One of the biggest confusion points in brush management is the decision between removing, reducing, or manipulating woody plants. Past management decisions have addressed the symptoms of woody encroachment but not the root cause of the problem. To contribute to the efforts to confront the loss of grasslands at county and state, clarity is needed on which woody species need complete removal versus species who can be reduced or manipulated without the threat of grassland loss.
NIFA Invests $9 million in Extension, Education and USDA Climate Hubs Partnership
We are excited to announce that Drs. Morgan Treadwell, Melissa Shehane, and Ben Wu will be continuing education and extension Prairie Project efforts after receiving a $1.5 million grant from the USDA-NIFA Extension, Education and USDA Climate Hubs Partnership program area priority within AFRI’s Foundational and Applied Science Program to support a project titled, “Promoting Climate-Smart Agricultural Practice to Reduce Risk and Impacts of Drought, Wildfire and Woody Encroachment on Livestock Production.”
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USDA funds Texas A&M AgriLife Extension West Texas Rangeland Conservation Projects
Four separate projects have been funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative with West Texas Rangelands Involvement! These projects will combine the expertise of Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service to provide livestock producer support and increase the use of conservation principles on grazing lands.
Statewide Texas Landowner Survey Results
Did you know that Texas Landowner demographics are surveyed by the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute (NRI)? This type of information is incredibly valuable and insightful to the changing demographic occurring across Texas working landscapes.
Rangeland Analysis Platform Virtual Training
Rangeland Analysis Platform, also known as RAP, have you heard of it? It is a platform that was created with a partnership between the University of Montana (UM), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI).
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Prescribed Burn School April 19 – 21, 2023 – San Angelo, Texas
Prescribed Burn School April 19 – 21, 2023 – San Angelo, Texas
Dr. Morgan Treadwell is back with her first Prescribed Burn School for 2023 in San Angelo, Texas on April 19 – 21! If you are curious about prescribed fire or would like to get more hands-on experience, this 3-day school is for you! View the agenda here.
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The Society for Range Management Recognizes Texas Stewards
Congratulations are in order for Dr. John Walker for receiving the Sustained Lifetime Achievement Award. He has been recognized for more than four decades of substantial contributions to Rangeland Science and Management.
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Targeted Grazing with Goats and Sheep
Before producers can consider adding additional species to their operations, forage production and carrying capacity must be determined. This is crucial and the foundation of any operation. More information on determining stocking rate and carry capacity can be found in this AgriLife Extension Publication – Stocking Rate: The Key Grazing Management Decision.
What is Targeted Grazing?
Brush Busters Course Available
This course is designed for the land owner and managers in mind. By going through and completing this course, participants will become familiar with managing invasive and encroaching brush species with the Individual Plant Treatment (IPT) herbicide application method. This course provides guidance in managing species such as Mesquite, Prickly Pear, Redberry and Blueberry Juniper, and more. How to obtain and maintain a TDA herbicide applicator’s license, how to correctly mix herbicides, cleaning equipment and proper disposal of containers after spraying, how to select the correct application method, and others are the man objectives of this course.
Along with these learning objectives, this course offers 3 CEU credits. 1 General Pesticide Factors, 1 General Equipment Characteristics, and 1 Laws and Regulations. In order to obtain these CEU credits, the participant must complete all modules, take a test to gauge knowledge gained, and fill out a course satisfaction survey.
To learn more, or to enroll in this course, go to AgriLife Learn and search for “Brush Busters” or follow the link: https://agrilifelearn.tamu.edu/s/product/brush-busters/01t4x000002ciR2AAI
Don’t forget to check us out on Facebook at West Texas Rangelands!
Brush Busters in now ONLINE!
Click here for a self-paced, online, take anywhere, CEU course on Brush Busters Rangeland Herbicide Applications!
This course is all inclusive covering equipment, nozzles, surfactants, sprayers, target species, resources, and much more!
