Nebraska Youth Range Camp

Early last week I attended part of the Nebraska Youth Range Camp, near Halsey, Nebraska.  The camp had 41 high school students in attendance from around the state.  During the week-long camp, students gain experience and training in rangeland ecology and management through a variety of presentations and lesson plans.  Time is spent both outside and in, as students learn about topics ranging from plant identification, range sites, ecology, and condition, grazing strategies, tips for going to college, and conflict management.  Two take home messages from Monday evening and Tuesday morning were 1) there is much more to rangeland ecosystems than just cows, and 2) get involved!

The Nebraska Youth Range Camp is operating in its 47th year and has trained more than 1,500 students since its inception in 1963.  While all students in attendance had some interest in rangelands, many were unsure how they would apply that interest as they went off to college and on to their careers.  Instructors highlighted the utility of mentors and students were encouraged to get in touch with other professionals (SRM members included) to use as resources for college and beyond.

While visiting the camp, I had the exciting opportunity to experience my first ever tornado warning, when the warning alarm went off shortly after bedtime.  Everyone at camp: all 41 high school students, a group of 4-H campers, and all instructors, crammed into the basement/bomb shelter of one small building to wait out the watch.  I was glad I had my camera on hand to capture some stylish students during the hour plus spent in the basement.  My personal favorite: several folks sporting a pj's and cowboy boots combo.
Thank you to the Nebraska Youth Range Camp for their hospitality!  Stay tuned - I am heading to the Pacific Northwest section meeting in Kelowna, B.C. this week.

Announcing the New SRM Internship Program - DEADLINE EXTENDED!

The Society for Range Management is pleased to announce the new SRM Internship Program. SRM is currently accepting Outreach Intern applications for the fall 2010 semester. Students are encouraged to apply for this exciting opportunity by September 10, 2010. The successful candidate will have a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience with outreach activities including networking, public speaking, communications, and more. Check out all the details below:

Fall semester 2010, tentative dates: September 20, 2010 – December 3, 2010, approx. 10-16 hours/week
Unpaid, for college credit, small educational stipend available
Reports to: Director of Outreach and Leadership Development

The Society for Range Management (SRM) is a non-profit professional society dedicated to supporting persons who work with rangelands and have a commitment to their sustainable use. It is headquartered in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Rangelands comprise almost one-half of all the lands in the world. They are extremely important to society for the goods and services they produce and for the ecological services they provide. SRM is dedicated to the conservation and sustainable management of rangelands for the benefit of current societies and for future generations.

Outreach Internship 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

The 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. The successful candidate will focus on two primary projects: short biographies of rangeland professionals for the SRM Outreach Blog, and in the development of marketing and outreach materials for the Society. The Intern will be involved in outreach efforts including:

• Communications and public relations
• Development of marketing and outreach materials
• Social networking
• Blog updates
• Some public speaking
• Event planning
• Press releases
• 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

This position includes a small educational stipend. SRM will work with students enrolled in a university to receive course credit for the internship program. It is recommended that the successful candidate be able to commit 10-16 hours per week for 12-14 weeks (hours are flexible depending on availability). The program tentatively runs Monday September 20, 2010, through Friday, December 3, 2010 (subject to change based on academic schedule).

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
• 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

To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume, three references, and short personal biography (less than 500 words) as a writing sample to Aleta Rudeen, Director of Outreach and Leadership Development, by Friday, September 10, 2010: arudeen@rangelands.org

Florida Section Meeting and Orlando Annual Meeting 2014

Last week I attended the Florida Section meeting, met with the Section BOD, and went on a site visit of the Orlando 2014 Annual Meeting hotel.  Beautiful scenery, fun and interesting people, and an awesome site selection for 2014.  Read on for the highlights:

Florida Section Meeting:

The Florida Section of SRM joined forces with the Florida Section of the Wildlife Society to put on an excellent Prescribed Grazing and Wildlife Workshop.  The workshop was hosted at the scenic Disney Wildlife Preserve in Kissimmee, Florida.  Chad George, Florida Section President, started us off with: Grazing 101, followed by Erin Myers: Wildlife Habitats in Central Florida.  Pete Heard shared his extensive knowledge and experience in his presentation: Grazing and Wildlife, explaining how different wildlife species react to management activities and how to manage for wildlife.  After lunch, we went into the field to develop grazing plans on-site and learn more about their design and implementation.

The workshop was informative, applicable, and an outstanding hands-on introduction to grazing plans.  In particular, the entire group of instructors provided excellent demonstrations and examples throughout the workshop.  Pete Deal brought grass samples to show how grazing at varying intensities affects above and below-ground biomass and root structure.  Chad George provided a plethora of easy-to-follow examples to better understand grazing.  My personal favorite began: "...imagine you're at a buffet...", in order to describe how and why animals select forage.

The Florida section meeting was a great opportunity to hear about rangeland management and grazing plans in Florida ecosystems.  I enjoyed the meeting (despite the sweltering heat!) and appreciate the hospitality of the Section.  In addition to the meeting, it was great to hear that the Florida section is looking forward to collaborating with the Southern section of SRM to host the 2014 Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida.

Site Visit for the 2014 Annual Meeting - Orlando:

The 2014 Annual Meeting will be held in Orlando, Florida.  SRM was able to nail down a stellar contract with the host hotel, the Caribe Royal.  The site, meeting space, and accommodations are all spectacular.  The entire meeting will be at one location, and the hotel will offer federal per diem rates for the all room reservations - during February, peak season for Orlando.  Here are some added perks:

• All rooms are suites
• Good restaurants on-site
• Federal per diem for all room reservations
• Great deals for students sharing rooms
• Refrigerators in every room
• Beautiful swimming pool and surrounding area
• Free shuttles to Disney (2 miles away) if you want to bring the family 
• Large meeting facilities
• AND we negotiated free Internet in rooms
• ...it's a meeting in Florida

Stay tuned - I will be heading to the Nebraska Youth Range Camp June 7th.

CalPac Section Meeting at Deep Springs College

Deep Springs Colllege sits twenty-six miles from the nearest town, situated in the eastern California high desert.  The ranch/college hosts 26 male students, and focuses on a liberal arts education, a self-governing student body, manual labor, and an isolation policy.  Needless to say, the location for the CalPac section meeting was an interesting one!

The CalPac section had the task of providing my first introduction to an SRM section meeting and tour.  I think they did a magnificent job.  I met with the section Board of Directors and provided an update from the SRM BOD and headquarters on May 4th and again during the technical session on May 5th.  The group tolerated my inexperience with chalk boards (aren't those extinct?) and provided some feedback for the parent society.

The May 5th technical sessions included some excellent talks: David Neidorf and Paul Starrs introduced us to Deep Springs College, its history and highlights, and Tom Talbot, President of the California Cattlemen's Association, gave an update on the organization and current projects.  Two Deep Springs students provided a glimpse into life at the College, followed by a series of talks focusing on different aspects of the area.  Speakers were: Glenn Harris, Dawn Becker, James Bartolome, Sherm Swanson, Yvonne Wood, and Lynn Huntsinger, and topics included: innovative approaches to land management, vegetation monitoring, grazing management, geomorphology, global pastoralism, and the endemic black toad.  See the lineup and topics on the CalPac section website.

The technical session was concluded by yet another excellent meal prepared by the College followed by a campfire.

The field tour on May 6th was a windy, fun, and educational experience.  Ken Mitchell, Deep Springs Ranch Manager, led us on a tour of the college including their solar array and hydro plant, the surrounding area, the abandoned White Mountain City, a petroglyph site, and the nearby Black Toad Habitat.  The combination of a technical session, much of which focused on the surrounding area, followed by a tour of the college and nearby area was excellent.

For me, the CalPac meeting highlight was the people.  Whether it was stories of 'how I first became a cowboy', renegade plant identification trips for the upcoming finals week, jokes around a camp fire, or quips about this blog, there was fun to be had the entire trip.  I met some great folks, had interesting conversations, and am looking forward to next year!

Stay tuned - I'm heading to Florida next week.

Watch out for that calf!

University of Nevada Reno - Pizza with the Range Club

This past Monday, May 3rd, I joined the University of Nevada Reno Range Club for pizza. This is an enthusiastic bunch - with close to fifteen students who sacrificed their evening to meet with me the week before university finals!

The Range Club members shared their career goals, which varied widely, including ranching, recreation, law enforcement, extension, and education, and we spoke about how SRM can help them get involved and be successful in the Society and in their careers. We also brainstormed about how SRM can help them meet these goals, including: more opportunities to interact with other range clubs, ways to find and post jobs and résumés through SRM, and ideas for how the Society can better help students and professionals interact and network at SRM events.

UNR has undergone significant budget cuts, leaving some students unsure of how they will be able to meet their degree requirements for graduation. Dr. Tamzen Stringham saved the day during dinner, when she offered to teach an additional rangeland restoration course this fall (pending participation from enough students) in order to help them graduate.

No doubt, this is a group willing to go above and beyond: a professor offering to squeeze extra work into a tight fall schedule and a group of students willing to meet with me during the finals crunch. Thanks to the UNR Range Club for the ideas, insight and time!

Stay tuned - there will be more to come.

Univeristy of Wyoming Student Awards Banquet

This past Saturday, April 10, I was fortunate to attend the University of Wyoming Range Club Student Awards Banquet.  I had the opportunity to speak with students, parents, and professors, and learn more about their program and opportunities in Laramie, Wyoming.  The University of Wyoming has the largest Range Club in the nation, and boasts group of very motivated students and faculty.  Awards went to:

• Outstanding New Range Club Member: Katie Schade
• Outstanding Old Range Club Member: Leena Horton
• Outstanding Faculty: Denise Manore
• Outstanding Advisor: Prof. Jeffrey Beck
• URME recognition:
• Second Place Team
• Top 10%: Andrew Telander (3rd place), Sage Askin (8th place, tied), Jordan Wambeke (8th place, tied), Karley Shepperson (13th place), Katie Nelson (18th place)
• Adam Teeter and Rives White tied for 22nd place
• Rangeland Cup: Third Place Team, Sage Askin, Tate Smith, Leena Horton
• Extemporaneous Speech and plant team competitor recognition

One of Laramie's own, Cody Waldrip, led the auction following the awards, applying his impressive auctioneer training.  My personal favorite from the auction included two trays of cookies, baked by Leena Horton, purchased by Kenna Horton and Prof. Jim Waggoner (proceeds to the Range Club), and donated back to the Range Club student lounge.  Now that's a profit!

Thank you to the Range Club at University of Wyoming for their invitation and enthusiasm!

SRM Action Update Call this Thursday

The SRM Action Update Call is scheduled for this Thursday, April 8, at 11:00am MST.  Join us and find out what's new, ask questions, get answers, and speak directly with SRM staff and directors.  We will follow up with questions from last month's call, as well as provide updates on the latest in the Society.

Dial: 1-517-417-5000, code 012010#.

Also new: find out why SRM First Vice President, Jack Alexander, titled his piece in Rangeland News: Whackjobs Making the World a Better Place.  Follow the link: http://www.rangelands.org/RN/APR.RN10.Large.pdf to learn about how SRM and its members are important, how they make the world a better place, as well as other news, events, and information.

Stay tuned - there will be more to come!

Planning for the 2011 Annual Meeting in Billings

The Society for Range Management Annual Meeting, Transcending Borders: Landscapes and Legends, will take place in Billings, Montana, February 6-10, 2011.  This meeting will be comprised of a unique mix of ranchers, scientists and land managers, focused on the art and science of range management.

Last week, I flew to Billings to attend the Annual Meeting Planning Committee (AMPC) meeting.  The 2011 Annual Meeting is going to be fantastic.  The Billings AMPC is paying close attention to detail and are working diligently to make this meeting a success.  Here are a few highlights from the planning process:

• There is an exciting plenary session in the works: two confirmed keynote speakers include Paige Baker and Chuck Lura.  Russell Nemetz of Northern Ag Network will moderate.
• Special attention is being paid to meeting highlights, including the Trade Show, Rangeland JobFAIR, On-The-Spot-Hiring and other major meeting events.
• There will be a symposium focusing specifically on the art of range management.
• Technical sessions will cover a wide range of topics, including sessions on wildlife interactions, grazing management, riparian health, water quality, range management economics and many others.  Calls for symposia workshops will be coming out shortly.
• The AMPC is making every effort to ensure that on-site costs will be low.  There will be free coffee breaks, the AMPC will have a food court on-site to save time and money, hotel room rates are competitively priced, food costs are low, meeting hotels offer a free airport shuttle, event bars will offer wine and beer starting at under $4, to name a few - plus, the state of Montana has no sales tax.  The Billings Hotel and Convention Center offers free refrigerators in every room, and refrigerators are available to rent at the Holiday Inn.
• Both hotels offer free wireless Internet in rooms.  And the Billings Hotel and Convention Center indoor pool is equipped with two water slides!
• The bags this year will be reusable insulated shopping bags and a recycling program for the meeting is in the works to reduce waste.
• A Montana-style social dinner will be on-site and feature local entertainment.

Stay tuned - there will be more to come.  Feel free to contact me with any questions, arudeen@rangelands.org, and I will keep you posted!

Blog: in the works

Greetings!

I am in the process of creating a SRM Outreach blog. First up: I will be traveling to Billings, MT next week for the Billings 2011 AM planning meeting.

Stay tuned - there will be more to come.