
Phone: 509-634-2200
Email: robert.compton@bia.gov
Website: http://www.rangelands.org/spokane2012/program_nativeamerican.shtml

Other conference activities of interest:

Ecological Site Description Technical Workshop
Using Ecological Site Descriptions as a Decision-Making Tool
Rancher’s Forum
Many more - check out the conference website and program for more details

Download our PDF poster for your college or office here

Agency and tribal employees, please contact Diana Doan-Crider for travel approval letters of invitation.

A Grazing Plan, by Stan Tixier

2011-11-18T07:53:00.000-07:00

A Grazing Plan
By Stan Tixier, SRM Utah Section Member

A rancher saved to help his son

Enroll in their State College,

He reckoned he could use some help

And educated knowledge

On how to utilize his range

And feed his cattle better,

And so he sent his boy to school

And then wrote him this letter:

"When you get home, I want you to

Devise A GRAZING PLAN,

And calculate the way that we

Might run the most we can,

Our cow herd's looking sorta' poor,

I think they should be fatter,

So your assignment once you're back

Is figure what's the matter."

The lad came home, degree in hand,

Computer programs too,

It shouldn't take him very long

To ponder what to do.

He rode the range for several day

To see what he could see,

He left his saddle horse at home

And drove an ATV.

He drew a map that clearly showed

ONE wind-mill in the middle,

The grass was GONE for several miles

Around, it was a rideel

Just how those cows could find a thing

To eat, he wasn't sure,

Repulsive as it was, he saw

They grazed on -- horse manure.

It seemed the horses ranged beyond

The radius of cows,

To where the grass was tall and green,

So Son told Pappy how

"There's more than one way to resolve

This problem, several courses,

It's my professional advice,

We've got to get more horses!"

From the book:
A Good Lookin' Horse: Cowboy Poetry and Other Verse (1993) by Stan Tixier
_________

Want more cowboy poetry? Poetry books and CDs by Stan Tixier are available for purchase from Western Heritage Company, 1-800-303-5703. And don't worry, Cowboy Poet's Corner will continue to post to the SRM blog in coming months.

SRM Annual Meeting - Top Events You Don't Want to Miss

2011-11-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

As you know, the SRM Annual Meeting is the Society's premier event each year. The conference and meeting consists of a solid week of sessions, seminars, trainings and networking. In particular, the upcoming 65th Annual Meeting in Spokane, Washington January 29 - February 3, 2012, is concentrated on providing training opportunities at the Meeting.

Below are some of the highlight events at the Annual Meeting. Note that some of these require pre-registration, so sign up now. Check them out and visit the Meeting website for many more events: www.rangelands.org/spokane2012 and click HERE for a list of special sessions.

Click HERE to register for the Spokane Annual Meeting

Workshop: Ecological Site Description (ESD) and State-and-Transition Model (STM) Development Saturday, Jan. 28, 8:00am - 5:00pm. Registration required.

Provide examples of both successful STM development using a variety of data sources, and practical management applications of ESDs and STMs. Offer training and tools necessary for accurate and accelerated ESD development.
Facilitate communication among professionals involved in ESD and STM development, and increase the accuracy and efficiency of ESDs by sharing ideas and building relationships.

Workshop: Using Ecological Site Descriptions (ESD) as a Decision Making Tool Monday & Wednesday Jan. 30 - Feb. 2, Monday & Wednesday 1:00pm - 5:00pm, Tuesday & Thursday 8:00am - 12:00pm. Registration required.

Beginning ESD workshop targeting professionals with three to ten years experience, whose job responsibilities include identifying and using ESD to make management alternatives and/or decisions. The 4-session workshop will include basic concepts of ecological sites and identifying sites; what are ESDs and how are they developed; and using ESD as a decision-making tool, as a standard to evaluate status/success, and as a risk assessment tool.

Rancher's Forum Tuesday, Jan. 31, 8:45am - 4:50pm.

Keeping the Family Ranch in the Family
Crooked Calf Syndrome in the Channeled Scablands and Beyond
Sage Grouse: could this be the Ranchers’ “Spotted Owl”?

Workshop: Technical Service Provider Training (TSP) Tuesday, Jan. 31, 8:00am - 5:00pm

Provide required training and assistance in the registration process to become a certified NRCS Technical Service Provider. An agreement between SRM and NRCS allows TSP candidates who are SRM members to receive basic certification training. Workshop will include instruction for registration process, conservation planning training, TSP orientation, and Grazing Management and Fish and Wildlife Management Conservation Activity Plans. Completing this workshop, candidate applications are ready for certification review with NRCS. Prior to the session, interested participants must obtain an eAuth Level 2 account by visiting the NRCS booth at the trade show.

Forum: Native American Range: Tribal Perspectives and Native American Range Initiative

Tuesday, Jan. 31, 8:00am - 5:00pm

Provide interaction among the tribes to identify what does and does not work, and work to common solutions. One half day will present PNW local issues, and one half day will be breakout sessions to identify problems and solutions.

Workshop: Effective Communication for Rangeland Management and other Natural Resource Management Specialists Sunday, Jan. 29, 1:00pm - 5:00pm

Provide information to help all federal employees in the natural resource fields communicate more effectively with supervisors, co-workers and external customers, with the focus on BLM resource specialists.
Pre-register through DOI Learn. BLM participants will receive training credits for completing the course Topics: verbal and written communication with internal and external customers, including what livestock operators who graze on public lands expect when communicating with BLM employees.

Symposium: Climate Change and North American Rangelands: Evidence, Implications, and Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies

Thursday, Feb. 2, 8:00am - 12:00pm

Provide a clear, concise summary of the vast climate change literature that is of direct relevance to rangelands to inform management and policy decisions and guide future research programs. Specific objectives are to: 1) present evidence for recent and projected climatic change, 2) outline potential ecological consequences, and 3) identify probable mitigation and adaptation strategies.

Forum: Rangeland Collaboration: Ranch and Landscape Scale Tuesday, Jan. 31, 8:00am - 5:00pm

Demonstrate and discuss the benefits and challenges of working with multiple stakeholders and partners to improve rangeland management. Increasingly, rangeland decisions are being made by groups of stakeholders using a variety of processes to manage public land grazing allotments, an entire state or an ecosystem. Case studies will feature a variety of collaborative efforts and will highlight lessons learned from a variety of perspectives. Discuss benefits and challenges of working together to improve management and resolve thorny issues.

Symposium: Free Roaming Wild and Feral Horses: Current Knowledge in Ecology, Habitat Use, and Management Tuesday, Jan. 31, 8:00am - 5:00pm

Present current research, in a neutral and unbiased forum, on free roaming, wild, and feral horse ecology, including horse evolution and behavior, horse and wildlife interactions, impacts on vegetation, diet selection, population control, and habitat use and movement patterns.
This will be valuable for all rangeland professionals tasked with managing rangelands and the animals they support. In the United States, where the horses are federally protected, the BLM estimates over 38,000 horses and burros are roaming on BLM lands. Appropriate management levels are 26,582. Populations are estimated to double every four years. BLM states that, “the ecosystems of public rangelands are not able to withstand the impacts from overpopulated herds which include soil erosion, sedimentation of streams, and damage to wildlife habitat. These numbers do not include horses on state-owned or Native American lands, nor the domestic horses being released into the “wild” due to the current economic recession. Canadian feral horse populations, mostly concentrated in British Columbia and Alberta, have been increasing since the early 1900s. Though not protected by law, the management of the horses and their habitat is a sensitive and 28 SRM 65th Annual Meeting Spokane, Washington important issue. Australia has the largest population of feral horses (brumbies) in the world, estimated at over 400,000, increasing annually at about 20%. The brumbies have cultural and potential economic value, making their management a complex issue.

And many more! Click here for a full list and visit the Annual Meeting website for other events and opportunities.

Click HERE to register for the Spokane Annual Meeting

Interested in becoming a sponsor or exhibitor at the Spokane Annual Meeting? The Annual Meeting and Trade Show offers extensive opportunities to promote your organization and gain exposure to more than 2,000 rangeland professionals. Click here to access the sponsorship prospectus and here for the exhibitor prospectus.

Current Issue of Rangelands: Preserving Rangeland Ecosystems Could Become a Profitable Enterprise

2011-10-25T12:23:00.001-06:00

News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Preserving rangeland ecosystems could become a profitable enterprise

Rangelands – Sixty percent of the ecosystem services that all life depends on are being degraded and used in ways that cannot be sustained. This is the conclusion of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, a scientific report about human interaction with the lands and waters of our world. Fortunately, finding ways to incorporate ecosystem services into our world economies is also on the rise.

The current issue of the journal Rangelands offers several articles focusing on the intertwining of ecosystems and economies in the context of America’s rangelands. Authors discuss topics such as payment for ecosystem services, market-based approaches to climate change mitigation, and carbon offsets.

About 31 percent of the United States consists of public and private rangelands, providing an abundance of ecosystem opportunities. Ranchers are the primary stewards of large sections of the western U.S. landscape. Their businesses depend on clean water and abundant vegetation, and provide the public these benefits as well.

But with rising costs for land and production, public scrutiny, and other challenges, ranchers may turn to extractive uses of their land, such as housing development, to make a profit. While livestock sales currently provide a rancher’s income, payment for practicing good stewardship could provide income and ecosystem preservation at the same time.

Increased plant production and biological sequestration can increase carbon uptake, mitigating climate change. This can be accomplished by sustaining ranchlands against land conversion and promoting good land management. A carbon market could compensate ranchers for managing their lands in ways that sequester carbon and offset the emission of greenhouse gases in other places.

The 52,000-acre Trigg Ranch in New Mexico offers a case study in carbon sequestration. The Trigg family took part in the 2008 Chicago Climate Exchange program that allowed ranchers to generate and sell carbon credits. The family earned $90,000 by selling the carbon credits they generated to a Texas corporation.

The path of the Trigg Ranch illustrates how landowners might transition to carbon-oriented grazing management. The family has re-created their ranch as an enterprise that emphasizes continuity and sustainability rather than short-term profits.

Full text of “Rangelands and Ecosystem Services: Economic Wealth From Land Health?” and other articles in this issue of Rangelands, Vol. 33, No. 5, October 2011, are available at http://www.srmjournals.org/toc/rala/33/5.

###

About Rangelands

Rangelands is a full-color publication of the Society for Range Management published six times per year. Each issue of Rangelands features scientific articles, book reviews, and society news. Additionally, readers may find youth, technology, and policy departments. The journal provides a forum for readers to get scientifically correct information in a user friendly, non-technical format. Rangelands is intended for a wide range of individuals, including educators, students, rangeland owners and managers, researchers, and policy leaders. The journal is available online at www.srmjournals.org. To learn more about the society, please visit www.rangelands.org.

Cowboy Poet's Corner: "Winter in Wyoming" by Stan Tixier

2011-09-29T14:05:00.000-06:00

Winter in Wyoming
By Stan Tixier, SRM Utah Section Member

It was winter in Wyoming, it was thirty-five below,
The ground was white and frozen, it was way too cold to snow,
The wind had been a-blowin', clouds a-streakin' crost the sky,

With not a fence a-showin' 'cause the drifts were eight feet high.

There was precious little forage for the livestock or the game,
All the hay stacks near depleted and the silos much the same,
The water lines were frozen up, some busted clear apart,
The barn door wouldn't open and the pickup wouldn't start.

'Cause the diesel fuel was jelly, there was no way it could flow,
The wood pile was exhausted and the propane tank was low,
But cows had started calvin', as is normal in such years,
Most calves survived it somehow, but with little froze-off ears.

Conditions, very likely, was the same for miles around,
But I didn't know for certain, 'cause the phone lines all was down,
The radio would crackle every time I turned it on,
At last it went plum silent 'cause the batteries was gone.

Yeah, the barn door wouldn't open, and the corral gate, the same,
But it didn't really matter, 'cause my saddle horse was lame,
I'z hopin' that a warm Chinook might blow in from the east,
But the winter had to linger for a couple months at least.

I maybe had pneumonia, or perhaps it was the flu,
All I knew was, I felt rotten, and my nose was runnin' too,
I spent a lotta' time in bed, 'ain't sure exactly why,
The only place I could stay warm, and handy should I die.

But I vowed things would be different, and I'd not have to contend
With dreadful cold conditions, and near lose it all again,
I figured I'd just sell out, move to somplace that was hot,
Arizona, south of Tucson, where it doesn't snow a lot.

Well, I somehow did survive it, and I didn't lose a cow,
'Cause the spring arrived on schedule, and we all thawed out somehow,
But really was a cold one, I could feel it in my toes,
'Cause despite three pairs of stockin's, four or five of 'em was froze.

Well, I'm tellin' you my troubles 'bout the time I had last year,
When disaster come a-callin' and it passed by really near,
So I'm writin' now to tell ya, 'cause I thought you'd like to know
That it's winter in Wyoming, and it's thirty-five below!

From the book:
A Better Lookin' Horse: Cowboy Poetry and Other Verse (2003) by Stan Tixier
_________

Want more cowboy poetry? Poetry books and CDs by Stan Tixier are available for purchase from Western Heritage Company, 1-800-303-5703. And don't worry, Cowboy Poet's Corner will continue to post to the SRM blog in coming months.

ESD Florida Workshop - Registration Opens Monday, September 26, 2011!

2011-09-22T13:50:00.000-06:00

The Ecological Site Applications Workshop

Lake Placid/Venus, Florida

November 15-17, 2011

Don't be late! Registration for the upcoming Ecological Site Applications Workshop in Florida opens this MONDAY, September 26 at 8:00am MDT

The Interagency Ecological Site Applications Workshop will encompass three days (includes time in the field each day) with content tailored to take advantage of local conditions and issues. The Workshop will focus on foundational knowledge, skills and understanding of Ecological Site Descriptions, state-and-transition models and interpretations; how to determine ecological sites and ecological states in the field; the utility of ESDs for conservation planning, assessment and monitoring; and the framework for understanding and participating in the move from first to second generation ESDs. The agenda aims to establish a basis for collaboration among participants and introduce them to the local experts who will be able to assist them in the future when developing projects and working with ESDs. Workshop content will illustrate the current state of ESD development and implementation in the local area as well as act as a launching pad for additional collaborative efforts.

Workshop Objectives:

Enhance foundational knowledge, skills and understanding of Ecological Site Descriptions, state-and-transition models and their interpretations.
Provide the framework for moving from first to second generation Ecological Site Descriptions.
Showcase the utility of Ecological Site Descriptions as a working and dynamic tool used to document ecological knowledge and assist in applied conservation and management.

Workshop Details:

Workshop will be held at the Archbold Biological Station (http://www.archbold-station.org) in Venus, Florida (just outside of Lake Placid, Florida).
Registration is open to anyone that is interested and will allow a maximum of 40 participants.
Encompasses 3 days (includes time in the field each day) with content tailored to take advantage of local conditions and issues.
Registration:

$150 for employees of sponsoring agencies (ARS, BLM, NRCS)
$150 for current Society for Range Management members
$250 for all others
Other sponsoring agencies/groups may be added in time, so please check the ESD website for current information prior to registering. Due to the remote location of this workshop, registration will include all training materials, field trip transportation and most meals including 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 2 dinners.

Features KEYNOTE speaker Dr. Hilary Swain, Director of the Archbold Biological Station, on Ecosystems of Florida’s Lake Wales Ridge
Workshop instructors include some of the world’s leading experts on ESDs including: Dr. Brandon Bestelmeyer, Dr. Joel Brown, Greg Hendricks, Homer Sanchez, Pat Shaver, and others.

For questions about the workshop, please contact:
Aleta Rudeen
SRM Director of Outreach and Leadership Development
arudeen@rangelands.org
(303) 720-2715

Registration and details about this workshop will be posted on the SRM ESD website: www.rangelands.org/ESD

Ecological Site Applications Workshop - Summary Report

2011-09-09T14:54:00.000-06:00

Brandon Bestelmeyer, Joel Brown, Justin Derner and Aleta Rudeen

Nunn, Colorado and Cheyenne, Wyoming

August 23 – 25, 2011

“[The workshop was] …very well done and it is among the best workshops I have ever attended on any topic.” – Rob Alexander, workshop participant

The first regional Ecological Site Applications workshop was held at the Shortgrass Steppe Research and Interpretation Center near Nunn, Colorado, and Cheyenne, Wyoming, August 23 – 25, 2011. The workshop focused on how to use and interpret Ecological Site Descriptions (ESD) and also helped SRM and agency partners identify methods to successfully implement future ESD workshops and training.

The workshop hosted 40 registrants from a variety of organizations and a wide range of skills and experience with ESDs. Workshop participants represented federal and state agencies and private organizations: NRCS (30%), BLM (25%), universities (17.5%), USFS (10%), ARS (5%), and other (12.5%) including BIA, NPS, county and state agencies and the private sector.

The first morning of the workshop was comprised of a series of informative presentations. Dr. Bill Lauenroth provided an overview of the regional ecology, driving variables (temperature and precipitation) and the soil and plant responses to these in the Great Plains and specifically for the shortgrass steppe. Dr. Brandon Bestelmeyer presented a comprehensive overview of Ecological Site history, basic concepts and status. Finally, Rick Peterson presented a good description of the work underway in moving to the next generation of ESDs.

The afternoon of the first day and the full second day of the workshop were spent in the field. Field exercises focused on the principles of ecological site inventory, techniques for determining ecological sites and states, and the influence of management practices. Of particular interest on the second day was a visit to the High Plains Grasslands Research Station, where Drs. Jack Morgan and Dana Blumenthal showcased the application of ESDs and influence of increasing atmospheric CO₂ and climate change to conservation planning and assessment in the field for northern mixed grass prairie. Other highlights included a trip to the Medicine Bow National Forest to demonstrate the principles of ESDs in forested ecotones.

Workshop participants enjoyed dinner and entertainment both Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. Tuesday night, the Weld County Cattlewomen hosted a Cream Can Cookout in Slayton pasture, followed by Cowboy Poetry presented by Dick Hart. Wednesday night, participants traveled to Bit-O-Wyo, The Horse Barn Dinner Show, for food and entertainment. Evening dinner activities gave participants the opportunity to spend time networking and continue conversations from the day. Additionally, breakfasts, lunches, and snacks were provided as part of the workshop.

In order to address lingering questions about ESDs and participant comments from the first two days of the workshop, organizers revamped the third day of the workshop to address remaining questions. In the morning, SRM President Jack Alexander gave a thorough presentation of the components of a newly developed (second generation) ESD giving participants a better idea of the proposed ESD format. Participants then broke into small groups for a field exercise designed to demonstrate site delineation. During this field activity, participants identified soils and determined which site descriptions were applicable, then proceeded to identify the state based on vegetation and existing ESDs provided. During the final afternoon session, participants joined groups to discuss topics of interest that deviated from the overall workshop objectives, but were of significance to certain attendees (policy, current status, history). Finally, participants reconvened for the final workshop synthesis before heading home.

The Ecological Site Applications workshop was very successful, though it was not without its surprises. Since this workshop was the first of its kind, it was difficult for organizers to know in advance which areas would need more or less elaboration, and what order would best meet the learning objectives for the week. In order to achieve the objectives of this first workshop, organizers paid close attention to comments on daily evaluation forms and redesigned portions of the workshop in order to address uncertainty and respond to outstanding questions. Thus, future workshops will embrace participant feedback and comments about what was most effective for each day of the workshop. Additionally, instructors have a better sense of what types of questions might arise during the training and how to most efficiently communicate ESDs to a diverse audience.

Ultimately, participants left the Ecological Site Applications workshop with a better understanding of how to interpret ESDs, the similarities and differences of first and second generation ESDs, and how to use ESDs in the field. Participants also gained a better understanding of how ESDs intercept with their work and their relationship with existing classification systems and data. Additionally, the flexible framework and adjustments to the workshop made it possible to tailor the workshop to the specific audience on-site. Organizers intend to build this flexibility into future workshops to ensure success with all training groups.

The next ESD workshop will be held at the Archbold Biological Station in Lake Placid, Florida, November 15-17, 2011. Registration information will be posted on the SRM website: www.rangelands.org/ESD. There will also be two ESD workshops at the SRM Annual Meeting in Spokane, Washington, January 29 – February 3, 2012. Information about both of these workshops is available on the Annual Meeting website: www.rangelands.org/spokane2012. Future ESD workshops are also scheduled for Reno, Nevada in June 2012 and again in Cheyenne, Wyoming and Nunn, Colorado in August 2012.

Questions about this or future ESD workshops, please contact Aleta Rudeen: arudeen@rangelands.org

Cowboy Poet's Corner: "Welcome Rain" by Stan Tixier

2011-08-30T14:46:00.001-06:00

Welcome Rain

By Stan Tixier, SRM Utah Section Member

A cowboy and an eastern dude,

A most unlikely pair,

Were flyin' 'cross the country,

Assigned, by chance to share

The last two seats in tourist class

On some big jet airplane,

The conversation that they had

Was mostly 'bout the RAIN.

It'd been a-pourin' steadily

For several days or so,

Across a bunch of western states,

And in New Mexico,

Where they were headin' on their flight

Most every pond and tank

Was full, the creeks and rivers there

Were runnin' bank to bank.

The dude had come to play some golf

And tennis, don't you know,

The cowboy, to participate

In some big rodeo,

So each one was affected by

Excess precipitation,

And neither of 'em could adjust

A pre-made reservation.

The eastern dude was most perturbed,

And anxious to complain

How his vacation would be spoiled

By that confounded rain,

He fumed and fussed and swore a lot

And said it wasn't fair,

They'd advertised a desert

And now a swamp was there.

The cowboy'd be impacted too

By breaks that he'd been given,

'Cause ropin' in arenas dry

Was how he made his livin',

Yet he seemed sorta' unconcerned,

Not tryin' to be rude,

He set out to explain some facts

To that frustrated dude.

He said, "You ought to understand,

This country's mostly dry,

We need this moisture to survive,

There's lots of reasons why,

So mister, don't get too upset,

Let's try to be more lenient,

'Cause RAIN is always welcome here,

But seldom is convenient!"

From the book:
A Good Lookin' Horse: Cowboy Poetry and Other Verse (1993) by Stan Tixier
_________

Want more cowboy poetry? Poetry books and CDs by Stan Tixier are available for purchase from Western Heritage Company, 1-800-303-5703. And don't worry, Cowboy Poet's Corner will continue to post to the SRM blog in coming months.

Maggie's Final Report

2011-08-22T15:44:00.001-06:00

By Maggie Haseman, Outreach Intern

Maggie with her boyfriend Reid before seafood dinner in Corpus Christi, Texas

My experience as the Society for Range Management’s first in-office intern was always exciting, interesting, diverse and awesome. I had many goals I hoped to achieve through this internship program. Some of these goals were more personal things I wanted to develop such as communication, my social network, time and project management, and organization. Other goals were direct projects I knew I wanted to help with during the summer like populating the SRM social media, working on streamlining the Annual Meeting planning process, and assisting Aleta Rudeen with outreach efforts.

When I was growing up I was always somewhat shy and soft spoken toward people I did not know and I would cringe at the thought of something as mundane as ordering a pizza if it meant I had to talk to someone on the other end of the phone. It has been a personal goal of mine to improve my communication skills when conversing with people even before applying for this internship. I knew I’d have many opportunities to work on communicating because as the Outreach Intern there is plenty of interfacing with membership and other people. I learned to present myself professionally towards all people I came into contact with during my work hours and noticed myself acting more professionally outside of work hours as well.

Something that really helped me to feel more comfortable communicating with people I don’t know was surprisingly when I was the most uncomfortable: my ranch visits. I was outside of my knowledge base spending all my time with people I just met. Before I left for my first ranch visit I was nervous. My boyfriend told me that the best way to learn is when you put yourself into an uncomfortable situation. Turns out he was right; I guess it’s bound to happen on occasion.

Along with learning better communication skills I hoped to build my social network including professionals in the range community. I know that this goal is a continual process that will last a lifetime, however through this internship I got the opportunity to meet the Board of Directors, communicate with section leadership and heads of SRM committees and converse through email, over the phone and in person with many members whose names and faces I now recognize. I am very excited to practice my communication skills with my new acquaintances at the Annual Meeting in Spokane, WA next year.

One of my goals was to develop time and project management skills in order to complete multiple objectives. This goal was probably the easiest to work on because it was sub-consciously accomplished. Throughout this internship I was sometimes forced to oversee my own time and manage an inbox of projects and email that flowed like Niagara Falls. I quickly built a barrel to help me float above the flow and learned how to compartmentalize these overwhelming circumstances and complete projects in a timely manner. Another goal was to increase my organizational skills in my workspace. Something I discovered about time management is that you can’t get anything done if your workspace is not organized.

I also hoped to improve my writing organization. I have always loved writing; I used to write short stories, and essays and research papers have always been a big help to keep my grades up. However, I sometimes have more thoughts running around my head than I can put into understandable sentences. This internship gave me the opportunity to publish my writing onto the SRM Outreach Blog for anyone to read that just so happens to stumble upon it. This forced me to learn how to think in writing in order to more efficiently get my thoughts onto the page.

I recently took a journalism class at Colorado State University on professional writing so I had the basics on how to write professional letters, emails etc. (I think that’s why Aleta hired me; she didn’t have to teach me much) yet, there is always more to learn on this subject, therefore it was another goal of mine to expand my professional writing abilities in all genres. I accomplished this right off the bat when Aleta asked me to draft a letter on the first day of my internship. Throughout I have written multiple blogs, dozens of letter and about a trillion emails. The tricky part was learning the style of SRM, and writing to a bunch of people with diverse backgrounds who share similar interests in a way that didn’t offend or mislead the audience.

I have not been a member long so my knowledge of the society was limited before starting this internship, I was therefore curious about the internal workings of SRM. This took a little time to work out, like doing a puzzle; every once and a while I would learn something new. At the beginning it was a mess, nothing connected and my perception was all mixed up, as the summer has gone on though, pieces of information have begun to form something like a picture. I don’t think I have the whole picture of a society that has been around for almost 65 years, after only three month, but I’m getting there.

Something that was very important to me to take home from this internship is that I have left my mark on SRM somewhere, somehow. I think that this was accomplished in a couple of ways. I spent a lot of time in the front yard this summer trying to keep all of the plants (or most of them) alive this summer. I hope that when I am gone people will continue to enjoy the beautiful yard. I also hope that when people look at the wonderfully organized archived journals in the back room they will think, “Maggie Haseman organized these for us. She spent a full day in the dust and piles of dead bugs and mouse poop pouring herself into these shelves and enjoying a bit of history.”

Overall this internship has been a really awesome experience in every way I can imagine. I didn’t know what to expect coming in and I was pleasantly surprised by the welcoming atmosphere and the respect I received from those I worked with. I felt like people cared about my opinions while I was working here. I believe I was truly lucky to have stumbled onto such a great group of people working together in a fabulous organization.

Report on Arizona Section Society for Range Management, Summer Meeting 2011

2011-08-17T18:15:00.001-06:00

Doug Tolleson, Arizona Section President-Elect/Meeting Coordinator

Wednesday August 3

The forecast called for scattered showers as we headed for the high country of Mahan Park on the east end of the University of Arizona’s V Bar V Ranch for the Arizona Section Summer Meeting. Folks started showing up around 1pm as the registration cabin, dining fly, plant ID contest, and shop/classroom were readied for the 3-day event. Across the Verde Valley and the other side of Mingus Mountain, about 35 of us were touring the upper Verde River, led by Al Medina from the Rocky Mountain Research Station.

After a membership meeting that evening we were fed hamburgers, hotdogs and all the fixings by the Natural Resource Conservation Workshop for Arizona Youth (NRCWAY) committee. This meal was sponsored by Cargill Animal Nutrition and was a fund raiser to help send students to the national High School Youth Forum. Thunderstorms to the west made for a spectacular sunset, sky-lighting the big Ponderosa Pines near the main cabin in purple, pink, and orange. Bill Inman from the Navajo’s Padre Mesa Demonstration Ranch spoke to us about his ranching educational programs there as the rain came down and we all packed in under the dining fly. You could tell this was a bunch of range and ranch people cause nobody complained about the rain. We scrapped “movie night” though, it would have been too loud in the shop under a tin roof to hear them anyway.

Sunset Behind Pine Trees

Thursday August 4

The Tierra Seca Range Club from University of Arizona served up a great breakfast and got the day started off right. Iric Burden from the Coconino National Forest and George Ruyle from the U of A officially welcomed the group. We stayed right there at the ranch summer headquarters for the morning program. Dave Schafer, Resident Director of the ranch experiment station described the ranch, it’s management and 15 years of animal breeding, animal nutrition, and adaptive grazing research and educational work conducted here. Doug Tolleson, range specialist for the ranch followed up with the range related research and extension programming he has been involved in during his 4 years on staff. High school students (Dan Sullivan, Savannah McReynolds, Garret Fish, and Amber Lee) who have participated in NRCWAY and Range Rocks! told the group about some of the skills they have learned such as: wildlife water tank escape ramp construction and installation; tablet PC, VGS software, and pace quadrat vegetation transects; and real-time grazing animal diet quality assessment using portable near infrared spectroscopy. Jim Sprinkle, U of A Area Livestock Specialist and Bryan McMurray, Beef Marketing Manager with Cargill showed us some innovative research equipment designed to monitor individual animal mineral supplement consumption on rangelands and told us about mineral nutrition for livestock in Arizona and how that is different from surrounding regions.

Don and Jim sitting in the folding chairs under the dining fly

After lunch, we drove northeast about an hour to hear Duane Coleman, manager of the Hopi 3 Canyon Ranch describe a brush management/grinding project he has ongoing there. A little farther east we stopped to see a pinon/juniper area included in a prescribed fire/grazing project on the Bar T Bar Ranch. Iric Burden of the USForest Service and Bob Prosser of the Bar T Bar described how the project got started, how it has been carried out and what they planned to accomplish in the future. At this location we also learned about two different cattle/elk interaction studies that had been done on pinon/juniper range on the V Bar V and in the pine vegetation near there. Larry Howery, Range Specialist for the U of A and Bill Miller, Wildlife Professor for Arizona State University detailed their work on forage use, techniques to assess potential competition, and management of these sympatric species. Duane Coleman then took us over to look at Clear Creek Canyon before we headed back to the V Bar V. It was definitely worth the trip.

When we arrived back at the ranch headquarters, Bopper Cannon and his crew had one of his classic chuck wagon suppers ready for us. Tri-tip beef, ranch potatoes, dutch-oven biscuits, beans, and salad, topped off with dutch-oven cobbler. We had a short follow-up business meeting and then saw a video of the V Bar V Ranch history created by Deb Pearson, ranch business manager. We also saw a video re-cap of this summers NRCWAY at Mingus Springs Camp. It has become sort of a tradition to have a little live music at our summer meetings with the “band” named after some local place. This year was no exception as the “Happy Jacks” took center stage under the dining fly to wrap up the evening. A couple of rattlesnakes in camp just added to the excitement.

Friday August 5

Coyotes and elk woke us up early and we packed up, left the cool pines and headed down the hill (about 30 miles and 3500 ft in elevation) to the old Beaver Creek Ranger Station. The Range Club from ASU cooked up some wonderful breakfast burritos and we needed them since we had a little hiking to do this morning. Down the road a few miles at Wickiup Draw, we walked in to see the headcuts and erosion which has been a problem there for a number of years. Amina Sena who is the Watershed Specialist for the Coconino on the Red Rock district presented a little history of the draw and outlined the many factors affecting that ecosystem. Then it was back out to the road and a stop at Scared Mountain for some agricultural archaeology presented by Peter Pilles, archaeologist for the Coconino National Forest. He gave a great explanation of how the Sinagua harvested water and farmed the “rangeland” we were standing on. By now it was getting hot so it was good to move on to the V Bar V Heritage Site (former ranch headquarters now a historical site operated by the USFS) to see some of the best petroglyphs in the southwest under some big old shade trees. Ken Zoll and Jerry Ehrhardt, both members of the Arizona Archaeological Society educated the group on the rock art and historical trails used by native and US military people in the area.

Amber and Anastasia holding their prizes for the plant ID contest

Back at the Beaver Creek Station for lunch and we wrapped up with a presentation prepared by Jerry Mundell (USFS retired) on historical grazing in the Beaver Creek Watershed. Verde Natural Resource Conservation District presented information about their projects to provide wildlife escape ramps and “no-trace” fire pits. Doug Tolleson summarized the meeting and challenged the attendees to look at rangelands with new eyes after learning about historical uses of the land and how this will affect what we are able to do management-wise now and in the future. Jamie Wages and Andrew Brischke from the Young Professionals Committee announced the Plant ID contest winners which were: 2nd place Amber Dahlke and 1st place Anastasia Rabin. Prizes awarded were a lighted hand lens and a Trail Boss belt buckle respectively. Some of us hung around and visited after the meeting, some went on a trip to see more archeological sites and some went swimming. The number of attendees each day ranged from 60 to 80. Plans are already underway for the winter meeting, tentatively scheduled for Tucson in mid January.

3R Ranch Visit

2011-08-12T16:10:00.002-06:00

By Maggie Haseman, SRM Outreach Intern

3R Ranch is located 22 miles southwest of Pueblo, Colorado. It is 11,000 acres of land partially in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, partially flat plains. The ranch is managed by Reeves and Betsy Brown. Part of my internship program this summer was to visit this ranch, and spend two days learning about the way it is run. After my time at Chico Basin Ranch late last month I thought I was somewhat prepared for another ranch visit. However, these two ranches differ vastly; I was just as inexperienced as I had been two weeks prior when I arrived at Chico Basin Ranch. Reeves would later tell me that I could visit every ranch in the state, and not find two that run things in the same way.

Eating Hay

During my stay, Reeves Brown gave me a detailed description of the management program used on 3R Ranch. They manage using a Holistic Management plan. This grazing plan was developed by Allan Savory who came to America from Zimbabwe to get the idea more recognition. His book about holistic management is called “Holistic Management: A New Framework for Decision Making." Reeves told me that holistic management is all about the connection between the water, energy and nutrient cycles. Plants require water from precipitation, energy from sunlight and nutrients from the soil to grow. When they are synchronized the plants are most productive and in turn animals are too. When animals graze the land they cycle the nutrients back into the soil more quickly than if the land were left alone. The animals eat the above ground plant material before grasses go to seed; the grass then produces more above ground material. If the plant were allowed to go to seed it would then go into a dormant period, adding the grazing cycle into the ecosystem allows the plant to produce more.

Very Dry

He also talked about keeping a balance in finances, happiness, sustainability and productivity in order to meet a set goal. Each decision should be evaluated based on whether it will help them meet their goal. They ask if they have the fiscal ability to do the action, if it will make them and their workers happy so they have the mental and physical ability to do the action, will the action improve productivity, will the action improve the resource. They graze a pasture for a maximum of five to seven days, and then give the land a long rest period. The plan is much more in depth than this, and this is simply my understanding based on what Reeves talked to me about. I think this management plan really makes sense, especially the way Reeves explained it. I haven’t had much experience with herbivory in my classes at Colorado State University yet so I haven’t heard much about grazing plans, I think this specific one is very interesting.

The Ranch

My adventure began on August 1st at 5:00pm, when I pulled up to the building that would be my quarters based on my emails from Betsy Brown and got out to stretch my legs. I walked across an irrigation ditch on a small foot bridge, as instructed in my email, to Betsy and Reeves’ adobe home. When I rang the doorbell I was greeted by the barks and scratching at the door of a small fluffy dog I later learned was named Angel. Then Betsy came to the door and invited me in. We sat on the porch, enjoyed the breeze, chatted and drank lemonade.

These cows thought we brought them food, very disappointing for

them to find out otherwise

That evening, Betsy asked if I would accompany her to check on some cattle. We (including Angel) hopped in the Utility Terrain Vehicle (UTV) with Angel and head off on a dirt road. The countryside was beautiful; the sun was setting behind the Rocky Mountains. It started to rain but we were comfortable in the UTV. Betsy talked to me about the way they run the ranch and we chatted about other things as well. Betsy recommended a movie called Temple Grandin after hearing about my sister, Erica’s interests. She said between the two of us the movie would be a perfect balance. My sister graduated from CSU with a degree in music therapy and wants to work with autistic children, and I, as you may know by now am currently majoring in rangeland ecology. This movie is about the woman it is named after: she is a professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University, she is also autistic. The movie shows the obstacles she overcame to be successful. I haven’t seen it yet but it came highly recommended.

Injured Bull

On the way back to headquarters we collected eggs from the chicken coop. When we got back to the Brown’s house for dinner, Reeves was home. We had tasty taco salads on the side porch followed by homemade peppermint ice cream. Being an ice cream fanatic, as is Reeves, we chatted over a bowl each. I was amazed at how good it tasted, I don't think I've ever had ice cream that tasted so good. They asked what my favorite flavor of ice cream was and I responded cinnamon gelato from Gelazzi, a gelato cafe in Fort Collins, CO.

Checkup

The next morning, I woke up in time for 6:30am breakfast at the Brown’s: hot cakes, yummy. On the first day Betsy and I went to give a bull with a bad knee some water and food because he was unable to walk. Reeves, Betsy, two ranch hands Ken and Kenneth and I (Angel too) also put salt, mineral, and hay out in a pasture for the cattle. Another bull was also hurt, probably from jumping over a fence. Marvin, the Brown’s veterinarian, arrived to check on the bull. I watched Betsy and Marvin help the bull into a holding contraption where Marvin conducted the checkup. According to him, the bull was no longer a bull, which was bad news for Betsy and Reeves who were counting on him for breeding. It was also sad for the bull who was now only worth the price of a hamburger patty.
We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing, watching the rain fall and talking while Betsy fixed dinner. I found a recipe for gelato for her to use in her ice cream machine. For dinner we had meatloaf and squash from the garden. Of course there was home-made ice cream for dessert: this time banana nut. Note to self: get an ice cream maker.
After breakfast (hot cakes) the next day, Reeves took me up in the mountain to the place where Reeves and Betsy’s son Kelly is building a hunting facility for them. Reeves showed me around the area and then got to work on the hole he was digging for a water tank. Later, Reeves and I drove around the mountain to check on the herd of cattle they had grazing up there. When we got back, I helped him level the hole using my limited surveying experience from a previous course at CSU.

Beautiful Architecture for Hunting Facility
Built by Kelly Brown

When we’d finished eating lunch from their favorite local pizzeria, Kelly, Reeves and I drove down to Colorado City. They had to meet the truck driver who was delivering the water and septic tanks and show him the way to the hunting facility. Lining up the tanks in the holes took the rest of the afternoon.

Spanish Peaks

I had a wonderful couple of days with Reeves and Betsy Brown. They are very sweet people and I appreciate everything they did for me during my stay. I hope to keep in touch with them and see them again soon. I learned a lot about these two kindly people, holistic management, ice cream, cattle, bull injuries, and myself during my two day adventure in southern Colorado.

Nebraska Youth Range Camp 2011

2011-08-05T09:31:00.004-06:00

By Shelly Taylor, Director of the Nebraska Range Camp

The Nebraska SRM Section’s 48th Annual Youth Range Camp was held June 13 – 17, 2011 at the Nebraska State 4-H Camp, located in the Nebraska National Forest near Halsey. Range Camp is designed to be a blend of educational, team-building, and recreational activities, with the primary emphasis being on range, livestock, and ranch management. Each Camper received a notebook of reference materials as well as priceless experience coming from both the classroom and the field. Thirty-nine high school students from across Nebraska and eastern Colorado participated in this weeklong educational activity. This premier Section Activity is successful because of the long-term support we have from a wide array of professionals involved in rangeland management.

Ranch Tour at the Reed Hamilton Ranch

Nine adults contributed a week of their time to be crew leaders and Camp support. Crew Bosses included: Ben Beckman (UNL Graduate); Daryl Cisney (Board of Educational Lands and Funds); Karla Jenkins (UNL Assistant Professor and Specialist); Justin Lemmer (Twin Platte NRD Range Technician); Jess Milby (UNL Graduate Student); Casey Lancaster, Lisa McMillan, Jeff Nichols, and Shelly Taylor all of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Shelly served as Director for the Camp.

The financial support of sponsoring ranches is an essential part of Range Camp’s success. Many of these ranches have been supporting this program through ranch crew sponsorship for more than 35 years. Currently, 11 Nebraska Ranches support Range Camp.

Livestock Judging Clinic

Range site portion of the Range Judging contest

Additionally, 13 of Nebraska’s most respected and dedicated leaders, teachers, and professionals from various agencies, colleges, and universities supported Range Camp by leading tours and providing presentations on range related information. They represented: a local ranch, Chadron State College, West Holt High School, Mitchell High School, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Scottsbluff High School, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the US Forest Service.

We provide the top ranch crew or team awards annually. This year’s winning ranch crew was the Steerhead Crew – Kelly Ranch LLC. The Crew Boss or team leader was Justin Lemmer.

We work hard, but we play hard too!

The top individuals are scored on plant identification, range site identification, ranch planning, a comprehensive range exam, notebooks and attitudes. These Campers are offered the opportunity to represent Nebraska at the International SRM Meeting by competing in a range related presentation contest at our Annual Nebraska Section SRM Meeting.

The top two first year campers received belt buckles. The top returning Camper received a plaque that includes the ranch sponsors brands and the SRM medallion. Top First Year Campers received the Weeds of the Great Plains book. Top Returning Campers received the Weeds of the West. There are also awards for placing high on Range Sites, Plant Identification, and the Comprehensive Exam. Those individuals were awarded the Grassland Plants of South Dakota book.

2011 Top First Year Campers

The Sandhills Task Force and the Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition continue to be invaluable sponsors and supporters of our Camp.

The staff or Crew Bosses unanimously decided to offer the opportunity to represent the Nebraska SRM Section at the Spokane, Washington International SRM Meeting to all Campers. We had another year of outstanding young people; our future in natural resources continues to be bright!

Tour of prescribed burn on Forest Service property

The Nebraska Youth Range Camp has a new Facebook page where you can view photos from this year’s Range Camp, find information about upcoming Range Camps and other associated events, and network with past Campers and supporters. Please “Like” us so you can receive our updates!

Range Camp is one of the Nebraska SRM Section’s most important annual activities. Continued success is dependent upon the support, dedication, and active involvement of Section Members. The support of Nebraska ranchers, professionals, and other sponsoring organizations is also essential for a successful Camp. The 2012 Nebraska Youth Range Camp is scheduled for June 11-15, 2012. This will be our 49th Range Camp. Additional information on Range Camp is available by contacting current Director, Shelly Taylor, by visiting the Nebraska SRM website, or by “Liking” the Nebraska Youth Range Camp page on Facebook.

The whole crew

Chico Basin Ranch Visit

2011-08-02T09:46:00.003-06:00

By Maggie Haseman, Outreach Intern

Photo by: Maggie Haseman
Chico Basin Ranch Headquarters

Chico Basin Ranch is a working cattle ranch located 35 miles southeast of Colorado Springs. It is 87,000 acres of rangeland owned by the Colorado State Land Board and managed by Duke and Janet Phillips and their family. As part of my internship program with SRM, I spent two full days on the ranch helping out and learning about their operation. I went to Chico Basin Ranch not knowing what to expect and found myself having a very memorable and worthwhile experience. I have always considered myself to be a city girl and I had never even been to a ranch or thought of going to a ranch before the Phillips kindly allowed me to visit theirs. My two full days and two nights on the ranch were packed full with new learning experiences, a few minor bumps in the road, and a new found appreciation for what it means to work a ranch.

When I arrived at the headquarters on July 18th at about 5:30pm, I was greeted by three young women: two interns, Lesley and Kerstin, and the youngest child of Duke and Janet, Gracie. I was then sent in to meet Young Duke, Duke and Janet’s son. He sent me to May Camp, the home he shares with Cooper Hibbard and guests when they come, saying, “It’s very easy to find.”

Photo by: Maggie Haseman
View of the Ranch Near May Camp

The roads are dirt and they veer off in every direction, luckily May Camp was easy to get to once you’ve already arrived. On the way, I distinctly remember thinking, “I’m lost, I’m lost, I’m lost!” and suddenly the house appeared. The house was very cute and cozy, with blue cabinets in the kitchen and thankfully, running water and electricity. They had made up a bed for me in a room off the dining room and I tried to get settled in. Around six, Cooper came in and introduced himself. We talked and got to know each other a little while he fixed dinner (beans, corn on the cob, and skillet veggies, yum!) After that I just busied myself with reading before bed time. Boy was it hot in that house!

The next day I woke up at 5:50am. Cooper took me around the ranch, to fix things and help me get used to the new setting, and he taught me a lot that day. Like I said, my ranch knowledge bucket was empty before I arrived, I learned a lot but I know my short adventure was not enough to fill it, not even close, there is so much to know. The first thing I learned was that there is something tricky you have to figure out about all vehicles you drive around the ranch, the one we were using didn’t open from the inside, another one didn’t have a windshield or doors, and a third you have to pull the door up and then close it or it will open while you drive.

After we had the truck loaded we drove for ages.

Photo by: Maggie Haseman
View of the Ranch and Mountains

We had to check water tanks because there was something wrong with the system that Cooper had been working to fix the day before. Luckily, he succeeded, which meant it wasn’t a leak we had to find. I was shocked to find a drowned salamander and frog in one tank and tadpoles in another, it was so dry there, these critters just seemed out of place. We then went to a drained water tank to fix some holes with cement. It was only 9:00am or so and it was already hot, hot, hot! At another tank, we had to pump it dry so that Cooper could replace the water valve. It was so stinky and when Cooper asked me to get in the tank with that gooey greenish-black gunk I was very apprehensive; it turned out to not be that bad. The valve was so stuck we couldn’t get it to budge so Cooper resolved to leave it until he had some better tools.

Along the way, I was learning how to open and close fences. It seems like that should be an easy task that wouldn’t really take much to learn, but I kept closing the gate with Cooper and the truck on the right side and me stuck on the wrong side. I got a GIANT splinter from one gate and shocked by another, and my goodness did I let out a shriek at that shock. I then learned how to fix a fence and drive a fence post. Later, we drove along the fence to find where the charge was grounded; meaning the electricity of the fence wasn’t shocking at full power. We finally found it, fixed it and headed back to headquarters.

Photo by: Duke Phillips
Pikes Peak behind May Pond

I then met the third Intern, Raphael. Kerstin, Raphael and I ventured to the lake to cool down and play with some puppies (there were so many puppies, four from one mom and about seven from another). I longed to go swimming to cool down but I forgot to follow my mom’s number one packing rule: always bring a swim suit; it was probably for the best though because I would have psyched myself out by the teeny leeches I saw. It was fun to relax in the setting sun and cool my feet in the water. After a while, Cooper and I headed back to May Camp for dinner and bed.

On Wednesday I woke up at 4:00am. Cooper told me we were wrangling cattle and I was supposed to ride a horse but I kept thinking it was a joke. I had not ridden a horse since a birthday party in elementary school and what help would I be gathering cattle? But, it wasn’t a joke, and next thing I knew I stood facing Cricket the horse while she looked disapprovingly down her long nose at me. You have to learn fast once you’re on a horse: sit up straight, don’t be a sack of potatoes, hold the reins here, connect with her, trust her. Cricket had a lot of energy and spunk, and I’m pretty sure she thought she knew what to do better than I did, which is true. Duke sent Gracie, Kate, their guest from Portland, Oregon, and me off in another direction, he and about eight or nine other riders went somewhere else. So Gracie, Kate and I trotted along a fence and found a small herd of cattle coming toward us. We gathered them and followed/herded them toward a central water tank where we were meeting the others. I think they kept saying we were herding 1,500 head but to me it looked like zillions. The noise, the dust, the sun, I will never forget the way it looked. I felt transported to a different time and it was wonderful.

Photo by: Cooper Hibbard
The Dukes, Father and Son

Once the cattle were gathered we started moving them back toward headquarters. Duke showed me how to keep the line moving and we made our steady way into the corrals. In the corrals the cattle were a little scary and there was one point when I thought they were going to stampede over me, though it probably wasn’t as dangerous as it felt. Regardless, I was happy to sit to the side and watch at Duke’s instruction. As I dismounted my foot got stuck in the stirrup and down I went: aside from my bruised ego I was not injured.

Photo by: Michael Moon
Cattle Train

It was so interesting to see the professionals at work herding cattle. From what I understood they were sorting cattle by size to ship. They had so much control over the situation; it was impressive to watch, and cows are just about the funniest animals I’ve ever seen – I wish I had space to write about all the funny things I saw them do while in the corrals.

Photo by: Jonathan Tullar
Bell Park Event Center

After lunch Kerstin and I were sent down to Bell Park, the stage area. Chico Basin has been hosting concerts in the summer since the summer of 2010 and they are hoping to make it an annual event. Our task was to clean up the area for the concert on the 23rd of July. I have never done such hard work in the hot sun as I did that afternoon, but I have also never felt so rewarded by the results as I did that afternoon, when Bell Park looked much cleaner.

On Wednesday evening it was time for me to say goodbye to all the people who were so welcoming and patient with me. My stay at Chico Basin Ranch taught me about the value of a day of hard work, flexibility in new and sometimes uncomfortable situations, and the beauty of the ranching profession.

I would like to send a big thank you to all the people I met at Chico Basin Ranch during my short visit. It was an experience that I cannot compare to any other and that I will never forget.

Photo by: Maggie Haseman
Hello/Goodbye Cowboy sculpture

2011 Summer Board Meeting

2011-08-02T09:44:00.002-06:00

By Maggie Haseman, Outreach Intern

It’s mid-summer and we all know what that means: the summer Board meeting! I know you were probably thinking ice cream, but don’t worry there was a little of that too. The Board of Directors traveled to the Society for Range Management headquarters office in Wheat Ridge, Colorado to work through critical SRM operating items. They worked on the budget, discussed updates on projects and committee work and held a special Action Update Call. They also focused on membership member renewals, the website and SRM outreach material and upcoming Annual Meetings. The Board is heading home after two solid days of discussion.

During the Action Update Call

Now, we know that you know that we know that you know who is on the BOD but do you really know the BOD? Let’s find out. Here are a few snippets to get to know these individuals:

Dr. Stephanie Larson-Praplan, Director 2010-2012, California-Pacific Section

Stephanie was born in Vancouver, WA. She was raised on a sheep farm in Idaho, which is where her interest in rangelands began. Her mentors Jim Clausen and John Buckhouse guided her to join SRM. According to Stephanie, her colleagues are her favorite part of SRM membership. Get this, in her free time, Stephanie runs half-marathons! Her favorite books are those in The Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkein and interestingly her favorite ice cream flavor is licorice.

Keith Klement, Director 2010-2012, Wyoming Section
Keith was born in Muenster, TX. He was a student at Texas Tech on the Plant ID team when he decided to join SRM. In his opinion, the best thing about SRM is the chance to interact with diverse individuals who share an interest in rangelands. I bet you didn’t know that he grew up on a dairy farm. Keith’s favorite book is The Bible and he loves vanilla ice cream.

Jack Alexander, President, International Mountain Section
Jack was born in Nashville, TN. He joined SRM so that he could compete in the Undergraduate Rangeland Management Exam at the Annual Meeting. His favorite thing about SRM is the passion he sees that range professionals have for rangelands. Something you might not have known about Jack is that he has a collection of old motorcycles. His favorite book is 1,491 by Charles Mann and his favorite ice cream flavor is mocha almond fudge.

Dr. Val Jo Anderson, Director 2011-2013, Utah Section
Val was born in Ephraim, UT. He was a student when he joined SRM and continued to be involved in the plant ID team, undergraduate papers and the national conclave. He enjoys being a member of SRM because it serves as an outlet for management literature and he has the chance to network, meet and have discussions with experts who manage rangelands in similar ways. Something interesting about Val that you might not have known is that he has done range research on every continent except Antarctica. His favorite book is Roughing It by Mark Twain and his favorite flavor of ice cream is butter pecan.

Wally Butler, Second Vice President, Idaho Section
Wally was born in Brigham City, UT. He got a bachelors degree in animal science and during the peak of the Vietnam War decided to continue his education and get a masters degree in range management. His major professor joined SRM in its second year (1950!) and encouraged all his students to join. Since joining, the things Wally has enjoyed most about SRM are the networking opportunities and the people he has met. Something you probably didn’t know about Wally is that he raises stock dogs and ships them all over the world. His favorite book is Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose and his favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry.

Dr. Charles Hart, Director 2009-2011, Texas Section
Charlie was born in Lubbock, TX. He joined SRM as a student and has been a member ever since. His favorite thing about being a member of SRM is the camaraderie he finds in the people and the friends he has made. You might be surprised to learn that Charlie lived in New York for six years. His favorite book is Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry and he enjoys mint chocolate chip ice cream.

Misty Hays, Director 2011-2013, Wyoming Section
Misty was born in Mission, South Dakota. When she was in college she attended her first Annual Meeting, which led her to join SRM. She loves the fact that through SRM she has a place to talk to her peers who share a common ground. Something you will find interesting about Misty is the fact that she has been involved in range management since she was five years old. She will read anything by Mary Higgins Clark and her favorite flavor of ice cream is chocolate.

Gary Frasier, First Vice President, Colorado Section
Gary was born in Imperial, NE. When he was working in Phoenix, AZ a past president came in to talk to him, as he was leaving he handed Gary an SRM member application and told him to fill it out by the next day; that’s when Gary joined SRM. His favorite thing about SRM is the people. You will probably be shocked to find out the Gary has never received an education in range management. He loves to read all science fiction books and his favorite flavor of ice cream is butter pecan.

Jess Peterson, Executive Vice President
Jess was born in Powell, WY. He joined SRM in order to have access to the scientific applications and get more information about rangeland management. What he enjoys most about SRM are the annual and section meetings and the enthusiasm they generate. You probably didn’t know that he runs cattle on two counties in Montana. His favorite book is John F. Kennedy on Leadership: The Lessons and Legacy of a President by John Barnes, and he loves chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.

Sandra Wyman, Director 2009-2011, Pacific Northwest Section
Sandy was born in Westby, WI. In college she was studying range management and was in the range club, which was affiliated with SRM, so she joined. Her favorite thing about being an SRM member is the networking opportunities and the exchange of science. You might be surprised to find out the Sandy grew up on a farm where they raised horses and tobacco. Her favorite books are the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling and she enjoys eating chocolate flavored ice cream.

Have questions for the SRM Board of Directors? Comment here, email them individually, and get on the Action Update Call each month to ask them directly. They work for you.

New Mexico Summer Tour

2011-07-27T11:03:00.003-06:00

By Les Owen, New Mexico Section

The New Mexico Section of the Society for Range Management held its Summer Tour on July 22, 2011 at the NMSU Corona Range and Livestock Research Center. Ranch Superintendent, Shad Cox, started the day off with an overview of operations on the 42 section ranch located in central New Mexico. The CRLRC is a unique research facility in that research and ranch operations are funded by commercial livestock production (cattle and sheep) and hunting opportunities on the ranch. A large collection of research literature is available on the CRLRC website.

The first stop was in a pasture where juniper was mechanically controlled in the late 1970s. Dr. Andrés Cibils is leading a research project using very large scale aerial photography and specialized software to analyze re-invading juniper sapling density effects on grass production. Preliminary data indicate that when sapling size reaches 1 meter cover, grass production decreases significantly.

Stop 2 was in a pasture where roughly half was open grassland and half juniper woodland. GPS collars were fitted on cattle and mule deer to determine habitat preference for each species based on tree densities, time of year, and climatic conditions. Data show that both mule deer and cattle start to avoid woodland areas when canopy cover exceeds 40%.

The third site was an area where an intensive targeted grazing study was conducted using goats and sheep to control juniper saplings. Results only indicated a 5% kill on saplings, with most controlled individuals being smaller in size. The majority of the saplings were too large and established for the targeted grazing to be highly effective. Targeted grazing can be an effective tool for managing juniper saplings that are small and could be a good complementary tool with other control mechanisms.

Just before lunch we visited a half section pasture where re-invading juniper was controlled using individual plant treatments of Velpar. Around 95% control was achieved for close to $9.50 per acre application cost. The CRLRC employed the services of the NMSU Range Club to apply the treatment which resulted in good experience for the students and an effective control for the CRLRC. Tour Sponsor and DuPont Representative, Jack Lyons, provided information about placement of soil application of Velpar in relation to the edge of the juniper drip line.

Lunch was served at the almost completed Southwest Center for Rangeland Sustainability located near the center of the ranch. Shad Cox provided a tour of the new facility which will serve as a centrally located venue in New Mexico for educational programs related to agriculture. The facility houses a classroom, conference room, offices, and a commercial kitchen. Look forward to hearing of many more great programs being hosted at this facility.

After lunch we moved on to a site where individual juniper plants in plots received either a foliar application of Surmount or tree drip line application of Tordon. Tour Sponsor and Dow Representative, Greg Alpers, provided information about the applications and emerging technology using electrostatically charged herbicide to vastly improve efficacy of aerial treatments. Trials have been conducted on mesquite and cholla with promising results.

Next a research project using VLSA photography to estimate juniper biomass for use as a biofuel was visited. After the photography was acquired, each juniper was individually harvested, mulched and weighed to calibrate the estimation tool. This was done on two separate plots where about 50 tons of biomass was harvested. Researchers are able to use data from this project to accurately estimate standing juniper biomass using VLSA photography. Note in the picture background a strange phenomenon having to do with darkening skies that has been rumored to happen in the past around New Mexico.

Our 7th stop of the day was a hydrology study in juniper woodlands where soil moisture sensors were placed in replicated plots where Spike had been used to control juniper and control plots. Data showed a 3 fold increase in grass production in treated plots, but due to the low average rainfall neither control or treated plot soil sensors indicated moisture penetration that would lead to aquifer recharge.

Our final stop of the day was to a study where Spike was used to control juniper in the mid 1990s and Rx fire was used as a follow up treatment in 2003 to control emerging saplings. Differences in forage production between the pasture where the Spike treatment was followed with Rx fire and that without fire was significant. Sapling emergence in the non-burned pasture caused a decrease in grass production.

The NMSRM Summer Tour had a great tour and we are very appreciative to NMSU and the Corona Range and Livestock Research Center for hosting the event. We also would like to thank our tour sponsors: Dow, DuPont, and NorthStar Helicopters.

Interest Piece - The Pros and Cons of Wind Power on Rangelands

2011-07-15T16:02:00.002-06:00

By Maggie Haseman, SRM Outreach Intern

CQ Researcher is a periodical that covers some of the most debated social and political topics of today. I recently read a CQ Researcher article titled, “Wind Power: Is Wind Energy Good for the Environment?” written by David Hosansky, which I found to be especially informative.

Photo by Maggie Haseman,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, CO

In his article Hosansky outlines the history of how humans have harnessed the power of wind. Between 5,500 B.C.E. and 1,400 A.C.E., wind power was first employed in Southeast Asia to sail boats, and in windmills to pump water and grind grain. In the 18th and early 19th century and during the Industrial Revolution, steam began to replace wind, a well established energy source throughout Europe, as a power source. By the late 19th century, however wind reclaimed its early importance when scientists began developing windmills to bring electricity to rural areas, especially in Scotland, the United States, and Denmark. In the 1900s to 1980s most of the U.S. was reliant on nuclear energy and fossil fuels for electricity, farmers however used small windmills for irrigation pump operation. Between 1990 and present day, interest in alternative energy has increased due to rising oil prices, among other factors. Today, Hosansky cites China as the wind power world leader with a wind-energy capacity of 42 gigawatts, followed closely by the U.S. at 40 gigawatts.

A wind turbine works by capturing energy when the wind blows past the blade, there is a “lift” effect causing the blades to turn. As the blades turn, a shaft that is connected to the generator spins, creating electricity.

Wind Turbine Diagram and Parts

Blades: Every turbine usually has either two or three blades.

Rotor: The blades and the hub together are called the rotor.

Pitch: Blades are turned, or pitched, out of the wind to control the rotor speed.

Brake: A disc brake, which can stop the rotor in emergencies.

Low-speed shaft: The rotor turns the low-speed shaft at about 30 to 60 rotations per minute.

Gear box: Gears connect the low-speed shaft to the high-speed shaft and increase speeds from about 30 to 60 rotations per minute (rpm) to 1,000 to 1,800, rpm, the speed required by most generators to produce electricity.

Generator: Produces 60-cycle AC electricity.

Controller: The controller starts up the machine at wind speeds of about 8 to 16 miles per hour (mph) and shuts off the machine at about 55 mph.

Anemometer: Measures the wind speed and transmits wind speed data to the controller.

Wind vane: Measures wind direction and communicates with the yaw drive to orient the turbine properly with respect to the wind.

Nacelle: Contains the gear box, low- and high-speed shafts, generator, controller, and brake.

High-speed shaft: Drives the generator.

Yaw drive: Keeps the rotor on upwind turbines facing into the wind as the wind direction changes.

Yaw motor: Powers the yaw drive.

Tower: Towers are made from tubular steel, concrete, or steel lattice.

Caption Source: Department of Energy

Photo Source: Turbine Zone

Some of the issues I found interesting in Hosansky’s paper include the problem of wind intermittency, the financial constraints involved with wind power, the effect wind energy can have by displacing some emissions and pollutants, concerns about wildlife protection, and the land requirements for a wind farm.

Photo by Charles Haseman,
Along I-80 near Des Moines, Iowa

Living in Colorado, a relatively windy state, I don’t notice a lack of wind but this article reminded me that not every place in the U.S. or the world receives gusts as powerful as those throughout the Great Plains and the west coast. The article discusses that wind power seems to be a perfect fit for the U.S., according to Hosansky, If wind turbines had the ability to operate at 100% of their capacity, wind power has the potential to supply 16 times the electricity needs of the United States; however wind turbines only generate 25-40% of their capacity due to wind intermittency. Another challenge is that the locations with the most persistent wind tend to be in sparsely populated areas away from major population centers and not necessarily when the demand for energy peaks. As a result, a large network of transmission lines is necessary to deliver the wind energy to the consumers, which could be costly.

I find the financial controversy outlined by Hosansky particularly fascinating. In order to reach the current U.S. goal of generating 20% of energy by wind power, the estimated cost is $200 billion, likely to be burdened onto ratepayers. This money would be used for turbines, improved transmission line capability and other infrastructure. Wind farms can also lower property value by up to 40%. On the other hand, turbines can result in local governments receiving “higher real estate tax revenue” and landowners leasing their land to build towers for $3,000 to $5,000 a year. The renewable energy standard President Obama presented will protect consumers from unstable fuel prices, save money, boost the economy and create green jobs. In addition the price of wind power is less than other renewable-energy sources.

Photo by Charles Haseman,
Along I-80 near Des Moines, Iowa

To me, Hosansky’s summary of the effect of carbon dioxide and other pollutants, which are often noted as the culprits for climate change, and the way wind power impacts them is enlightening. “The extraction, transport and combustion of… fossil fuels can affect water and air quality, wildlife habitats and the global climate.” Additionally green energy does not necessarily include all renewable energies; cycling fossil fuel plants up and down in response to the intermittent wind is expensive and “can emit excessive pollution” and reduce the “effectiveness of environmental-control equipment.” In order to reduce emissions it would be more efficient to directly address that problem. Conversely, wind energy is a key energy source to reducing air pollution and carbon dioxide and other emissions from coal and natural gas. Besides hydropower, wind energy generates the most amount of electricity compared to every other renewable energy sources, and it is considered safer than nuclear energy. A combination of diverse mixed fuel sources such as wind, solar and a back-up system of newer and more efficient gas-fired plants that can be quickly ramped up or down can reduce emissions significantly because fossil fuel plants won’t be running as often.

Photo by Charles Haseman,
Along I-80 near Des Moines, Iowa

Possibly the most popular argument against wind power that I have heard is about the detrimental effects it can have on wildlife, particularly birds and bats; Hosansky explains this captivating argument. Thousands of birds, including rare raptors such as golden eagles and burrowing owls have been killed by the blades of wind mills, and others have been electrocuted by wind-farm power lines. Additionally, in one year 2,000 bats may have been killed by a single wind farm. However, others suggest that wind farms can be placed far from migratory paths and “major populations of birds and bats” where such effects are less likely. Experts say that many reports of wildlife death were made prior to technological advances; modern wind mills are taller and kill far fewer animals. One report stated that turbines are low on the list of reasons why birds and bats die; pesticides, attacks by domestic and feral cats and collisions with windows kill much greater number of birds.

Photo by Maggie Haseman,
National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, CO

Another interesting argument discussed by Hosansky concerns land requirements. “Wind farms require far more land… than traditional forms of electricity generation”; estimates say “45 times more than nuclear power and several times more than coal and natural gas plants”. Furthermore, the location of wind farms can damage sensitive ecosystems and destroy beautiful landscapes. Alternatively, ”the turbines take up relatively little space and [the] land around” them can still be utilized for other purposes such as farming, ranching and recreation, thus taking up less space than fossil fuel plants overall. Additionally, improvements in technology continue to allow for larger turbines, meaning fewer are necessary to generate the same amount of electricity. Moreover, between smog and a windmill, one person stated they’d take the windmill.

This article was eye-opening to me and really gave some insight into benefits of and current issues with wind power. I now believe I have formed an educated opinion around wind energy and based on the issues discussed above I personally support wind power. It seems that the issues with it can be solved and, in my opinion, the issues, when they are compared to the benefits, are minor. I enjoyed reading the story-like writing and the political perspective on wind energy. If you would like to read this article too, here is the citation:

Hosansky, D. (2011, April 1). Wind Power: Is wind power good for the environment?. CQ Researcher, 21, 289-312.

Announcing the Launch of the Collaborative Conservation Learning Network

2011-07-13T15:17:00.004-06:00

The Center for Collaborative Conservation at Colorado State University has just announced the launch of their web-based Collaborative Conservation Learning Network (CCLN). The purpose of the CCLN is to facilitate the exchange of ideas, innovations, tools and study results, and to foster connections among academics, practitioners and others, to help worldwide collaborative conservation efforts become effective and sustainable.

The CCLN includes a multi-media library for resources related to collaborative conservation, opportunity listings (including jobs, funding, trainings, conferences and workshops), collaborative conservation organizations and initiatives, discussion boards, a members’ directory with direct messaging, links to resources related to policy and law, blogs and podcasts.

They will be working hard to continually add new, useful information to the CCLN, but others are invited to contribute.

You can explore/join the Learning Network here: https://www.collaborativeconservation.org/learning-network

For more information please contact Jill Lackett: Jill.Lackett@colostate.edu

Texas Section Youth Range Workshop - 2011

2011-07-08T15:00:00.011-06:00

By Jenny Pluhar, Texas Section
The Texas Section just completed our 57th Annual Youth Range Workshop. That’s right…57 years. We had 28 youth and 14 directors. We had six days of fun in the sun. Even had some rain, which is as rare as hen’s teeth in Texas this year!

We began on Sunday afternoon learning about the importance of rangelands. Texas is roughly 60% rangelands that serve as watersheds for some of our largest urban areas, so rangelands here are important to everyone from the city folks to the ranchers, hunters and recreationists. Monday we began plant collections and learned to use GPS on the range. We also began our public speaking exercises. Days began early (thought for the day was at 7 am) and we worked through til 11 pm each night. It doesn’t take long to spend the night at Youth Range Workshop in Texas!

Tuesday, we toured the Landers Ranch, ran pace transects, clipped plots, measured brush density, read photo plots and learned the fine points of utilization, stocking rates and range economics. We were especially honored to learn from Dr. Jake Landers, who attended the very first TSSRM Youth Range Workshop. More recreation, public speaking, and classroom analysis of the data we collected.

Wednesday, we toured two ranches, watched demonstrations of mechanical and chemical brush control, learned about prescribed fire (usually we do a burn, but it is too darn dry!), conducted endangered species surveys, even watched a Texas horned lizard eat harvester ants and burrow into the soil. More plant collecting, recreation, and public speaking.

Thursday, we were at the Kerr Wildlife Management Area where we learned all about the water cycle and how vegetative cover on rangeland impacts everything from evapotranspiration to infiltration rates. We rained on plots, measured soil temps, infiltration, aggregate stability and watched various brush species waste water right before our very eyes. We swam in the spring fed Johnson Creek (awesomely beautiful) and worked on our notebooks which were due that evening. We finished off the day with snacks and a quiz bowl competition that ran past midnight!

Friday morning we did ranch plans, compiling all the knowledge we gained throughout the week. We presented our plans and gathered our things to return home. Closing ceremonies Friday afternoon included recognition for the cleanest cabin, leaders in our cabin groups, champion recreational group, best plant collections and notebooks, the Sam Coleman Award for combined notebook and plant collection achievement and the coveted Trail Boss award.

Woven throughout the week was the concept of stewardship. Directors presented the origins of the word stewardship and the biblical reasons we are called to learn to care for the land and the animals.

Plans are already underway for the 2012 Youth Range Workshop!

Have you attended or helped organize a range camp? What was your experience like?

High Desert Youth Range Camp Celebrates 1st Successful Year!

2011-07-06T11:25:00.009-06:00

By Brenda Smith, Pacific Northwest Section

Group Photo

An extraordinary tradition that has been dormant for many years was renewed when 16 high-school age students from across Oregon and Idaho gathered June 19th-23rd for the first annual High Desert Youth Range Camp at the Northern Great Basin Experimental Range (NGBER) 40 miles west of Burns, OR. Well over a year ago a range camp committee made up of ARS scientists, Oregon State Cooperative Extension specialists, Treasure Valley Community College instructors and Harney County school district science teachers organized to develop the curriculum and logistics to host the camp at the 16,000 acre rangeland owned by the USDA-ARS. All told volunteers from nine agencies and local ranches committed their expertise and time as camp counselors, instructors, cooks to direct activities for the 4 day camp. The camp staff and presenters were all absolutely outstanding and put a tremendous amount of work and sacrifice to make range camp in Oregon a reality. The Pacific Northwest Section of SRM board of directors was instrumental in supporting the camp and provided a substantial financial donation to see range camp get off to a good start. A number of conservation districts and even private ranchers supported scholarships for students to attend.

Riparian Studies

Top of the World (or a Butte)

Activities included map reading, GPS, compass and orienteering, soils investigation activities, plant identification and monitoring, interactions of fire, grazing and weeds, Juniper woodland investigations, wildlife presentations on mule deer and sage grouse, a visit to the nearby Hotchkiss Co. Ranch, riparian zone investigations, student team presentations, daily team building and leadership activities, and more. The students in attendance were interested, engaged, and adventurous and worked extremely well together. It was a downright “fun” learning experience. The top student selected to attend the SRM High School youth forum is Isaac Studtmann from Long Creek, OR. Just a few of the comments received from the students include “I feel that I have taken so much out of this camp and could see myself working in this field”, “I feel so much more informed about issues with rangeland management. I am now considering a career in rangeland management much more now!” and “Overall I think camp went very well and I am happy I came. Thanks for doing this for us.”

Soil tests

We all are very excited to have a range camp back in Oregon and look forward to keeping the renewed tradition going and growing.

Ethnobotany: An interesting perspective on range management, at a bombing range.

2011-06-29T10:23:00.007-06:00

By: J. Johansen, SRM Student Member

Ethnobotany: the study of how a culture uses plants. But, who cares about plants anyway? Let alone knows their names, their relationships to each other and other living things? Aren’t all those cultures dead? I find it interesting that the American sub-culture of the range manager may be one of the few who still speak the language of plants.

Range Manager, or Plant Magician?

On this year’s Pacific Northwest Summer Tour we got a real treat, a trip through the Yakima Training Center, the US Army’s live-fire training grounds. Our gracious host shared with us his job of keeping the soil on the ground, in spite of tanks, artillery, and fires. He guided us through test plots of grasses and shrubs planted in the late 90’s, describing how each had faired over time, and how well they stood up to the abuse of army vehicles driving over them. The test plots were really interesting, in that it could be seen what plants had failed completely, what plants wandered out of their row, what plants grew larger at the edge of their plot to try and outcompete it’s neighbor, and just the chance to work on identification. The YTC’s Botanist consultant set me strait that the “two” grasses I had were in fact the same, one just had a fungal infection (don’t worry, cheatgrass!). Also, in another area towards the end of our YTC tour, we looked at a test plot from 1961.

SRMer's speak the language of plants

Land destroyed by wildfire!

In this area we looked at the after effects of a wildfire and sage seedlings that had been planted last fall. The grasses and massive amounts of lupines in this photo and all throughout the burn area had come back on there own, without seeding. The sage seedlings were planted because a large portion of the burn was within a Sage Grouse protection area (yes, on a bombing range) and they wanted the sagebrush to return.

Intact sagebrush system with previously burned hill behind

We also visited sites outside the YTC grazed by the Martinez family’s bands of sheep. One of the Principals of the largest sheep operation in the state of Washington, Mark Martinez was generous to take time out of his day, show us several sites and discus the ins and outs of running seven bands of about 7,500 sheep total.

*** J. Johansen will be attending OSU’s Range program at Eastern Oregon University for his junior year this fall, is working as a NRCS student intern, and has no credibility whatsoever. You can take a peek at what he does in his spare time at http://www.rideherd.com.

Interest Piece: Native American uses and management of California's grasslands

2011-06-16T10:09:00.017-06:00

By Maggie Haseman, SRM Outreach Intern

I recently read an absorbing chapter by M. Kat Anderson titled, “Native American uses and management of California’s grasslands” in the book California Grassland: Ecology and Management (2007). I am intrigued by the many ways humans have historically used plants and thought this chapter about California grasslands was a good example and a note-worthy read.

Native tribes had many uses for the plants found in California’s grasslands. The California area is unique due to its Mediterranean climate; because of this many plants in the region are endemic. Anderson’s chapter outlines how California grassland plants were used for clothing, basketry, construction materials, cordage, medicine and food.

I found it interesting to read about the various clothing and adornments the natives created from plants. For festivals, dances and ceremonies, tribes such as the Tongva and Yokut often wove wildflowers, such as cluster-lilies (Brodiaea), triplet lilies (Triteleia), dicks (Dichelostemma), iris (Iris douglasiana), and common monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus), into their hair, and to wear in wreaths, crowns and boas. The Sierra Miwok used sleepy catchfly (Silene antirrhina) for dying face paints and wore the flowers of the non-native quaking grass (Briza humilis) in pierced-ears. The Chukchansi Yokut used an unidentified grass they called chulochul to make the front side of women’s skirts and the Wintu made regalia out of grass mat, willow (Salix) sticks, flowers and feathers.

Photo from:
Eastern California Museum

I was particularly interested in the section regarding the arts of basketry and cordage, or rope making, both of which are old crafts dating to 10,000 years ago in western North America. Anderson outlines how plants such as alkali sacaton (Sporobolus airoides),which was widespread throughout the region, bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum), which was prized for the black rhizomes, and deergrass (Muhlenbergia rigens), which swells in water helping to make baskets water tight were all once used to make baskets. The chapter lists some popular choices for cordage included: throughout California, dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum); in central California the milkweeds (Asclepias); in the northeastern part of the states irises (Iris); and in the southern deserts yucca (Yucca) and agave (Agave).

Also interesting was the use of plants, especially grasses, in the construction of structures and furniture. The Yana, Wappo, Owens Valley and Mono Lake Paiute, Cahuilla, Salinan, Pomo, Modoc, Klamath and Chumash thatched various structures with grasses such as giant wildrye (Leymus condensatus) and California fescue (Festuca californica) Anderson tells us the Pomo created beds by digging a hole, filling the hole with dry grass and covering the grass with tule, mats and/or skin blankets. She also notes that the Michahai and Chukaimina Yokut snake doctors made cages to carry rattlesnakes in, of an unidentified twined stiff grass.

The subject I found most fascinating were the extensive practices cited by the author for medicinal needs. The use of plants for medicine was widespread throughout California tribes. The Kumeyaay made tea for cramps from the leaves of sanicle (Sanicula arguta), the new shoots of giant wildrye were made into a tea by the Chumash to treat venereal disease, the Pomo induced sleep using dried and powdered red larkspur (Delphinium nudicaule), and the Coast Miwok made the roots of the blue-eyed-grass (Sisyrinchium bellum) into a tea to heal stomachaches. Anderson highlights the common yarrow (Achillea millefolium) as the most versatile medicinal plants used by the Ohlone, Yokeya Pomo, Washoe, Hupa, Karuk, Yurok, and Tolowa for teas, decoctions, powders, infusions, and cool or warm presses. The common yarrow was used for washing sores, alleviating toothaches, stomachaches, and headaches, treating burns, chills, fever, and sore eyes, and preventing swelling, and colds.

Perhaps the most prominent use of plants in California was for food; Anderson cited that 60-70% of nourishment for Californian tribes was derived from plants; not including the use of plants for seasoning such as the use of salt crystals from salt grass (Distichlis spicata). Grains, from grasses such as California brome (Bromus carinatus), Indian ricegrass (Achnatherum hymenoides), and the wildryes (Elymus) and seeds from wilflowers including mules-ears (Wyethia), clarkias (Clarkia), buttercups (Ranunculus), and popcorn flower (Plagiobothrys nothofulvus) were a good source of protein. The Yokut used acorns (Quercus) as an additional source of protein. For carbohydrates, California tribes searched underground for bulbs, corms and tubers. The Pomo ate the roots of cutleaf silverpuffs (Microseris lacinata) raw with nut bread. Corms from, cluster lilies, triplet lilies and dicks, and tubers from, yampah (Perideridia), turkey pea (Sanicula tuberose), soaproot (Chlorogalum pomeridianum), and mariposa lilies (Calochortus) were eaten raw, boiled, steamed, baked or roasted. For vitamins, minerals and fibers, Anderson outlines how California tribes harvested leafy greens to eat raw, soaked, or boiled, such as clovers (Trifolium), lupines (Lupinus), and fiddlenecks (Amsinckia). The Mountain Maidu collected woolen beech (Hydrophyllum capitatum) leaves, the Ohlone harvested sun cup (Camissonia ovata) foliage; the Atsugewi gathered wild parsley (Ligusticum grayi); the Kawaiisu picked common lomatium (Lomatium utriculatum). Also popular were angelicas (Angelica), which were used as seasoning in soups, and docks (Rumex), which are higher in vitamin C than citrus juice and higher in vitamin A than carrots.

According to Anderson tribes found extensive uses for the wildflowers, grasses, sedges and ferns native to California; the plants succored, fed, sheltered, and clothed the Native Americans for thousands of years. This article was very informative about the uses of plants native to California, I personally can’t wait to get out there and test some of these ancient customs. For more information or to read this chapter in its entirety, here is the citation:

Anderson, M.K. (2007). Native American uses and management of California’s grasslands. In M.R. Stromberg, J.D. Corbin & C. D’Antonio (Eds.), California grasslands: ecology and management. (pp. 57-69) Berkley, CA: University of California Press

Member Renewals and SRM on Twitter

2011-06-10T10:07:00.012-06:00

SRM is on Twitter, a website where users can "tweet" quick, 140 character max, sentences on a variety of subject matter. SRM will be using this social networking site as another tool to get as many rangeland-related reports and information to our members as possible. Follow us to find out all the important upcoming events at a glance.

Member renewals are in full swing! Be sure to renew so you don't miss out on the latest news in rangelands. Direct questions to the SRM business office phone: (785) 843-1234 and ask for "SRM." Or email: SRM@allenpress.com. If it is after hours, please reference "SRM" in the voicemail box and leave your contact information.

SRM Welcomes Maggie Haseman, SRM Summer Outreach Intern

2011-06-03T12:53:00.007-06:00

Maggie Haseman, tired after a long hike to our campsite on a father-daughter backpacking trip to Crater Lake in July 2010

Hi SRM, my name is Maggie Haseman and I am the new Outreach Intern here at the SRM office in Wheatridge, Colorado. I will be a senior at Colorado State University in the fall. I am working toward a Bachelor of Science Degree in rangeland ecology with a concentration in restoration ecology and a minor in global environmental sustainability. After I graduate, I want to get a Master’s Degree in ethnobotany, the study of the relationship between plants and humans. Eventually I would also like to go to law school and study environmental law.

I have lived in colorful Colorado all my life and am currently living in Fort Collins, CO. I enjoy many activities such as hiking in the beautiful Rocky Mountains and playing the ukulele. I also play tennis, when I get the chance, and spend time playing cards or board games, and chatting with my friends and family.

I am a first-year SRM member and heartily enjoyed attending the SRM Annual Meeting in Billings last February, where I competed in the plant ID competition. I am very happy to have the chance to get more involved in the society through this summer Internship Program. You will hear from me often on the SRM Outreach Blog, Facebook page and LinkedIn group until August when I must go back to school.

As the Outreach Intern I have been working on various projects for SRM including helping with the details for the 2012 Annual Meeting in Spokane, Washington, and organizing a meeting contact list so that the Society can be more efficient and organized about contacting parites for news and events related to the Annual Meeting. I plan on using my experience at SRM and my interests in both rangelands and ethnobotany to write a series of blog posts on the history of the American Great Plains. I would like to look into the ways that humans have shaped the ranges and also how the ranges have shaped us.

Shining Horizons: Ranching for Resilience on Rocky Mountain Rangelands

2011-05-27T16:12:00.007-06:00

A photography exhibit at Off the Beaten Path, Steamboat Springs, Colorado

May 2011

By Matt Barnes

Director, Colorado Section SRM

Photo by Matt Barnes

As a rangeland conservationist and ranch manager in western Colorado, I have the opportunity to live and work in a land of great beauty. Indeed, the western landscape is what drew me to the rangeland profession in the first place. Over the years, I’ve tried to capture a little bit of that beauty with my digital camera. In the last year or so I’ve been doing a lot of ranch work, and since the ranching world tends to require long hours, I’ve often found myself working in photogenic places during the low-angle amber light of dawn and dusk, and many times I’ve realized that I was standing in a photograph, I just had to pull out my pocket digital, compose the shot, press the shutter button, and a great image was transferred from reality to pixels.

My photography has progressed from a pursuit of perfect, pristine landscapes to a documentation of living and working on the land. What really excites me, as a land steward, as a writer and artist, and as a citizen, is harmony of humans with the rest of nature—not standing apart, either as directors or as leading actors in front of a static backdrop, but as an integral part of the greater whole: a complex, self-organizing, adaptive system.

Photo by Matt Barnes

The American West is primarily a rangeland landscape, along with forested mountains and, in those few places that can be irrigated, grass meadows or small tracts of farmland. But most of it is still rangeland, because it doesn’t make sense as farmland, ecologically or economically. So, living on the land in most of the West means hunting and gathering, or the natural extensions of those life-ways: herding and gardening. These activities, in and of themselves, are neither beneficial nor detrimental; their impact on the greater whole depends on how they are managed. While in some places we are living with the legacy of poorly managed livestock grazing, there are many examples of livestock grazing where the health of the land is stable or improving.

These examples of land stewardship for resilience are the heart of the next West, the agrarian West, and a few of them are featured in an exhibit of my best photographs, on display this month at Off the Beaten Path in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

Photo by Matt Barnes

The exhibit is subtitled “ranching for resilience” because the best stewards recognize that they are part of a greater whole, and they manage for its resilience: the capacity of the system to withstand disturbance and retain or resume its essential structure and function. Resilience goes beyond equilibrium concepts of sustainable yield of any product or even optimization of competing land uses, to embrace a non-equilibrium world. In the long run, nothing can be sustained in perpetuity because the system is always evolving; the ultimate unforeseen consequence of our success is that we create a new reality to which we must then adapt, or be replaced. To surpass sustainability, the goal of land management should be to maintain or enhance the resilience of systems in desirable states, and to find and capitalize on opportunities to improve the functioning of systems in undesirable states. In so doing, stewards strive to create harmony in landscapes of great beauty.

My photographs are an attempt to capture a little bit of this dynamic world of rangeland stewardship. This exhibit is an opportunity to share a glimpse of this land of beauty with others, especially those who do not have the opportunity to live it every day. If you are in Steamboat Springs this month, I hope you will stop by Off the Beaten Path and have a look.

Photo by Matt Barnes

Editor’s note: Matt Barnes, CPRM, is Director (2010-2011) of the Colorado Section SRM, and serves the SRM on the Rangelands Editorial Board and the Applied Science Task Force. He is owner of Shining Horizons Land Management, and manages the Howell Ranch near Cimarron, Colorado, from May-October. You can follow his blog and see more of his photographs at www.ShiningHorizons.com.

Save the Date: Ecological Site Description Training Workshops

2011-05-24T15:18:00.008-06:00

Ecological Site Description (ESD) Training Workshops

Society for Range Management (SRM) has been moving forward with the planning of additional ESD training workshops following the successful Pilot Interagency Range ESD Workshop in November 2010. We are excited to announce that three regional based efforts are currently under development.

The following information is intended to briefly update interested parties on these upcoming workshops. More information on agendas and accommodations will be forthcoming in the near future. Website information updated regularly. Registration will be on a first-come first-served basis and should be live no later than end-of-June 2011.

Please note that the workshop under planning for Reno, NV - August 2-4, 2011 - is now RESCHEDULED for June 2012.

Details for a second workshop scheduled for August 23-25, 2011 in Cheyenne WY are provided below.

Also note that a third workshop is under planning for Florida in early November 2011.

INTERAGENCY ECOLOGICAL SITE APPLICATIONS WORKSHOP
Cheyenne WY/Nunn CO
23-25 August 2011

Will be held at the Shortgrass Steppe Research and Interpretation Center (SGS-RIC) in Nunn, CO on the Central Plains Experimental Range (CPER)
(http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=zv8995dab&et=1105506999202&s=136&e=001Fp7e1oEulIXm2QZbs3YFa_o2lSiC7ETBqaufWQ8raJmKyd3pw81s5y20N7wgSEk25ypYV0P6CXxA_2mF8hy7dKHk_LCJKBn4ESBneu43aO8m6kHA9SHueVN9O7Y_x3GH) and at the High Plains Grasslands Research Station in Cheyenne, WY (http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=zv8995dab&et=1105506999202&s=136&e=001Fp7e1oEulIXm3QlPQnhFIDfZO4L1Q28r9NB_3u6xz6TPZwnQU_-n8wmO3tHyIVuJIl8bVBGEAr88g5d718f3dzZVx8ChUa6Sr7NqN6WcPqQTWghdYAs_fA==).
Will be open for registration to anyone that is interested and will allow a maximum of 40 participants.
Will encompass 3 days (includes time in the field each day) with content tailored to take advantage of local conditions and issues.
Registration:

$150 for employees of sponsoring agencies (ARS, BLM, NRCS)
$150 for current Society for Range Management members
$200 for all others
Other sponsoring agencies/groups may be added in time, so please check the ESD website for current information prior to registering. Due to the remote location of this workshop, registration will include all training materials, field trip transportation and most meals including 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 2 dinners.

Will feature KEYNOTE speaker Dr. Bill Lauenroth, Univ. of Wyoming, on Great Plains Rangeland Ecosystems.
Will discuss the importance of ESDs to agency needs and field operations.
Will aim to establish team-building between participants and introduce them to the local experts who will be able to assist them in the future when developing projects and working with ESDs.
Will illustrate the current state of collaboration in ESD implementation (in that area) as well as act as a launching pad for additional collaborative efforts.

For registration and lodging questions, please contact:
Aleta Rudeen
SRM Director of Outreach and Leadership Development
arudeen@ranglands.org
(303) 720-2715

For all other questions, please contact:
Linda Coates-Markle
BLM Liaison to SRM
lcmarkle@rangelands.org
(303) 986-3309

2011 SRM Fly-In, Washington D.C.

2011-05-23T14:13:00.005-06:00

Guest post by Gary Frasier, SRM First Vice President

2011 Fly-In

Washington D.C.

SUMMARY REPORT

2-5 May 2011

Participants:

Jack Alexander, SRM President

Gary Frasier, SRM 1^st Vice President

Wally Butler, SRM 2^nd Vice President

Aleta Rudeen, SRM Director of Outreach and Leadership Development

Kimberly Haile, SRM Young Professional

Jess Peterson, SRM Executive Vice President

Kelly Fogarty, SRM Washington D.C. Liaison

The Society for Range Management (SRM) executive committee travels to Washington D.C. each year. The purpose of this trip is to converse with SRMs partners about current and past projects and to identify their current training needs and how SRM can help them meet those needs and maintain its role as an professional society for its members.

The Spring, 2011 Washington Fly-In consisted of two full days of short meetings with various Federal Agencies, (Bureau of Land Management, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Forest Service, and US Department of Agriculture officials), Sister Societies (The Wildlife Society, American Fisheries Society, Society of American Foresters), and commodity organizations (Public Lands Council, American Sheep Industry). There was also a Reception by Western Skies Strategies (Jess Peterson) and a 2011 American Lamb BBQ hosted by the American Sheep Industry.

Under the leadership of SRM President Jack Alexander, discussions with each group centered on the Ecological Site Description Workshops facilitated by SRM, Training and Certification opportunities, and Native Range Forums, past and upcoming.

We were well received by all groups. SRM is perceived as a credible science-based organization. The discussions were very open with the dialog directed toward how we could all work more closely to achieve the goals of proper management of natural resources, especially during these times of reduced budgets.

The Fly-In was considered a successful activity of getting to better know the “Washington Scene” and to expose the various groups we met with to SRM’s goals and objectives.

Upcoming Conferences of Interest

2011-05-17T15:26:00.004-06:00

Two upcoming conferences that might be of interest to SRM members:

Grasslands in a Global Context

When: September 12-14, 2011
Where: Kansas State University
Abstract Deadline: poster abstracts due by June 1, 2011
About: excerpt from the website "...The conference strives to develop a current, comparative synthesis of grassland/savanna ecosystems within a global framework. With the development of Konza Prairie as a global research platform in grassland studies coinciding with the benchmark 30th and 40th year anniversaries of our research station and LTER program, the stage is set for a synthesis of past, ongoing and new research results in the context of global understanding of grassland systems. This synthesis is aimed at identifying generalities in the structure and function of grassland and savanna ecosystems around the globe, recognizing continental level differences of critical importance, while identifying significant research gaps that can drive future studies. In short, we hope that this conference will develop a critical synthesis..."
Website: http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/grassland/

Synergy in the Technical Development of Agriculture and Food Industry

When: October 9-15, 2011
Where: GÖDÖLLŐ, Hungary
Abstract Deadline: abstracts due by May 23, 2011
About: excerpt from the website "...The conference deals with the up-to date questions of the solar, geothermal, wind, biomass energy, heat pumps, and hybrid power plants of regenerative energies. Besides of the above mentioned actual questions and research results of the environmental industry, logistics, precision farming, furthermore issues of computer aided engineering, production systems, project management also will be discussed...."
Website: http://synergy.szie.hu/news.php

International Rangeland Congress and Tours, Argentina

2011-05-06T18:05:00.009-06:00

Guest Post by Joe Wagner, PNW Section of SRM

South Patagonia PreCongress Tour

El Calafate Moreno Glacier

The Pre-Congress Technical Tour started in El Calafate (State of Santa Cruz), where we spent two days. El Calafate is located on the largest lake in Argentina. This is a glacial lake and the Moreno Glacier is at the head of the lake. The Moreno Glacier face is 300 feet high and it was calving at the late summer date we visited. This glacier is part of the third largest ice field in the world – only behind Antartica & Greenland.

The 1st thing I noticed riding in from the airport was a roadside fence line contrast. There was a lot of what I thought was a grey shrub and very little in the surrounding pastures. This area was heavily sheeped in the past. Checked with the tour guide and found out what I thought was a shrub was a large bushy Senecio. The two main grasses were Fescue and Stipa.

Third Day we traveled by bus to Rio Gallegos to catch a flight to Tierra del Fuego area. We visited an area at the east end of Lake Argentino, where grazing/wood cutting exposed the silty/sandy glacial soils to wind erosion. They planted Elymus and shrubs to hold the soils in place. It is still grazed to some extent. We also observed heavy grazing and light grazing on a riparian/wetland areas (mallines = meadows where water is near the surface). We visited a sheep Experimental area, where they were testing different grazing systems. I learned about ground shrubs that the sheep use. I casually looked at the plant they were talking about and initially thought it was a healthy cryptogam, however it did have a woody stem to it. Inside the exclosure it was about 5/6 inches high after 5 years of rest.

Ushuaia Tierra del Fuego

We landed in Ushuaia that calls itself “City at the end of the world”, approximately 69 degrees south. Of the Equator. City is located on the Beagle Channel, where Charles Darwin spent time. Historically, the Native Americans did not wear clothes; only seal skin capes (brrr!!). The women were responsible for collecting mollusks. They smeared seal fat on their bodies to insulate against the frigid waters. The biggest resource problem I saw in Tierra del Fuego Park involved beaver. They were introduced in 1943 to enhance the fur trade. The fur trade fizzled and now they are running wild with no natural predators. They are doing a job on standing trees as well as flooding out trees in the bottom lands. Great Sea food in Ushuaia.

Rosario International Rangeland Congress

Rosario is a city of under one million people, in the State of Santa Fe. It is a very clean city. There are several stray dogs per block that laze about and help keep the food items out of the gutters. The dogs don’t belong to anybody, but are fed, watered and tolerated by folks. The only time I saw folks harass the dogs was when shop keepers shooed them out of the entrance to stores, when they flopped down. It was amazing to see so many nice condition Ford Falcons from the 1960s driving around. The Parana River flows through Rosario and fish dinners were great.

The IRC had about 500 people in attendance from 40 to 50 countries. There were close to 700 papers/posters, 3 pre-congress tours and 3 mid-congress tours. Proceedings will soon be available on the IRC website at http://www.rangelandcongress.com/ and available at catrina.batello@fao.org at no cost. The next Congress will be in India in 2015. I went on the Parana River Island mid-congress tour. The river was in a low flood stage and most of the cattle had already been ferried across the river to areas west of Rosario. However, it was interesting to see cows and calves swimming and some cows swimming and grazing at the same time. I asked about caimans bothering the cattle (local ones are smaller than those in Amazon Basin) – wild pigs are more of a threat to calves. The ranchers burn their lands by themselves every Fall, so they can find the cattle as the vegetation gets pretty thick and high otherwise. The Poster I found the most interesting was from Israel, using goats to create fire breaks around forested areas. I asked about the bad fire in their forest last summer and he said the crown fire dropped to the ground when it hit the goat grazed area.

Iguazu Waterfalls Bariloche.

I made two trips after the congress. Iguazu Waterfalls (state of Misiones) are way up north on the Brazil Argentina border. One of the falls is horse shoe shaped at the head of a large canyon called the “Devils Throat.” There are several falls on the Brazilian side and a long series of falls on the Argentina side. This waterfall was as spectacular as Niagra Falls and Victoria Falls and the geology of the long canyon and rim made this a huge area.

The next trip was to Bariloche (State of Rio Negro) about midway in the country, but on the west side near the Andes mountain range. The area was settled by Swiss and German pioneers. The architecture with the Andes backdrop made one feel that they might have been in the Alps. Cathederal Hill is probably the only major ski area in South America. The rainfall in Bariloche was 1,000 millimeters near the mountains and going 35 km east and it drops to 500 mm and continues drop to about 250 mm as you go east until the Atlantic Ocean influence raises the rainfall. I was able to visit the San Ramon Estancia (Ranch) in the 500 mm zone and there were many conifers growing, all introduced from Europe, Australia and North America. The Ranch produced cattle that grazed the meadows and sheep that grazed the upland steppe. The ranch was 250,000 hectares in size. The entire ranch and buildings were burned in a wildfire in 1996 and the manager said vegetation was still recovering in certain areas. I thought I was standing in grass in a rest pasture, but was I wrong. It was a Stipa that came half way up my calf and neither cattle nor sheep will graze it. The trees that they were selectively logging had ½ to ¾ inch growth rings present from about 40 year old trees. The introduced Red Deer grow some tremendous racks 2 ½ to3 feet wide with 16 points on some.

Beautiful, unpalatable stipa

Argentina has the highest per capita meat consumption in the world – 75 kg/person. We ate well and a high protein diet it was great!!

No College Students Were Harmed in the Making of this Post

2011-04-25T14:19:00.005-06:00

...though you're not alone if this image makes you nervous:

The "before" photo - note the sad face

Saturday, April 16, marked the first annual SRM Office Beautification Day. Landscaping at the SRM headquarters office in Wheat Ridge, Colorado has fallen into disrepair in recent years. The paint on the SRM sign was peeling, bushes around the buildings were dead and dying, stepping stones were sunken and crooked, and the "garden" beds were in desperate need of a good mulching.

Getting started...

So, on a beautiful, 70 degree Saturday last week, the Colorado State University and University of Wyoming Range Clubs convened at the SRM office to prune, plant, paint, mulch, and beautify. In exchange, SRM sponsored a donation to each club, a pizza lunch, and apple turnovers from Executive Vice President Jess Peterson's favorite nearby shop. Not only did students contribute to the overall beauty of the SRM office, but also had the opportunity to network between clubs and chat over the phone with SRM President, Jack Alexander.

Does anyone else find this a bit precarious?

All shrubs, grasses and forbs that went in to the new landscaping were native to Colorado. SRM would like to extend a huge 'thank you' to Kristin Oles and the CSU Range Club for donating many of the plants.

EVP Jess Peterson never thought he would
need to purchase sagebrush

The new garden beds now include the following:

big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata)
bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata)
columbine (Aquilegia L.)
mountain pepperweed (Lepidium montanum)
strawberry/scarlet hedgehog cactus (Echinocereus coccineus)
golden tickseed (Coreopsis tinctoria)
lupine (Lupinus argenteus)
blackeyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
primrose (Oenothera pallida)
aspen fleabane (Erigeron speciosus)
purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea)
mule-ears (Wyethia amplexicaulis)
prairie junegrass (Koeleria macrantha)
broom snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae)
tanseyleaf tansyaster (Machaeranthera tanacetifolia)
shrubby cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa)
and some Bromus tectorum (just joking!!)

As a result of the Beautification Day, the SRM office has new mulch and edging, all plants are not only alive, but also native to Colorado, and the SRM sign has new paint and looks fantastic. The day was a huge success, everyone had a good time, and we already have ideas for the next round of projects.

On behalf of the Society for Range Management we would like to thank the CSU and UW range clubs and all 15 students that spent their Saturday helping out at their professional society: Maggie Haseman, Kristin Oles, Baili Foster, Bailey Terry, Kelly Wotkyns, John Wagner, Mandy O'Donnell, Colleen Buck, Sydney Burek, Sarah Griffith, Emily Wotkyns, Haley Lockwood, and Ryder Simeniuk. And a special thank you to club members Robert Emanuel (CSU) and Katie Schade (UW) for helping to coordinate this event!

Check out the sweet shirts AND smiling faces!

Spring Cleaning: Reminders, Updates, and Events

2011-04-13T13:13:00.005-06:00

Greetings SRMers! Here are a few upcoming events and deadlines relevant to you:

Applications for the SRM paid summer Internship Program are due this Friday, April 15. Additional information and application instructions can be found on the SRM employment page.
It's time to start thinking about the 2012 Annual Meeting in Spokane, Washington!

Applications for symposia, special sessions, forums, and workshops are due by Saturday, May 7. Click here for application information and forms.
Meeting room requests for the 2012 meeting are due by Wednesday, June1. You must have your request in to the Spokane planning committee for your event to be included in the Annual Meeting program. Click here for the room request form.

SRM is now on LinkedIn! This is a SRM members-only group - sign in or sign up and start getting connected to other SRM members.
Calling all sections: help us keep the www.rangelands.org website updated and encourage participation in your section events by sending us your summer tour and fall meeting information at your earliest convenience. Send meeting information to Ann Tanaka and Vicky Trujillo.
The SRM Board of Directors Washington DC fly-in is scheduled for May 2 - 5, 2011. Stay tuned for details from their trip.
Join us for the SRM Action Update Call, this Thursday, April 14 at 11:00am MDT. This is your opportunity to ask questions and find out the latest in the Society. This call is open to anyone that would like to join. Dial: 1-213-416-6650, Access Code: 012010#

In other news, this Saturday, April 16, marks the first ever SRM Office Beautification Day! We will be hosting the University of Wyoming and Colorado State University range clubs onsite for an office overhaul. Activities include planting, mulching, and general sprucing of the SRM office, not to mention an excellent opportunity for networking between clubs. Many thanks to both range clubs for their participation and stay tuned for details and highlights.


Katelyn Schade (UW Range Club) and Robert Emanual (CSU Range Club) met with Jess Peterson and Aleta Rudeen to plan the SRM Office Beautification Day Projects last week

We're not kidding - we have our work cut out for us this weekend! More before and after photos to come...

Our Juniper Story is Told

2011-04-05T12:28:00.010-06:00

Click here to watch this excellent video about western juniper and featuring SRM members Doc and Connie Hatfield, Dr. John Buckhouse, Tim Deboodt, Michael Fisher and Hugh Barrett

Guest Post by Hugh Barrett, SRM Pacific Northwest Section

Following a friend’s communication with Oregon Public Broadcasting inquiring about their interest in doing a program on western juniper in Oregon, I received a call from Vince Patton, Producer of Oregon Field Guide – OPB’s popular weekly outdoor program. He told me that during his trips to eastern Oregon he’d always wondered why “ranchers were cutting all that juniper”. As we talked, Vince seemed increasingly interested in producing a segment for the program. Subsequently, I sent an email to Vince that contained links to several publications on western juniper and the names and contact information for several scientists, ranchers and others who also are deeply involved in the juniper issue.

During several phone conversations I had with Vince over the next few months, I laid out the story of juniper in the inter-mountain environment. His interest grew as I described the steps and mis-steps leading to the rapid expansion of juniper’s range; its impacts on the sagebrush biome; and, its influence on watershed function and western aridity. On a windy mixed rain-and-snow afternoon about three months after our original phone conversation, we met in Doc and Connie Hatfield’s living room at their High Desert Ranch near Brothers, Oregon. Fortifying ourselves against the cold with bowls of hot chili and warm corn bread, we planned the process for the next two days filming.

That’s how it all came together. I hope the program speaks for itself.

Click here to watch the video

50 acre juniper control/watershed repair project in Klamath County, Oregon (before treatment)

Project area in 2007 after treatment conducted in 2006. Broadcast seeding with "Whitmar" bluebunch wheatgrass, antelope bitterbrush, basin wildrye (in swales and drainages) and big sagebrush. Cut trees were skidded off the hillside (for use as firewood and lumber). Anticipated hydrologic response: 15 acre feet per year of water retained.

Range Camp Rocks

2011-03-24T11:25:00.007-06:00

Spring is finally upon us. For students, the melting of winter signifies that it is time to start thinking about summer break and how you will spend your time. What could you possibly do to maximize both fun and professional development simultaneously? For those high school students interested in rangelands, the answer is easy: attend range camp. Visit your local SRM section website and contact the officers to find out what opportunities are in your area. Below is an article by Terilyn Chen outlining exactly why Range Camp Rocks.

Range Camp Rocks
September 11, 2010 Posted in: Opinion
By: Terilyn Chen

This summer I vaccinated a sheep. With help, of course.

I learned to do that, among other things, at the 26th annual California-Pacific Range and Natural Resources Camp. I attended camp from June 20 to June 25 with Hercules High School senior Nicole Ng, and other students from all over California. Founded by Mike Stroud in 1985, Cal-Pac Range Camp is an annual environmental science camp held on the beautiful Elkus Ranch in Half Moon Bay.

Ng and I were among the few campers who had absolutely no experience working with livestock and ranches. Herculean culture is entirely different; I doubt many people know what FFA is and we do not have a farm. I am embarrassed to admit, but before camp, I thought everything related to hardcore agriculture and livestock was for Texans and Montanans. Somewhere in my head, I obviously knew California is a big farming state, but I just never thought there would be a camp that taught about livestock so close to home. Needless to say, the experience was an eye-opener.

At camp, we were constantly busy. Never in my life had I felt so accomplished when the day was over as I did during those four days. Every single minute was well spent, whether I was learning how to tell the difference between yarrow and poison hemlock, searching for fly larvae underneath the rocks in Purisima creek or talking about boys with a couple of buddies while walking across camp to take a shower. We even spent half a day in bright yellow hard hats, walking around Purisima Creek Redwood Forest with a forester who showed us how he decides what trees to cut, and why.

By the end of the first day, I was falling in love with range camp and everything I never knew California possessed.

The world that had previously seemed to me full of ubiquitous settling and compromising had something tangible to offer me: real examples of people simply unable to contain their passion.

The camp coordinator Marc Horney, the botanists, soil scientists, fire ecologists, entomology connoisseurs- every single one of our instructors and advisors were obviously in love with what they did. Their bubbling excitement was intoxicating, as was the magical environment they had chosen to use as their classrooms, because really, velvet grass makes such an impression.

I felt so complete when the sun was disappearing behind the hills. Several times, I wanted to cry because camp made it seem like there was a reason for everything. Since then, I have believed in the goodness of people again. Or rather, I believe in my own strength; it was as if camp made me realize that I can make a difference. Suddenly, beating global warming and climate change seemed possible. After all, there were people out there running camps about environmental science.

The night before our last day at camp, I knew that I would soon mentally go over every memory and physically touch every plant I could get my hands on, in a crude attempt to hold on to Range Camp. The next day, when I actually left Elkus Ranch, and my family drove away with me on the freeway, I felt traumatized, as if my senses were not yet adjusted to the loudness, the hardness and the greyness of the world. For the next few days, I felt lost in suburbia. I was lost in the uniformity and the cleanliness. Over the course of the summer, I would dream about Range Camp for a total of seven times.

Later, walking around Hercules, I actually found flowers and grasses that I could identify. I realized that there is no reason to be sad because I had taken so much from Range Camp. So thank you, Kent Reeves and the Yolo County Resource Conservation District for sponsoring me, and thank you both Michael Hudson and Nicole Ng for introducing me to Range Camp.

Range Camp has enlightened me. It has changed me. It has permanently made me a “happy camper.”

Rangelands are Adorable

2011-03-18T14:40:00.006-06:00

By Aleta Rudeen, Director of Outreach and Leadership Development for SRM

Source: cute-kittens.com

So... unfortunately rangelands aren't really adorable. But they do need your help.

I am writing from a conference with lots of non-profit organizations that have sexy causes -- they have messages that the general public understands in a sentence or less and issues that are easy to get on board with, without necessitating any background to get people jazzed. SRM doesn't have that advantage; turns out it's difficult to evoke the right emotions by flashing a specimen of bouteloua gracilis or a well-designed state-and-transition model. But that doesn't lessen the importance of rangelands, it just means we have more ground to cover when reaching out to the public on the issues that are important to rangeland ecosystems and SRM professionals.

As members of SRM we are a community that is passionate and knowledgeable about rangelands, but we need to get creative about communicating that message. Rangelands are important, and they do matter. But how do we get the public to care?

I am in the process of compiling some outreach materials for SRM - think brochures for youth to start, but we will expand from there as projects develop. I am looking for the feedback and expertise from the experts: you. What would you tell the world about rangelands and about SRM? How do we write about the mission and importance of the Society in a few sentences or less? How can we put years worth of research and learning into a few short bullet points?

Please send me your ideas, your thoughts, and your content! You can email me at arudeen@rangelands.org, post ideas to Facebook, or respond to this blog post. Help us develop our materials and get the message out there. ...Because while rangelands aren't cuddly-pinch its cheeks-cute, they are massively important ecosystems and their sustainable management will affect generations to come.

Outreach Internship with SRM, Summer 2011

2011-02-18T18:16:00.006-07:00

Outreach Internship Announcement

Society for Range Management

EARN CASH AND COLLEGE CREDIT THIS SUMMER!

The Society for Range Management (SRM) is currently accepting applications for the summer 2011 Outreach Internship position. Students are encouraged to apply for this exciting opportunity by April 15, 2011. The successful candidate will have a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience with outreach activities including networking, public speaking, communications, and field experience in Colorado’s rangelands.

60% paid ($7.50/hour), 40% unpaid for college credit

Summer 2011, tentative dates: May 23 – August 5, approx. 32-40 hours/week

Reports to: Director of Outreach and Leadership Development

Location: Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Accommodation and travel arrangements are the sole responsibility of the successful candidate.

Description:

This is an exciting opportunity to gain hands-on experience with:

Outreach
Public Relations
Networking
Event and Meeting Planning
Non-Profit Organization
Communication
Rangeland Ecosystem Science and Management

SRM outreach efforts are an integral and important facet of the organization. The Intern will work closely with the Director of Outreach and Leadership Development and will be involved in outreach efforts including:

Communications and public relations
Travel to area rangelands
Development of marketing and outreach materials
Social networking
Blog updates
Some public speaking
Event planning
Other administrative tasks as assigned
Will have the opportunity for paid travel to one meeting in the United States with the Director of Outreach and Leadership Development

SRM will work with students enrolled in a university to receive course credit for the internship program.

Requirements:

Basic education and knowledge of rangeland and natural resource ecology AND/OR public relations/marketing/outreach/event planning
Strong written and verbal skills
Proficient with Microsoft Applications, Outlook, and the Internet
Able and willing to work outdoors, in remote locations, and on a variety of tasks
Self-motivated
Adaptable to a changing and fast-paced work environment
Excellent customer service skills
Comfortable working alone and in a team environment
Positive attitude and sense of humor

Questions, contact Aleta Rudeen: 303-720-2715, arudeen@rangelands.org

To apply, please submit a cover letter, résumé, and three references to Aleta Rudeen, Director of Outreach and Leadership Development, by Friday, April 15, 2011: arudeen@rangelands.org

New Member Coffee at the Billings Annual Meeting

2011-01-28T16:44:00.005-07:00

New Member Coffee

Monday, February 7, 2011

7:30am – 8:30am

Poolside Terrace, Holiday Inn Grand

YOU are invited to attend the New Member Coffee before the Plenary Session at the Billings Annual Meeting. Coffee and pastries will be provided and the event is FREE of charge. This is your opportunity to meet SRM leadership and find out about the structure of the Society, how to get involved, tips and tricks for networking, and how to maximize your membership. We look forward to seeing you there!

Agenda

7:30 Welcome (Aleta Rudeen, Director of Outreach and Leadership Development and Jess Peterson, SRM Executive Vice President)

· Coffee, introductions, sign-up sheet

· Social media and SRM

7:40 Introduction to the Structure of SRM (Jeff Mosley, SRM President)

· Board of Directors, section, committee and staff organization

· Who does what and how to contact the right people for the right things

7:55 Navigating the Annual Meeting (Gary Frasier, SRM Second Vice President)

· Organization of the meeting

· Events to attend and how to maximize your time

8:05 Getting Involved and Getting the Most from your Membership (Jack Alexander, SRM First Vice President)

· HOW to get involved in SRM, at the section or international level

· WHO can get involved in which activities

· Other ways to be an active member (committees, certifications, etc.)

8:20 Professional Development (Linda Coates-Markle, BLM-SRM Liaison)

· How to use your membership to your advantage

· Where to look for employment opportunities

· How to maximize your networking at the meetings and beyond

8:30 Adjourn

Native Range Session at the 64th Annual Meeting in Billings, Montana

2011-01-24T17:46:00.013-07:00

Guest post by Diana Doan-Crider

On February 10, 2011, the SRM will be hosting a special one-day Native Range Session during the 64th Annual Meeting in Billings, Montana, to discuss RANGE MANAGEMENT ON TRIBAL LANDS.

The United States Government holds 55.7 million acres of land in trust for Native Americans, of which much is considered to be rangeland. Native vegetation on the rangelands provide habitat for native wildlife and livestock, and provide other resources needed for a high quality life for the Native Americans. Dynamic and high quality management of rangelands is essential for the success of the Native American communities. Successful management of the rangelands, which includes a wide variety of resources, must not be focused on a single objective but rather on achieving a wide variety of habitat objectives that best meet the social, cultural, economic, and physical needs of the tribe.

Rangeland management practices and needs vary on the numerous reservations, ranging from livestock that is owned by non-member individuals or corporations, or by individual tribal members and livestock cooperatives. Range management programs also vary widely between tribes. In some cases, the Department of the Interior - Bureau of Indian Affairs (USDI-BIA), develops range management plans. Some reservations, however, manage their own rangelands through the tribe’s Natural Resources Department. It other cases, tribes receive assistance through liaisons appointed by the US Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS). The Society for Range Management’s mission is to promote the professional development and continuing education of members and the public and the stewardship of rangeland resources. The Native American Range Initiative involves partnerships with tribes and the various federal agencies involved in range management in order to achieve this mission. Recognizing the numerous changes that have and are occurring in the management and use of the Native American rangelands, the Society is sponsoring this workshop to discuss the various challenges and needs for range management on tribal lands, training opportunities, and education of future tribal range managers. This session offers the opportunity to see how the Society’s programs and broad membership might partner to help serve the needs of Native American rangeland communities, including the managers and those who depend on the rangelands.

We are inviting both tribal members and conference participants who are directly involved with range management on tribal lands to participate in this workshop. The SRM conference DAILY registration fee of $80 has been sponsored for up to 25 tribal members for this session; there is no additional charge for regular conference participants. A brainstorming period will follow, so we ask that participants attend for the entire duration of the session. Attendance is limited; lunch is not included. The workshop will be hosted from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm at the Billings Hotel and Convention Center – specific location will be announced on site. For more information or to sign up, please contact Diana Doan-Crider at http://www.blogger.com/d-crider@tamu.edu, or call (830) 431-2770.

Tapping The Top - the Professional-Student Interaction Function

2011-01-21T11:11:00.008-07:00

Guest post from the Billings Annual Meeting Committee

You are invited to:

Tapping The Top
Profesional-Student Interaction Function

Monday, February 7, 5:00-7:00pm

Billings Annual Meeting

Tapping the Top (TTT) enters its 24th year in Billings, Montana. All students who are interested in a career in range management are encouraged to attend the Tapping The Top Student – Professional Function. TTT offers students the opportunity to visit with experienced range professionals about what it is like to have a career in range management. Students talk to professionals about what it is they do day to day in their job, what they enjoy most, and what they would have done differently in a casual atmosphere. It is a great opportunity to find out about the broad scope of jobs and regions to work in the range profession. You will get the scoop on what you want to do from someone who has been doing it for a few decades.

Professionals, if you want to share what you have learned with the students who will be filling your shoes as future range professionals please attend Tapping The Top. We appreciate your 20 plus years of great support. We invite all professionals with experience and enthusiasm to attend TTT and share it with these young professionals. This is your change to have an impact on the profession of range management.

Welcome to the Billings Annual Meeting from the Billings Planning Committee

2011-01-17T12:03:00.008-07:00

TRANSCENDING BORDERS - LANDSCAPES AND LEGENDS

_________________________________________________________
Just wanted to remind everyone the 64th SRM Annual Meeting is fast approaching. This year’s meeting will be held in Billings, Montana February 6-11, 2011. The meeting promises to be both worthwhile and informative with talks on a wide array of subjects including Native History, Contrasting Lewis and Clark’s Trip Through the Great Plains with Present Day, Historical Changes in Rangeland Management, Birds, Bugs, Popular Notions and the Range. Visit the meeting website (www.rangelands.org/billings2011) to start planning your top priority sessions and events.

While at the meeting, make sure to attend the Producer’s Forum: The Art of Grazing Management on Tuesday, February 8th, as well as one of over 20 symposia focusing on such topics as Sustainable Ranch Management, The Ecology of Seedling Establishment, Expiring CRP: Alternative Management Systems, Rangeland Pollinators: Emerging Issues, and many more. A complete list of symposia can be found by clicking here.

In addition to the many great talks there will be technical tours to the Pryor Mountain Horse Range, Pompey’s Pillar and the Little Bighorn Battlefield.

The Billings Annual Meeting will provide numerous opportunities for attendees to “Transcend Borders” by developing and strengthening working relationships with other SRM members and individuals and organizations that share a passion for the world’s rangelands.

If all that isn’t enough to get you excited for the meeting, then come “Catch the Beaver Fever” and cut a rug to Bucky Beaver and the Ground Grippers at the dance on Tuesday night, February 8th. Still not enough… come dine on some fine Montana home grown cuisine during the Wednesday night Eventing in Montana non-banquet, while being entertained (and trust me you will be entertained) by Montana’s own Ringling 5! For a complete list of special events, click here.

While it may be cold outside, we promise you’ll be too entertained and informed inside to notice…

Upcoming Symposium: Breaking the Current Fire Cycle, February 1-2, 2011

2011-01-14T11:41:00.008-07:00

Guest post by Neil Rimbey, Idaho Section

The Boise District BLM Resource Advisory Council, the Society for Range Management, the Agricultural Research Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service and others are sponsoring a Symposium on February 1-2, 2011 in Boise, Idaho. “How Can Resource Management Break the Current Fire Cycle?” is designed to identify fire, fuel and vegetation management methods appropriate for conserving high value and degraded Wyoming Sagebrush steppe habitats by reducing fire frequency. The session will be highlighted by the Keynote Address by Dr. Jim Young, author of the recent book, Cheatgrass: Fire and Forage on the Range. Jim will summarize over 40 years of research on the ecology, management and control of cheatgrass. This background information will set the stage for jumping into 5 key questions:

Given the opportunity to develop major, strategic fire breaks, what kinds of fuel breaks would be effective and affordable to create, maintain and persist?
What other kinds of fuel breaks and tools can be used most effectively in areas with frequent wildfires and areas which still maintain Wyoming sagebrush stands?
In light of listings of threatened or endangered species in the sagebrush steppe system, is a fuel reduction program feasible and what suitability criteria, mitigation and administrative procedures will allow for its establishment?
How can various fuel reduction tools be coordinated across land ownerships to facilitate the next step of rangeland rehabilitation?
What monitoring and management protocols can be established to ensure that we achieve short-, intermediate- and long-term goals associated with fuel management, decreasing fire frequency and rangeland rehabilitation?

These questions will be explored by panels of experts and practitioners associated with each area. They will involve active audience participation through questions and dialog.

The session will be held at the Washington Group International Conference facility (800 Park Blvd.) in the heart of downtown Boise. More information is available via the following website:
http://www.blm.gov/id/st/en/res/resource_advisory/boise/boise_district_rac.html

Additional questions? Contact Neil Rimbey (208-454-6566 or nrimbey@uidaho.edu), or Ted Hoffman (208-587-6374 or brokeno@mindspring.com )