March, 2016 - West Texas Rangelands

Our Texas Section Society for Range Management 62^nd Youth Range Workshop will be June 26 – July 1, 2016 at the Texas Tech University Campus in Junction, TX. This is a very exciting opportunity for our Texas youth (14-18 years old, completed 8^th grade, but have not graduated high school)!

At the workshop, participants will gain knowledge and skills in ecology, range inventory, range management, and evaluation of resources. More importantly, we teach public speaking, advocacy, and leadership skills so that each student is equipped with the knowledge to effectively educate others on the importance of rangeland management. I encourage you to forward the application and flyer to any youth that might be interested in learning more about stewardship of our natural resources. Applications can be found here. More information YRW 2016 flyer.

Fire is fire. That said, I can tell you fire is the answer, but the problem is in the questions. Is it a wildfire or prescribed burn? The biggest question for range managers, is how does fire (planned or unplanned) fit into your ranch plan? Fire is a naturally occurring process that is not centered on if, but when it will happen on rangeland. As rangeland managers we have the choice as to the type of fire that occurs in our pastures. Waiting for a wildfire is neither a good offense nor a good defense, similar to the old Marine philosophy, which mountain do you want to die on? It boils simply down to proactive vs. reactive attitudes and perspectives. Check out Who started that fire – Embracing a fire culture in 2016 for more of the story featured in the Progressive Cattleman.

Archives for March 2016

Texas Section Society for Range Management YOUTH RANGE WORKSHOP

Who Started That Fire — Embracing a Fire Culture in 2016