Wild fires, wild horses, sage grouse and rangeland restoration are among the hot topics set for discussion at the 2018 annual meeting of the Society for Range Management. The five-day meeting will be held at the Nugget Resort in Sparks Jan. 28 — Feb. 2.
“We are working collaboratively with landowners, managers, agencies and other partners to find ways to secure sustainability and resilience of rangelands,” said Mark Freese, co-chair of the international meeting.
Speaking at the meeting are several national leaders, including Marlen Eve, national program leader for natural resources and sustainable agricultural systems with the USDA Agricultural Research Service; Karen Budd-Falen (former special assistant with the U.S. Department of Interior who now represents private owners, ranching and farming organizations, and local governments); and Larry Selzer, president and chief executive officer of The Conservation Fund.
Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke and Kathleen Clarke, Bureau of Land Management director, and Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval are also expected to speak. Bill Payne, dean and director, University of Nevada College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources, will also speak at the Plenary Session.
“We are making this meeting relevant to producers and other managers by focusing on “Getting from No to Yes”, said Ryan Shane, meeting co-chair. The Producers Forum is focused on what landowners and managers need for effective management. The Producer’s Forum will include presentations by the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative, “Herd Quitter” Kit Pharo, and University of Nevada Professor Dr. Barry Perryman.
A panel discussion including ranchers and land management agency staff will discuss collaborative process, results based grazing and cooperative monitoring.
A discussion on “Private Emerald Islands and Restoration of the Green” will be conducted by the Sage Grouse Initiative all day Tuesday. The wild horse symposium will focus on their ecological effect on western landscapes.
Information about meeting registration, exhibitor and sponsorship packages, and room reservations are available on the SRM 2018 Annual Meeting website at annualmeeting.rangelands.org.
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