The Art of Range

AoR 150: Bildo Saravia & Lauren Svejcar - Artisanal Mezcal & Ranching in Mexico Feb 20, 2025

Bildo Saravia is the owner and manager of Rancho el Ojo and Origien Raiz Mezcal. His story showcases the ways global marketing and communication can benefit local people oriented around rangeland economies. By "grazing the wild" he is growing agave in sustainable polyculture with a diversity of other native plants for livestock and wildlife in Durango, Mexico. Go to the episode page, https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-150-bildo-saravia-lauren-svejcar-artisanal-mezcal-ranching-mexico, for links and the full transcript. The Art of Range Podcast is supported by Vence, a subsidiary of Merck Animal Health; the Idaho Rangeland Resources Commission; and the Western Extension Risk Management Education Center.

AoR 149: Wildfire Depletes Ecosystem Carbon Storage by >50% (Part 2) -- Germino, Maxwell, & Quicke Feb 06, 2025

Dr. Germino’s latest research, published in the Communications Earth & Environment journal in November 2024, reveals a startling and significant finding: invasive grasses are turning western U.S. rangelands from valuable carbon sinks into potential carbon sources. This research, a two-year collaboration between the US Geological Survey and Envu, provides the first comprehensive assessment of the impact of invasive annual grasses, like cheatgrass, on soil carbon stocks. The study found that the conversion of native perennial shrublands to these invasive grasslands can result in a 42-49% reduction in soil carbon, releasing a significant amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. It also found that wildfire and grass invasion had a similar impact on soil carbon stocks, a surprising finding that challenges previous assumptions about the relative impacts of these disturbances. Dr. Germino is joined by another study author, Dr. Harry Quicke from Envu. They discuss implications of this new research for rangeland management and potential solutions. This is part 2 of the discussion. To hear the first part, go to episode 147. A full transcript of the episode and links to articles are at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-149-wildfire-depletes-ecosystem-carbon-storage-50-part-2-germino-maxwell-quicke. The Art of Range Podcast is supported by Vence, a subsidiary of Merck Animal Health; the Idaho Rangeland Resources Commission; and the Western Extension Risk Management Education Center.

AoR 148: Targeted Cheatgrass Grazing Research with Sheep -- Kelly Hopping & Riley Kowitz Jan 23, 2025

A research study in the mountains of Idaho tracked cheatgrass consumption by sheep in the spring and fall. Listen to Kelly Hopping (Boise State University) and sheep rancher Riley Kowitz describe their experiences with implementing this approach to controlling invasive annual grass and changing the wildfire risk profile on the Sawtooth National Forest. Go to https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-148-targeted-cheatgrass-grazing-research-sheep-kelly-hopping-riley-kowitz to see the video and read the full story. The Art of Range Podcast is supported by Vence, a subsidiary of Merck Animal Health; the Idaho Rangeland Resources Commission; and the Western Extension Risk Management Education Center.

AoR 147: Wildfire Depletes Ecosystem Carbon Storage by >50% (Part 1) -- Germino, Maxwell, & Quicke Jan 09, 2025

How does wildfire affect soil carbon, the ecological currency of the 21st century? Careful collaborative research involving US Geological Survey scientists, Envu, and Boise State University has begun to answer some of the many questions surrounding soil carbon and fire. This is the first of a two-part interview on soil carbon storage, sequestration mechanisms, effects of wildfire and plant community shifts, and management implications. Be sure to read the Open Access paper at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-147-wildfire-depletes-ecosystem-carbon-storage-50-part-1-germino-maxwell-quicke, where you will also find the usual transcript and links to other resources.

AoR 146: Angus Whyte - Sheep Grazing in New South Wales, Australia Dec 31, 2024

Angus's family has managed the Wyndham Station near the Anabranch and Darling Rivers in southern Australia for 4 generations. That and the promise of a great Australian accent should be enough to make you listen to this episode. But we also discuss managing the earth's Living Skin, Angus's efforts to get others to think broadly about caring for land and livestock and all living things, including improving health care for humans in remote areas. It's a small world, and Angus's challenges in the Land Down Under are quite similar to those in North America. Find a transcript and links for this episode at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-146-angus-whyte-sheep-grazing-new-south-wales-australia The Art of Range Podcast is supported by Vence, a subsidiary of Merck Animal Health; the Idaho Rangeland Resources Commission; and the Western Extension Risk Management Education Center.

AoR 145: Dr. John Buckhouse, Part 2, Reflections on a Half Century of Thinking in Wholes Dec 12, 2024

Riparian management, water quality, and livestock grazing used in the same sentence can warm up a room with heated discussion. John Buckhouse has spent a lifetime contending for the Radical Middle, where people recognize that land conditions that are good for fish are also good for cattle. He has effectively advocated for and led collaborative resource management, published reams of research on the most critical and controversial topics in natural resources policy and management, and has loved people well. In this two-part interview, John reflects on these developments and work that remains to be done.

AoR 144: Jay Wilde, Idaho Rancher, Builds Beaver Habitat to Restore Stockwater Nov 28, 2024

"We have to think of beavers as our friend instead of our foe; for these watersheds to be healthy, you need beaver.” Rancher Jay Wilde experienced a paradigm shift some years ago that convinced him beavers were necessary to hold more water higher in the watershed for longer and that this hydrologic change would benefit a cattle operation in numerous ways. He acted on this conviction with some expert help and it is a classic win-win scenario: cows have water, the larger riparian area grows more forage, fish populations increased dramatically, and beavers create the habitat that feeds them. Listen to Jay's story and check out the excellent video on this project at the link on the episode webpage, https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-144-jay-wilde-idaho-rancher-builds-beaver-habitat-restore-stockwater.

AoR 143: Dr. John Buckhouse, Reflections on a Half Century of Thinking in Wholes, Part 1 Nov 14, 2024

Riparian management, water quality, and livestock grazing used in the same sentence can warm up a room with heated discussion. John Buckhouse has spent a lifetime contending for the Radical Middle, where people recognize that land conditions that are good for fish are also good for cattle. He has effectively advocated for and led collaborative resource management, published reams of research on the most critical and controversial topics in natural resources policy and management, and has loved people well. In this two-part interview, John reflects on these developments and work that remains to be done. TRANSCRIPT AND LINKS AT https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-143-dr-john-buckhouse-half-century-progress-part-1

AoR 142: Understanding Grazing Effects on Soil Carbon, the sequel with Dr. Paige Stanley Oct 17, 2024

How do undergrazing and overgrazing affect soil carbon change? What does "optimal grazing" look like? This sequel episode with Paige Stanley goes deeper into the ways grazing factors affect the ecophysiology elements that are responsible for generating or release the various kinds of soil carbon. These changes remain difficult to quantify, but we can describe them. Listen in on this second interview from Dr. Stanley's review paper "Ruminating on soil carbon: Applying current understanding to inform grazing management." Transcript and links are available at the episode page: https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-142-understanding-grazing-effects-soil-carbon-sequel-dr-paige-stanley.

AoR 141: New Rangeland Wildlife Ecology & Conservation reference manual -- Lance McNew & Jeff Beck Oct 03, 2024

"The fields of rangeland and wildlife management are brothers in the same fight for the conservation, protection, and management of wildlife and one cannot be completely understood without knowledge of the other." --Paul Krausman. This quote from the foreword of a new edited volume on wildlife ecology highlights the integrated nature of rangeland science. Listen to Drs. Lance McNew and Jeff Beck describe what's in this Springer-published comprehensive guide to what we know about rangeland wildlife, from mice to mule deer, sparrows to sage grouse. Wildlife species require habitat, and habitat management requires broad understanding and thinking. Take a look at this book. Transcript and links mentioned in this episode are at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-141-new-rangeland-wildlife-ecology-conservation-reference-manual-lance-mcnew-jeff-beck.

AoR 140: Unsung Caretakers of Unseen Land -- Mark & Wendy Pratt, Idaho Ranchers Sep 19, 2024

Meet Mark and Wendy Pratt, ordinary people doing unglamorous work with extraordinary care. C.S. Lewis said "we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment. It is frustrating . . . to come suddenly, at the turn of the road, upon some mountain valley of unexpected grandeur and then to have to keep silent because the people with you care for it no more than for a tin can in the ditch." We are quick to praise teachers and medical professionals like nurses because their work involves mundane faithfulness to work that is good for society and they are largely unthanked. Ranchers doing the daily work of caring for the living skin of the earth, work that involves wildlife habitat conservation, food production, open space protection, and much more, are sometimes treated worse than the tin can in the ditch -- at least the can is unnoticed -- ranchers are often vilified. We could begin by judging this group of people by their best representatives instead of their worst. I hope you will share my enjoyment of Mark & Wendy by listening to them describe their care for all creatures great and small and the land that supports us all. TRANSCRIPT AND LINKS AT https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-140-unsung-caretakers-unseen-land-mark-wendy-pratt-idaho-ranchers

AoR 139: StockSmart - Sustainable Grazing Starts with Good Forage Production Data Sep 05, 2024

Forage on semi-arid rangelands is finite but variable across space and over time. And grazing decisions start with balancing animal forage demand with forage supply, a significant challenge in vast and varied landscapes. In this episode, Matt Reeves, Sonia Hall, and Tip discuss StockSmart, the new free, online decision support tool just launched that accesses remotely sensed forage production data and allows the user to easily define what forage is accessible to their livestock based on fences, watering locations, the type of terrain their livestock will traverse and other parameters. Check out the future of grazing decision-making today at https://www.stock-smart.com/. Transcript and links to resources mentioned in this episode at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-139-stocksmart-sustainable-grazing-starts-good-forage-production-data.

AoR 138: BOSH Project Restores Sagebrush Sea at Grand Scale - Maestas, White, & Stuebner Aug 22, 2024

The Bruneau Owyhee Sage Grouse Habitat (BOSH) project is a collaborative partnership of state and federal agencies, wildlife advocacy groups, and private landowners to restore native upland landscapes in Southwest Idaho to a more natural condition benefitting sage grouse, songbirds, antelope, spotted frogs and other wildlife. Conifer encroachment is now recognized as the second most significant threat to sage grouse populations in the Western U.S., second only to invasive grasses like cheatgrass. The partnership has mobilized money and people to control juniper on more acres than have ever been treated in contiguous pieces. In this first episode based on the Idaho Life on the Range series, project partners discuss the genesis of the project, science behind sage grouse habitat enhancement, and possible future activities. Guests in the this episode are: Steve Stuebner, writer and producer of Life on the Range, a public education project sponsored by the Idaho Rangeland Resources Commission. Connor White, project manager for Pheasants Forever, based in Boise. Jeremy Maestas, National Sagebrush Ecosystem Specialist, USDA-NRCS Working Lands for Wildlife, out of Bend, Oregon. Visit the BOSH Project episode page at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-138-bosh-project-restores-sagebrush-sea-grand-scale-maestas-white-stuebner to access the transcript of this interview, watch the documentary video, and read other reports of this effort.

AoR 137: Art of Range mid-2024 Update Aug 08, 2024

Thank you for your patience as we shift funding sources and work into a slightly different approach to content. This brief piece describes these changes and previews upcoming episodes.

AoR 136: "Politics of Scale - a History of Rangeland Science", with Nathan Sayre (re-release) Jul 25, 2024

Dr. Nathan Sayre has written a delightful book on the origins and history of rangelands science, public ownership, agency management, and grazing philosophy in the United States. Join Tip and Nathan as they discuss his background building fence on ranches on the Southwest, his pathway to the sociology of rangelands, and then surprising findings in Sayre’s book research. Finally, they visit about recommendations for modern range management. Transcript and links at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-136-politics-scale-history-rangeland-science-nathan-sayre-re-release

AoR 135: Are Cows "Tools"? The Effects of Language with Anna Clare Monlezun Jun 27, 2024

Our language both reveals and shapes our internal philosophy about all of the beings and things in the world. And it guides our behaviors and interactions with those things -- humans, animals, plants, and non-living things. Yet these below-the-hood inclinations are formed very informally, usually without conscious thought. This interview with Anna Clare follows from an article in Rangelands on whether we should consider cattle 'partners' rather than 'tools' and invites the listener to ponder this not-so-esoteric question. Transcript and links are available at: https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-135-are-cows-tools-effects-language-anna-clare-monlezun

AoR 134: Contextual Grazing Management & Patterns, with Jim Howell Jun 13, 2024

Maybe there is no silver bullet, no holy grail of grazing. But there are patterns of grazing impacts that work well for particular plant communities, and good grazing managers give attention to these effects and modify them over time to achieve landscape goals. Jim Howell is the founder of Grasslands, LLC, a ranch management company that directs grazing on over 320,000 acres of land around the world. Jim discusses lessons learned in observing and and manipulating grazing patterns in the varied ecology of places like Florida, Western Colorado, New Zealand, Montana. Transcript and links at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-134-contextual-adaptive-grazing-management-patterns-jim-howell

AoR 133: Ruminating on Soil Carbon with Paige Stanley, Jim Howell, Ariel Greenwood, & Chris Wilson May 30, 2024

"Decades of scientific research on grazing and soil organic carbon (SOC) has failed to form a cohesive understanding of how grazing management affects SOC stocks -- characterized by different formation and stabilization pathways—across different climatic contexts." This quote from the introduction to the review paper "Ruminating on soil carbon: Applying current understanding to inform grazing management" frames the dilemma we're discussing in this episode. How can common management levers that define overall grazing pattern, including timing, intensity, duration, and frequency, be used to optimize mechanistic pathways of SOC sequestration? These authors offer a framework for beginning to answer this important question. The transcript for this episode and link to the paper are at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-133-ruminating-soil-carbon-paige-stanley-jim-howell-ariel-greenwood-chris-wilson.

AoR 132: Are Agrivoltaics a Viable New Frontier in Green Energy? with Anna Clare Monlezun May 16, 2024

Solar "farms" have met with resistance in Middle America because they often displace food farms, taking arable land out of production. But what if solar energy could be harvested at a utility scale on top of food or forage? This is the face of solar energy research today, and AnnaClare Monlezun is leading some of this research on White Oak Pastures, a livestock farm in Georgia owned by Will Harris. Listen to AnnaClare describe how agriculturalists are optimizing these potentially compatible land uses. Transcript and links to resources mentioned in this episode at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-132-are-agrivoltaics-viable-new-frontier-green-energy-anna-clare-monlezun

AoR 131: Society for Range Mgmt Plenary 2 "Change on the Range", with Experienced Professionals May 02, 2024

It's been said there is wisdom in a multitude of counselors. But in the same way that not all practice makes perfect, only good practice, it's important to listen to people with a proven record of range management success. This panel of experienced range professionals discusses principles that have helped them adapt well personally and professionally to change. Join my discussion with John Ruhs, Annie Overland, James Stewart, and Liz Munn recorded during the 2024 SRM plenary session. Transcript and links mentioned in this episode at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-131-society-range-mgmt-plenary-2-change-range-experienced-professionals

AoR 130: Society for Range Management Plenary "Change on the Range" with Young Professionals Apr 18, 2024

It's been said that the only thing that is certain is change. These young rangeland professionals engage in interview discussion around what "Change on the Range" means to them. The 2023 annual meeting plenaries addressed the synthetic nature of rangeland science and the necessity of working across disciplinary and geographic and social boundaries to be effective. Effective change may require all of that. Join Katherine Haile, Paige Stanley, Kaelie Pena, Josh Tashiro, and Melissa Lackore in our conversation about rangelands and productive change. TRANSCRIPT AND LINKS AT https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-130-society-range-management-plenary-change-range-young-professionals

AoR 129: Rangeland Fire Protection Associations with Basque rancher, Mike Guerry Apr 04, 2024

Neighbors helping neighbors fight fire--this is the goal of Rangeland Fire Protection Associations (RFPAs) according to the Idaho Dept of Lands: "RFPAs empower local landowners to protect their own property and their neighbors’ where fire protection services are limited or not available. RFPAs can also respond to fires nearby that would otherwise take time for other firefighting agencies to reach." Mike Guerry, a French Basque 3rd generation rancher, has been instrumental in establishing and supporting RFPAs in Idaho. Under this cooperative arrangement, landowners and ranchers are able to coordinate with fire agencies in active firefighting. Transcript and links at: https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-129-rangeland-fire-protection-associations-basque-rancher-mike-guerry

AoR 128: International Rangelands Congress 2025, with Nicole Spiegel & Andrew Ash Mar 28, 2024

Australia is hosting the IRC2025 in Adelaide, and this is the biggest rangelands event leading up to the 2026 UN International Year of Rangelands & Pastoralists. Australia boasts more rangeland than the United States, with wild, open spaces everywhere. Andrew and Nicole discuss uniquenesses of Australia, challenges common to other parts of the world, and the 7 themes of the congress. This event is an excellent opportunity to visit this less-peopled continent with a fascinating history. Submit to present at the conference by June 2, and check out the pre-congress tour options, which will sell out fast. Go to https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-128-international-rangelands-congress-2025-nicole-spiegel-andrew-ash for resources mentioned in this episode and a transcript of the conversation.

AoR 127: Ranch Financial Success is Bigger than Per-Cow Profits, Clay Worden & James Rogers Mar 21, 2024

"Layer something on your dirt that increases revenue opportunities and reduces risk." Clay Worden and James Rogers offer capstone comments on The Art of Range ranch financial resiliency series, from the importance of leveraging land assets (the big value in a ranch property) to tracking and managing production unit costs and revenues. Transcript and links at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-127-ranch-financial-success-bigger-cow-profits-clay-worden-james-rogers

AoR 126: Renewable Energy, Wildlife, & Grazing with Jeff Tayer, Ryan Stingley, & Jennifer Galbraith Mar 07, 2024

Is it possible to generate renewable energy, beef, and wildlife habitat in the same space? Long-time collaborators Puget Sound Energy, WSU Extension, Stingley Ranches, and Washington Dept of Fish & Wildlife have proven the reality of this unlikely combination for more than 15 years on sagebrush ecosystems in the Intermountain West. The Wild Horse Coordinated Resource Management group has been managing grazing and a wide diversity of wildlife species on a wind energy facility since 2007, with a stable grazing process, abundant non-game and game species, and power for 80,000 households. The wind farm has facilitated, rather than diminished, habitat conservation through funding rehabilitation, stockwater, and innovative grazing in addition to preventing housing development on extraordinarily valuable habitat. Transcript and links at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-126-renewable-energy-wildlife-grazing-jeff-tayer-ryan-stingley-jennifer-galbraith.

AoR 125: The Human Costs of Catastrophic Wildfire, with Dave Daley Feb 22, 2024

The North Complex Fire of 2020 was estimated to produce more carbon dioxide and pollutants in one week than all of the cars in California in one year. That fire was in the list of 5 biggest fires in state history until it got surpassed by the August Complex Fire the same year. But it remains one of the deadliest, with 15 human deaths. This fire also burned to death hundreds of cows and calves, and that toll should not be forgotten. We can have theoretical and scientific discussions about how much wild fire to allow, how much prescribed fire to initiate, and how much forest to thin, but these discussion must consider the high psychological and human costs of large, catastrophic wildfires. Dave Daley knows this in a way most of us will never experience, and he hopes no one else does. This story covers ranch history, fire history, massive plant community shifts, horrific cattle deaths, and the impact of large wildfire on Dave's family. Transcript and links at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-125-human-costs-catastrophic-wildfire-dave-daley

AoR 124: Jim Gerrish on 50 Years of Grazing Science Feb 08, 2024

Jim Gerrish is in the top 10 names known to ranchers in grazing management. His career, both as a researcher and as a rancher, spans animal nutrition, plant and community physiology, East and West, irrigated and dryland, rhizomatous and caespitose. Our conversation covers all of that as well as livestock industry history, the decline in sheep production in the early 20th century, and rules of thumb for grazing and grazing economics. Listen in on a wide-ranging conversation about grazing principles across the U.S. TRANSCRIPT AND RESOURCES MENTIONED AT https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-124-jim-gerrish-50-years-grazing-science.

AoR 123: Virtual Fence in Action on Wild, Open Spaces in Idaho--Jay Smith & Joel Yelich Jan 25, 2024

Listen to Jay Smith, a rancher in Idaho, and Joel Yelich, a University of Idaho researcher, describe their experience managing cattle on a 100,000 acre U.S. Forest Service grazing permit that had burned the year before. Jay was able to keep grazing the permit because virtual fence allowed him to keep cattle off the burn footprint without putting up barbed wire or hotwire. Most rangeland grazing problems are related to animal distribution, and wireless fence may prove to be a game-changing distribution technology, almost a back-to-the-future approach to managing livestock distribution on large landscapes, places where physical fence is not feasible or advisable anymore. Virtual fence can enable effective herding on land with challenging topography and vegetation. This episode is sponsored by the Idaho Rangeland Resources Commission and Life on the Range: https://idrange.org/life-on-the-range/. Transcript and links at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-123-virtual-fence-action-wild-open-spaces-idaho-jay-smith-joel-yelich. Find The Art of Range Podcast on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Art-of-Range-Podcast/61553627982252/.

AoR 122: Happy New Year -- What's in Store for AoR? Jan 11, 2024

Are you optimistic about 2024? This brief non-interview provides an overview of upcoming content on The Art of Range and an invitation to become a more active listener. Thanks so much for listening. And I'm optimistic, by the way.

AoR 121: Addie Candib, What are Agricultural Land Trusts For? Dec 28, 2023

Should we keep the farm? Can we afford to keep farming and ranching? How do conservation easements work? How much could an easement help? What do I have to give up? Food production is important (No Farms, No Food, No Future), but it has to pay enough to support a family in order to persist. Addie Candib is American Farmland Trust's Northwest director and is an advocate for local and regional land trusts. She walks through the legal and financial mechanisms involved in putting all or part of a ranch into a conservation easement and how that can benefit family businesses that are asset-rich and cash-poor. If that describes your operation, this episode is for you. RESOURCES AND TRANSCRIPT AT https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-121-addie-candib-what-are-agricultural-land-trusts.

AoR 120: Could Virtual Fence Transform Rangeland Grazing? Launchbaugh, deAvila, & Pearson Dec 14, 2023

What if grazed wild, open spaces were actually open? Is barbed wire still useful? Can we afford it? Are there other ways to control livestock distribution today? Would other options be "better"? Fenceless control of livestock has been discussed for decades, and these technologies may mimic herding, which was practiced nearly everywhere, at least on large landscapes, up until the invention and adoption of barbed wire in the late 1800s. This interview discusses pros and cons of permanent wire fence, hoped-for benefits of virtual fence, varieties of virtual fence systems, and the many applications for the deliberate, targeted grazing made possible through virtual fence, and much more. SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT AT https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-120-could-virtual-fence-transform-rangeland-grazing-launchbaugh-deavila-pearson

AoR 119: Change on the Range 2024 in Nevada, with Meghan Brown & Dave Voth Nov 30, 2023

Rangelands and people inevitably change. Managing that change involves people influencing people. The Society for Range Management's international annual meeting is the flagship ecological event of the year, bringing together ranchers, researchers, agency land managers, students, and other professionals from all over the world to share information and encourage one another. Dave Voth and Meghan Brown have worked hard to make this interaction productive and enjoyable. Listen in on this discussion about the content and goals for this meeting in the heart of American rangeland, Sparks, Nevada, including live interview plenary sessions to be broadcast live on The Art of Range. Don't miss this conversation and this important meeting! TRANSCRIPT AND LINKS AT https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-119-change-range-2024-nevada-meghan-brown-dave-voth.

AoR 118: Safe-to-Fail Experimentation & Regenerative Grazing with Graeme Hand & Kevin Muno Nov 16, 2023

Can grazing be used to help ecosystem function or is 'do no harm' the best we can do? What is meant by the new buzzword "regenerative"? Graeme Hand has been teaching and practicing grazing decision-making for a long time and has championed the idea of experimentation at spatial scales at which failing is not fatal to the environment or a livelihood. Kevin Muno is a rancher in southern California trying these ideas out at the ranch scale. We discuss measuring success using Landscape Function Analysis, a system developed in Australia by CSIRO and similar to the NRCS rangeland health matrix. TRANSCRIPT AND LINKS AT https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-118-safe-fail-experimentation-regenerative-grazing-graeme-hand-kevin-muno.

AoR 117: Ranching in the Radical Middle with Rick Knight (Reloaded) Nov 02, 2023

"Beef is what's for dinner; open space is what's for dessert." Rick Knight is a wildlife professor who has spent decades bridging ranchers and environmentalists (whatever that means now). His research has shown that private ranchlands are critical for wildlife and that grazing may be quite important for conservation of habitat values. Transcript and links to resources mentioned in this episode at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-117-ranching-radical-middle-rick-knight-reloaded.

AoR 116: Understanding Nature's Contributions to People, with Anna Clare Monlezun Oct 19, 2023

Anna Clare is a rangeland ecosystem scientist, systems thinker, synthesizer, and collaborative facilitator. This interview continues with one of the major themes of the SRM Ecosystem Services report introduced in episode 111 with Lauren Porensky and Jeff Goodwin -- human dimensions of ecosystems, including sociocultural valuations. The conversation spans ways of identifying and valuing intangible ecosystem services, the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment terminology for these concepts, using Q statistical methodology to identify commonalities in sociological data rather than differences, and the perspectives of ranchers on "Nature's Contributions to People." A rancher herself, she brings her unique skillset to natural resource and grazing management in both her for-profit company, Graze LLC, and non-profit organization, Rangeland Living Laboratory. Transcript and links to resources mentioned in this episode are at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-116-understanding-natures-contributions-people-anna-clare-monlezun.

AoR 115: Cattle Raising in The Kimberley, Australia, with James & Barbara Camp Oct 05, 2023

Napier Downs is a million-acre cattle station in the Kimberley region of Northwestern Australia. They export Red Brahman yearlings live to Indonesia, 15-20,000 animals per year, raised in a tropical savanna. We discuss the humanitarian importance of this live export market, the love-hate relationship with fire in this part of the world, land tenure arrangements on pastoral leases, and the distinctives that gave Napier Downs cattle a reputation for being the best in NW Australia. James is an Australian native and Barbara is a transplant from Scotland who has found her niche and her voice. Join Tip in his discussion with James & Barbara Camp. TRANSCRIPT AND SHOW NOTES available at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-115-cattle-raising-kimberley-australia-james-barbara-camp.

AoR 114: Best of AoR -- Fred Provenza on Animal-Environment Interactions (re-release) Sep 21, 2023

This is a re-release of one of the first episodes on The Art of Range. Fred Provenza discusses ideas from decades of research and experience on how animals and environment affect each other. Dr. Provenza calls this interaction a dance, which he has written about in his book “Nourishment”. Discussion includes how domestic animals can be selected or trained to match their environment and how this intersects with ecological, economic, and social resilience of rangeland-based livestock operations. Full transcript and links to resources mentioned in this episode are at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-114-best-aor-fred-provenza-animal-environment-interactions-re-release.

AoR 113: Agricultural Financial Benchmarking with Megan Shroyer, AgWest Farm Credit Sep 07, 2023

How does your agricultural business compare to similar operations in financial performance metrics? That's the question answered by benchmarking. Megan Shroyer is the president of Montana AgWest Farm Credit Services and she offers guidance on how to properly use benchmarking as one element of understanding and managing ranch financial health. Financial stress is usually what causes a ranch to call it quits. Even though society values the intangible ecosystem services provided by large landscapes, there are still few mechanisms to monetize these services. Megan describes the range of services offered by AgWest Farm Credit to help agricultural business thrive, including low-interest grants for beginning farmers and ranchers. Find the transcript and show notes at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-113-agricultural-financial-benchmarking-megan-shroyer-agwest-farm-credit.

AoR 112: Good Grazing Makes Cent$, with Dave Voth Aug 24, 2023

Is environmentally sound livestock grazing more financially viable than overgrazing or just thoughtless grazing? If so, why? Dave Voth is a rancher in Nevada who helps lead the Society for Range Management's Good Grazing Makes Cent$ Program, an effort to take range science directly to those who make a living on the land. At least in rangeland settings, there are no future farmers without stewardship today, because economics are tied to ecology. Listen to Dave describe the intent of this outreach program for land managers of all types. Learn more about Good Grazing Makes Cent$ at https://goodgrazing.org/. Membership in GGMC includes SRM membership! Don't miss this two-for-the-price-of-one deal. Transcript available at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-112-good-grazing-makes-cent-dave-voth

AoR 111: Ecosystem Services--Connecting Nature & People, with Lauren Porensky & Jeff Goodwin Aug 10, 2023

A new report published by the Society for Range Management, Connecting Nature and People, outlines key ecosystem services provided by rangelands and their benefits to society. Agricultural Research Service scientist Lauren Porensky and Texas A&M Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management director Jeff Goodwin discuss the report’s origins, framework, and upcoming plans for the project. A transcript of this interview and the Ecosystem Services report link are available at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-111-ecosystem-services-connecting-nature-people-lauren-porensky-jeff-goodwin.

AoR 110: Lots of Grass but Little Fire (Yet); 2023 Fuelcasting with Matt Reeves Jul 27, 2023

Remotely-sensed data products are not new, but applications using these data that are available and useful to landowners are relatively new. Matt Reeves discusses the current status of forage volume and phenological development across the Western U.S. (midsummer 2023) and the sources of data in useful fuel tools such as FuelCast, Rangeland Production Monitoring Service, Rangelands Analysis Platform, and ClimateEngine. Listen today to add NDVI, ANPP, RAP, RPMS, and more to your acronym arsenal. For transcript and show notes, visit https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-110-lots-grass-little-fire-yet-2023-fuelcasting-matt-reeves

AoR 109: Atmospheric Water Generation and Rangeland Grazing with David Stuckenberg Jul 13, 2023

Livestock distribution is the key to good grazing, and water is the limiting factor to distribution. What if you could have water anywhere, produced from air? Genesis Systems, a company founded by Dave Stuckenberg, now offers atmospheric water generation devices that could revolutionize grazing management. This sounds like science fiction, but there's no fiction, only cool science. Check out the company website and our transcript from the show notes page at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-109-atmospheric-water-generation-and-rangeland-grazing-david-stuckenberg.

AoR 108: No Farms, No Food -- Don Stuart & Addie Candib on Farmland Conservation Jun 15, 2023

Don Stuart is the author of a new book "No Farms, No Food: Uniting Farmers and Environmentalists to Transform American Agriculture", a history of American Farmland Trust and the origins of national-scale efforts to bring to America's attention the loss of farmland and the need for conservation effort. Don is a former commercial fisherman, lawyer, and Pacific Northwest regional director for American Farmland Trust. Addie Candib is the current PNW regional director for AFT. Addie and Don have been effective advocates for farming and liaisons between farmers and environmental interests for decades. TRANSCRIPT AND RESOURCES available at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-108-no-farms-no-food-don-stuart-addie-candib-farmland-conservation.

AoR 107: SRM Keynote Address, "Working Across Borders" with Tammy VerCauteren & the Ollila Family Jun 01, 2023

Plants and animals and weather patterns do not respect property boundaries, state lines, or national borders. Managing landscapes requires not the obliteration of human-defined boundaries but working across them. In this plenary session from the Society for Range Management's 2023 annual meeting, Tammy VerCautere and David and Holly Ollila describe their efforts to conserve wildlife species, especially grassland birds, in the Great Plains of the U.S. through the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies. Tate Lantz, a NRCS supervisor in South Dakota, moderates the discussion. SHOW NOTES AND TRANSCRIPT AT https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-107-srm-keynote-address-working-across-borders-tammy-vercauteren-ollila-family.

AoR 106: SRM Keynote Address "Working Across Disciplines" with Tip Hudson & Jeanne Pfander May 18, 2023

Rangeland science is not a single discipline but a synthesis of numerous scientific topics and lived experiences. Successful management of rangelands requires knowledge of soils, water, climate, plants, livestock, wildlife, humans, and much more. It is impossible to master all topics in a rangeland textbook or land management handbook. It takes a unique and confident person to recognize their limitations and reach across disciplines to accomplish the art of rangeland management. A successful example of this discipline mixing is the Rangeland Partnership, a group of rangeland extension professionals and librarians who work side by side to make relevant, authoritative information available to land managers. Accomplishments of the Rangeland Partnership include the Rangeland Gateway and RangeDocs which are searchable databases to help rangeland managers find high quality information. In this plenary we will hear from Tip Hudson, a rangeland & livestock Extension specialist, and Jeanne Pfander, an agricultural librarian, who discuss the value of reaching across disciplines to accomplish collaborative management. Eric Winford, Associate Director of the Idaho Rangeland Center, moderates this discussion. This is a recording from the SRM annual meeting in February 2023. Links and transcript at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-106-srm-keynote-address-working-across-disciplines-tip-hudson-jeanne-pfander. https://rangelands.org/annual-meeting-2023/

AoR 105: Richard and Sharon Kline on Conserving Working Lands in California May 04, 2023

This is the story of Sharon and Richard Kline, a couple in southern California who became unlikely ranchers by buying an unlikely property. They have worked with California Rangeland Trust to keep the land as rangeland and conserve both habitat and ranching. Conservation easements are controversial and must be considered on a case-by-case basis, but agricultural land trusts have made this option much more palatable for working lands. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE California Rangeland Trust, https://rangelandtrust.org/ Article on the importance of private land to wildlife: https://onland.westernlandowners.org/2023/directors-letter/private-lands-are-a-lifeline-for-wildlife/ TRANSCRIPT available at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-105-richard-and-sharon-kline-conserving-working-lands-california

AoR 104: SRM Keynote Address "Working Across Eras" with Courtney Taylor & Tim Murphy Apr 20, 2023

Wise management and conservation of rangelands in the future will require knowledge from the hard-earned experience of those near retirement and the fresh and uninhibited ideas of young professionals. However, reaching across these generations of ideas and experiences can be challenging. This final plenary will be a thought-provoking discussion that highlights the value of combining well-lived experiences with youthful insight. Tim Murphey, retired rangeland and fire professional, will describe the concepts he has learned that will be valuable to plot a path into the future of rangeland management. Courtney Taylor, student and rancher, will highlight the insight that young professionals can bring to power innovation and engage the next generation of rangeland managers. Tracy Kupchenko will moderate this discussion based on her pivotal experiences in working with both youth and well-worn ranchers and rangeland managers. Courtney Taylor grew up on a cattle ranching operation near Warner, Alberta, Canada. Always ambitious and a self- starter, she was running her own profitable on-farm businesses including a small sheep flock and orphan calf operation by age 10. Through her family operation, she was introduced to the art of rangeland management, and then while attending the Southern Alberta Youth Range Days camp, she further explored the science behind beneficial management practices, potential careers, and opportunities associated with rangelands. Her first exposure to the Society for Range Management was through the High School Youth Forum, then again at the University level, participating in the student conclave and competitions like the Undergraduate Range Management Exam and Extemporaneous Speaking event. She is currently attending the University of Saskatchewan and continues to run several of her business initiatives including a small bull operation specializing in genetics that will sustain the extensive winter grazing and spring/summer calving utilized on the ranch. Needless to say, that as far back as she can remember, she has grown and continues to foster a deep respect for her animals and the land on which her family cattle ranch depends. Tim Murphy is recognized for his long and impactful career in rangeland and fire management. Tim completed a bachelor’s degree in rangeland management from the University of Wyoming and after graduation Tim began a 39-year career in rangeland and natural resources management. Tim’s career began as a range technician with the Bridger-Teton National Forest and shortly thereafter he joined the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) at the Green River Resource Area managing public rangelands in southwest Wyoming, followed by supervising a range, wild horse, and soils team at BLM’s Caliente Resource Area, Nevada. Tim went on to management positions with BLM in New Mexico at the Carlsbad and then Las Cruces Resource Areas followed by a District Manager assignment at Miles City, Montana. Throughout his assignments Tim was active in wildland fire management as a firefighter and was called upon to inform national policy through the results of his leadership involving fatality and serious accident investigation teams. Tim went on to Boise, Idaho as the Director of Fire and Aviation at the National Interagency Fire Center followed by becoming the BLM Idaho State Director. After retiring from the BLM, he has remained active in promoting wise land management that supports local economies and healthy landscapes. Tim is currently chairman of the Idaho Fish and Game Commission. TRANSCRIPT available at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-104-srm-keynote-address-working-across-eras-courtney-taylor-tim-murphy.

AoR 103: Pasture, Range, & Forage (PRF) Insurance with Matt Griffith Mar 30, 2023

The PRF program insures against unusually low precipitation during 60-day periods critical to your forage growth, unlike drought insurance, which typically is based on annual precipitation over a water year or calendar year. Matt Griffith of WSR Insurance in California explains how PRF works in this episode in our ranch financial resiliency series. TRANSCRIPT AND LINKS TO RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE AVAILABLE AT https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-103-pasture-range-forage-prf-insurance-matt-griffith.

AoR 102: Livestock Risk Protection in Practice, with Dick Coon Mar 16, 2023

Dick Coon is a rancher in Eastern Washington who has used LRP insurance for nearly a decade to reduce the significant financial risks of ranching in pretty tough country. And because the Northwest cattle markets tend to be lower than the rest of the country, LRP has added attraction. In this episode, Dick describes why and how he has used LRP and Pasture, Range, and Forage insurance products in his family-run commercial cattle operation. Links to resources mentioned in this episode and a transcript are available at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-102-livestock-risk-protection-practice-dick-coon.

AoR 101: John Nalivka on Reducing Cattle Marketing Risks Mar 02, 2023

Reducing financial risk in ranching requires first identifying and defining those risks. John Nalivka, owner of Sterling Marketing and a well-known expert in beef industry economics, has been consulting with cow-calf producers, feeders, and packers for 35 years. In this episode, John discusses with Tip and Clay Worden global trade trends, cattle pricing predictions, and ranch-level advice on managing market risks, which starts with knowing your own production and performance values. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE are linked to on the episode web page, https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-101-john-nalivka-cattle-marketing-strategies-and-risks.

AoR 100: 'Defend the Core' Strategy for Invasive Plants, Jeremy Maestas & Dirac Twidwell, Part 2 Feb 15, 2023

Management recommendations for limiting undesirable ecosystem state shifts driven by cheatgrass in the West and Eastern red cedar on central US grasslands can now be outlined with greater certainty. Jeremy Maestas, NRCS National Sagebrush Ecosystem Specialist, and Dirac Twidwell, range and fire scientist at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, present the Defend the Core framework for invasive species management, a fresh approach that prioritizes preventing degradation where intact, functional plant communities exist and reducing risk of invasives spreading from areas already compromised. After a hundred years of trying to understand invasive plant dynamics, we now recognize that preservationist passive management will not cause degraded plant communities to return to a reference state. If you pulled up this episode and haven't listened to part, you might want to listen to episode 99 first. Go to https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-100-defend-core-strategy-invasive-plants-jeremy-maestas-dirac-twidwell-part-2 for links to resources mentioned in this episode.

AoR 99: 'Defend the Core' Strategy for Invasive Plants, Jeremy Maestas & Dirac Twidwell, Part 1 Feb 02, 2023

Is it time to surrender the Western U.S. to cheatgrass and frequent fire or regroup and work smarter? Jeremy Maestas, NRCS National Sagebrush Ecosystem Specialist, and Dirac Twidwell, range and fire scientist at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, present the Defend the Core framework for invasive species management, a fresh approach that prioritizes preventing degradation where intact, functional plant communities exist and reducing risk of invasives spreading from areas already compromised. After a hundred years of trying to understand invasive plant dynamics, we now recognize that preservationist passive management will not cause degraded plant communities to return to a reference state. This episode, part 1, describes the problem and introduces this new approach to risk reduction. Come back for part 2. TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE SOON AT: RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE SGI blog on invasive annuals in sagebrush country: https://www.sagegrouseinitiative.com/defend-the-core-fighting-back-against-rangeland-invaders-in-sagebrush-country/ LPCI blog on Woody encroachment in grasslands: https://www.lpcinitiative.org/defend-the-core-fighting-back-against-woody-invaders-on-the-great-plains/ NRCS WLFW Frameworks for Conservation Action: https://www.wlfw.org/ WAFWA Sagebrush Conservation Design: https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2022/1081/ofr20221081.pdf WGA Toolkit for Invasive Annual Grass Management: https://westgov.org/images/editor/FINAL_Cheatgrass_Toolkit_July_2020.pdf Idaho Cheatgrass Challenge: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/eqip-environmental-quality-incentives/idaho/the-cheatgrass-challenge-idaho Kansas Great Plains Grassland Initiative: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/conservation-by-state/kansas/ks-great-plains-grassland-initiative Guide for Reducing Woody Encroachment in Grasslands: https://www.wlfw.org/assets/greatPlainsMaterials/E-1054WoodyEncroachment.pdf NCBA Cattlemen to Cattlemen episode on defending the core: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpsJnM-IrPY

AoR 98: Advances in Soil Health at SoilCon 2023, with Molly McIlquham Jan 19, 2023

Trying to stay up on the most recent developments in soil health? SoilCon, a free virtual conference, will address the latest research to help people put soil health principles into practice for regional systems. In this episode, Molly, an organizer of SoilCon, shares more details on the speaker lineup and the Washington Soil Health Initiative. SoilCon 2023 will be held on Feb. 14 and 15, with daily sessions running from 8 a.m. to noon. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE https://pheedloop.com/wasoilcon23/site/home/ https://soilhealth.wsu.edu/soilcon/ https://soilhealth.wsu.edu/

AoR 97: Livestock Risk Protection insurance, with Jack Field & Clay Worden Jan 05, 2023

What if you could insure calf price against catastrophic price drops? LRP puts a price floor under feeder calves, paying for the difference between an insured calf price and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange feeder cattle index value for a selected marketing date. This episode with Jack Field and Clay Worden continues our series in ranch financial health with a deep dive into LRP mechanics. Find resources mentioned in this episode as well as the transcript at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-97-livestock-risk-protection-insurance-jack-field-clay-worden

AoR 96: Charles C Mann, The Americas Before Columbus, Part 2 Dec 22, 2022

"1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus" has been a New York Times best-selling book since publication in 2006. Charles C Mann's writings have reformed popular ideas about Native Americans and challenged cherished notions of nature. Join Charles and Tip in part 2 of a two-episode discussion about the origins of the book and some of the revelations about the peoples in North, Central, and South Americas over the last 2000 years. Look up 1491 wherever you buy books and get yourself a copy to read. Find the transcript and links to books mentioned in this show at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-96-charles-c-mann-americas-columbus-part-2

AoR 95: Charles C Mann, The Americas Before Columbus, Part 1 Dec 08, 2022

"1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus" has been a New York Times best-selling book since publication in 2006. Charles C Mann's writings have reformed popular ideas about Native Americans and challenged cherished notions of nature. Join Charles and Tip in part 1 of a two-episode discussion about the origins of the book and some of the revelations about the peoples in North, Central, and South Americas over the last 2000 years. Look up 1491 wherever you buy books and get yourself a copy to read. See books and articles mentioned in this episode as well as the full transcript of our conversation at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-95-charles-c-mann-americas-columbus-part-1.

AoR 94: Current Cattle Market Risks & Opportunities with Shannon Neibergs and Jack Field Nov 17, 2022

The global nature of agricultural trade and market forces makes cattle price cycles less predictable, and this presents a different kind of risk than historical pricing pressures. But Dr. Shannon Neibergs, director of the Western Center for Risk Management and a livestock economist, believes there are real opportunities to respond to (in winter 2022-23). Listen in to learn about the current milieu. We conclude with Jack Field (CKP Insurance) on how Livestock Risk Protection can help you mitigate market volatility. RESOURCES Livestock Risk Protection for Feeder Cattle, USDA Risk Management Agency fact sheet, https://www.rma.usda.gov/Fact-Sheets/National-Fact-Sheets/Livestock-Risk-Protection-Feeder-Cattle Episode 66 on LRP, https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-66-livestock-price-risk-management-jack-field-shannon-neibergs TRANSCRIPT at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-94-current-cattle-market-risks-opportunities-shannon-neibergs-and-jack-field

AoR 93: After 1492, Nature Rebounds -- William Denevan on the Pristine Myth Nov 04, 2022

"Nature’s regeneration was the primary source of the Pristine Myth." --Shawn Miller. The influence of the idea that the American continent was essentially untouched by man at the time of European arrival is great. The Pristine Myth, a term coined by William Denevan, a cultural geographer, strikes at prejudicial ideas about the primitive-ness of indigenous peoples. And the persistence of this idea reveals a desire to coerce modern man into a preservationist policy toward most public places. In this episode, Tip reads an article by William Denevan (91 yo, who declined to be interviewed about it but granted permission to release a verbatim reading. "After 1492: Nature Rebounds" is a 2016 article in Geographical Review, the oldest journal in the United States devoted to geography. The article makes the case that the apparent wilderness encountered in the 16th through 18th centuries reflected a landscape recently wiped clean of people, that there were a lot of people prior to 1492, and that our conception of wildlands mostly comes from an entire hemisphere that suddenly had few humans to influence it. For links to more articles by William Denevan and related resources, go to https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-93-after-1492-nature-rebounds-william-denevan-pristine-myth TRANSCRIPT: https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-93-after-1492-nature-rebounds-william-denevan-pristine-myth

AoR 92: What Hath Ocean Currents To Do With Colorado Cattle? with Derner, Augustine, and Raynor Oct 20, 2022

The giant bathtubs off the western and southern coasts of North America contribute large amounts of heat and moisture to the continent, driving much of the climate (long-term) and weather (short-term) of the Western United States. And oceans have regular oscillations in temperature, which drives moisture delivery. Researchers looked at historical yearling cattle production data going back to 1939 at the Central Plains Experimental Range to see whether correlations existed between the Pacific Decadal Oscillation and the El Nino Souther Oscillation and cattle performance. Interactions between the PDO and ENSO have an effect on both rangeland production and livestock weight gain. Listen to this panel discussion with Drs. Justin Derner, David Augustine, and EJ Raynor to learn more. LINKS Best PDO info: https://ecowatch.noaa.gov/thematic/climate-indices EL NIÑO/SOUTHERN OSCILLATION (ENSO) information from NOAA: https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/ensodisc.shtml PACIFIC DECADAL OSCILLATION information from NOAA: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/pdo/ ARTICLES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Colorado State University Extension publication "Early Warning for Stocking Decisions in Eastern Colorado", at https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/agriculture/early-warning-for-stocking-decisions-in-eastern-colorado-3-115/. "Large-scale and local climatic controls on large herbivore productivity: implications for adaptive rangeland management", in Ecological Applications (2020): https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/1354/23.%20Raynor%20et%20al.%202020%20Ecological%20Applications%20-%20climatic%20controls%20on%20LHP.pdf More information about the LTAR Network, https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/30123025/Publications/2022/Goodrich%20et%20al.%202022%20Hydrological%20Processes%20-Long%20term%20agroecosystem%20research%20experimental%20watershed%20network.pdf TRANSCRIPT at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-92-what-hath-ocean-currents-do-colorado-cattle-derner-augustine-and-raynor

AoR 91: Nathan Sayre essay: "Prospects and Tools for Sustainable Ranching in the Western U.S." Sep 29, 2022

What exactly are we hoping to sustain in applying the term sustainability to ranching? Without definition, sustainability could just be circular reasoning: "that which persists is sustainable". But this is not what is meant by any of the many proponents of rangeland-based livestock production. Dr. Sayre offers partial answers to this question and prompts to reader/listener to further thinking in this essay from 2005 read here by Tip. RESOURCES RELATED TO THIS EPISODE https://geography.berkeley.edu/professor-nathan-sayre TRANSCRIPT at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-91-nathan-sayre-essay-prospects-and-tools-sustainable-ranching-western-us

AoR 90: Key Performance Indicators to Measure Ranch Financial Health, with Stan Bevers Sep 08, 2022

Measuring the financial health of a ranch operation is as important as measuring rangeland health. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) combine production and financial data into metrics that measure various elements of ranch financial health. Stan Bevers describes how to accurately calculate KPIs and use them to improve a cow-calf operation. OTHER RESOURCES Learn more about KPI calculations and values at https://www.ranchkpi.com/key-performance-indicators/key-performance-indicator-targets-for-cow-calf-operations/. King Ranch Institute, Go to krirm.tamuk.edu/ to see current learning opportunities. Northway Ranch Services, individualized administrative and financial help. northwayranchservices.com/ Heymer Management Accounting Services. Brenda can be reached at brenda@heymermanagement.com or(806) 605-6101. TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE AT https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-90-key-performance-indicators-measure-ranch-financial-health-stan-bevers

AoR 89: Ranch Managerial Accounting with Stan Bevers Aug 24, 2022

You need a ranch financial team. Keeping ranch financial records for tax purposes is not the same thing as managing the financial health of a ranch. Stan Bevers has been teaching and consulting on ranch finance for decades with Texas A&M Extension, the King Ranch Institute, and now RanchKPI. This is the first episode in a two-part series with Stan on managerial accounting and key performance indicators (KPIs). In this episode, co-hosted with James Rogers and Clay Worden, we discuss tax accounting v. managerial accounting, benchmarking, regional differences in KPI values and expectations, and the relationships among financial stability and environmental sustainability. As Clay says here: "If there's no margin, there's no mission." TRANSCRIPT available at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-89-ranch-managerial-accounting-stan-bevers RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Stan Bever website, https://www.ranchkpi.com/ King Ranch Institute, Go to https://krirm.tamuk.edu/ to see current learning opportunities. Northway Ranch Services, individualized administrative and financial help. https://northwayranchservices.com/ Heymer Management Accounting Services. Brenda can be reached at brenda@heymermanagement.com or(806) 605-6101.

AoR 88: Forage, Fuel, & Fire Forecasts with Matt Reeves Aug 11, 2022

The summer of 2022 is nearly in the books, as they say, but range managers and graziers should pay attention to increasingly sophisticated tools to characterize both forage yield and fire risk in order to respond to annual and seasonal anomalies in forage quantity and type proactively. Listen to an update on 2022 conditions and a description of Fuelcast.net, a decision support platform that everyone should have in their range management toolbox. TRANSCRIPT coming soon at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-88-forage-fuel-fire-forecasts-matt-reeves RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE https://www.fuelcast.net/ Crop Condition and Soil Moisture Analytics: https://nassgeo.csiss.gmu.edu/CropCASMA/

AoR 87: Intro to Ranch Finance, Part 2--Jack Southworth, James Rogers, & Clay Worden Jul 14, 2022

Financial resiliency requires knowing and tracking costs of production and comparing the costs and revenues of a specific enterprise against other possible enterprises. In this second episode with Jack Southworth, James Rogers, and Clay Worden, they discuss the many ways every ranch's context is different from another's, highlighting the importance of spending some time working on the business and not just in the business. RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW are available at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-87-intro-ranch-finance-part-2-jack-southworth-james-rogers-clay-worden TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE SOON AT https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-87-intro-ranch-finance-part-2-jack-southworth-james-rogers-clay-worden

AoR 86: Intro to Ranch Financial Resiliency--Jack Southworth, James Rogers, & Clay Worden Jun 30, 2022

Many ranchers don't do it for the money, but one cannot ranch for long only losing money. In this first episode in a grant-funded series on ranch financial resiliency, Jack Southworth discusses principles and common problems in ranch money management with James Rogers and Clay Worden. Stay tuned for more. TRANSCRIPT available at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-86-intro-ranch-financial-resiliency-jack-southworth-james-rogers-clay-worden.

AoR 85: Pastoralists Displaced in Cameroon, Africa -- Mark Moritz & Paul Scholte Jun 16, 2022

Americans hear news of social conflict and small-scale warfare in Africa and we ignore the news because it's far away and doesn't affect us. It's also not possible to meaningfully engage emotionally with everything bad happening around the globe. But there are real people and animals in Cameroon whose lives are disrupted, and because pastoralists are often politically marginalized it's important to tell their stories. This interview touches on the geography of West-central Africa, the lifestyle of Shuwa pastoralists, and the ecology behind the transhumance grazing movements. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Thousands of pastoralists seek refuge in Waza National Park, Cameroon: https://pfbc-cbfp.org/news-partner/THECONVERSATION-PaulScholte-Waza.html Other papers are referenced at the episode page listed below. TRANSCRIPT at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-85-pastoralists-displaced-cameroon-africa-mark-moritz-paul-scholte.

AoR 84: Perspectives: Memoirs of Habitat and Homesteading in Eastern Montana, with Paul Bechtel Jun 02, 2022

Paul Bechtel is an almost-centenarian, born 1923, whose family was lured to Eastern Montana by hopes of homesteading good land still free for the taking. Reality wasn't quite so gentle in the northern Great Plains in the rainshadow of the Rocky Mountains. He lived in Ekelaka in harsh conditions through the Great Depression and until he joined the U.S. Army in 1941, but his best memories of his entire life are from this era. It was a good place to be a free range child. In this episode, co-hosted with Mark Teske, a wildlife biologist, Paul reminisces about eating sage grouse, measuring dirt tanks, and earning creative car payments in a remote agricultural local economy. TRANSCRIPT AND PHOTO available at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-84-perspectives-memoirs-habitat-and-homesteading-eastern-montana-paul-bechtel. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE The book Paul refers to by an author who lived in Seattle for a time is "Bad Land: An American Romance", by Jonathan Raban, ISBN 0679759069. Homestead Act originally offered 160 acres, https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/homestead-act https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/homestead-act

AoR 83: A Synthesis of Ranch-Level Sustainability Indicators for Land Managers, Part 2 May 12, 2022

This episode is the second in a two-part series with the authors of a recent article in the journal Rangeland Ecology & Management telling the story behind their work on ranch sustainability: Clare Kazanski & Marissa Ahlering (The Nature Conservancy), Patrick Lendrum (World Wildlife Fund), and Sheri Spiegal (Jornada Experimental Range). Sheri was recently honored with the USDA ARS Early Career Scientist of the Year Award. The organizations represented by these and other contributing authors are all involved in evaluating environmental and social success in ranching. Quoting from the article: "There is a need for greater clarity on which indicators are most effective for assessing and monitoring sustainable management and continuous improvement of ranching operations. Our objective was to synthesize existing guidance on monitoring and assessing ranch-scale sustainability in the United States and to identify core ecological, social, and economic indicators that could identify well-managed ranching, support adaptive management, and demonstrate producers’ sustainability and continuous improvement to retailers and consumers. We evaluated 21 range and pastureland assessments from nongovernmental organizations, agencies, and academics that totaled 180 indicators. From this, we selected 20 commonly used “core” indicators (12 ecological and 8 socioeconomic)" that can be used to measure ranch sustainability. Article link, REM issue 79, open access: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1550742421001020 https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-priorities/provide-food-and-water-sustainably/food-and-water-stories/sustainable-grazing-lands/ Sustainable Southwest Beef Project--Tools for Ranch and Rangeland Resilience. https://southwestbeef.org/ Long-Term Agroecosystem Research program. https://www.ars.usda.gov/natural-resources-and-sustainable-agricultural-systems/water-availability-and-watershed-management/docs/long-term-agroecosystem-research-ltar-network/ TRANSCRIPT coming soon at the episode webpage: https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-83-synthesis-ranch-level-sustainability-indicators-land-managers-part-2

AoR 82: A Synthesis of Ranch-Level Sustainability Indicators for Land Managers, Part 1 Apr 28, 2022

This episode has the authors of a recent article in the journal Rangeland Ecology & Management tell the story behind their work: Clare Kazanski & Marissa Ahlering (The Nature Conservancy), Patrick Lendrum (World Wildlife Fund), and Sheri Spiegal (Jornada Experimental Range). Sheri was recently honored with the USDA ARS Early Career Scientist of the Year Award. The organizations represented by these and other contributing authors are all involved in evaluating environmental and social success in ranching. Quoting from the article: "There is a need for greater clarity on which indicators are most effective for assessing and monitoring sustainable management and continuous improvement of ranching operations. Our objective was to synthesize existing guidance on monitoring and assessing ranch-scale sustainability in the United States and to identify core ecological, social, and economic indicators that could identify well-managed ranching, support adaptive management, and demonstrate producers’ sustainability and continuous improvement to retailers and consumers. We evaluated 21 range and pastureland assessments from nongovernmental organizations, agencies, and academics that totaled 180 indicators. From this, we selected 20 commonly used “core” indicators (12 ecological and 8 socioeconomic)" that can be used to measure ranch sustainability. Article link, REM issue 79, open access: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1550742421001020 https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-priorities/provide-food-and-water-sustainably/food-and-water-stories/sustainable-grazing-lands/ Sustainable Southwest Beef Project--Tools for Ranch and Rangeland Resilience. https://southwestbeef.org/ Long-Term Agroecosystem Research program. https://www.ars.usda.gov/natural-resources-and-sustainable-agricultural-systems/water-availability-and-watershed-management/docs/long-term-agroecosystem-research-ltar-network/ TRANSCRIPT at the episode webpage: https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-82-synthesis-ranch-level-sustainability-indicators-land-managers-part-1

AoR 81: Welcome to the 2026 Int'l Year of Rangelands & Pastoralists! Apr 14, 2022

Jim O'Rourke and Barbara Hutchinson have been part of the effort to have a United Nations International Year acknowledging the importance of rangelands and the people of rangelands for many years. On March 15, 2022, the UN General Assembly finally approved this proposal. Listen to Jim and Barbara describe why this matters for people who already know and care about rangelands and how you can heighten awareness of the social and ecological importance of rangelands worldwide. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE IYRP AT THESE LINKS (Live links are on the episode website at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-81-welcome-2026-intl-year-rangelands-pastoralists) Main IYRP website: https://iyrp.info/ Introduction to the IYRP (Video) - https://youtu.be/zToSadWebwc?list=PLgz33fsrwiVkGSJE-I84wsKL8nOfRPdyU Pastoralism is the Future (Video) - https://youtu.be/DeqITzac9Ac Who are pastoralists? (Word Cloud) - https://iyrp.info/who-are-pastoralists What are rangelands? (Word Cloud) - https://iyrp.info/what-are-rangelands North American section: https://iyrp.info/north-america Facebook IYRP Global - https://www.facebook.com/IYRP2026 Facebook IYRP North America - https://www.facebook.com/IYRPNorthAmerica2026/ Twitter IYRP Global - https://twitter.com/IYRP2026 Twitter IYRP North America - https://twitter.com/IYRPNA2026 Instagram IYRP Global - https://www.instagram.com/iyrp2026/ Instagram IYRP North America - https://www.instagram.com/iyrpnorthamerica2026/ TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-81-welcome-2026-intl-year-rangelands-pastoralists

New grant, new topics, and April 14 release introduction Apr 01, 2022

We're taking a break this week from the normal release schedule. Come back on April 14 for the first episode in a two-part series on ranch sustainability indicators. You can prepare for that episode by downloading the article at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rama.2021.08.011. If that link gives you trouble, email me at show@artofrange.com.

AoR 80: Should Ranching Be Profitable? with Dallas Mount Mar 17, 2022

Ranching for Profit is an organization started by Stan Parsons and recently run by Dave Pratt that has been helping ranchers work on the business instead of in the business for decades. Dallas Mount, former Univ. of Wyoming Extension economist and now co-owner of Ranch Management Consultants, talks with Tip about ranch finance competencies, common weaknesses in ranch financial planning, and fundamental steps livestock producers can take to understand costs and put assets to work for them. This episode introduces a new grant through Western Extension for Risk Management Education that will provide outreach on ranch finance and use of livestock insurance products. Tune in for a teaser on fixed assets and working capital . . . Learn more about Ranching for Profit schools and Executive Link at https://ranchmanagement.com/. TRANSCRIPT Available at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-80-should-ranching-be-profitable-dallas-mount.

AoR 79: The Forest Overstory Podcast, with Sean Alexander Mar 03, 2022

Forestry and range sciences are tied to each other in a long and complex social history, and many areas of the Western U.S. and semi-arid parts of the world host rangeland and forest plant communities in the same space and within the same management boundaries. So there is good reason to encourage range folk to given some attention to forestry, not necessarily 'board-feet' production forestry but the ecology of forests and their interactions with rangeland plant communities. This interview with Sean Alexander introduces a high-quality forest ecology-focused podcast with similar background philosophy to The Art of Range -- long interviews on a diversity of topics. Consider subscribing to The Forest Overstory Podcast if you live and work on rangeland with tall range weeds, I mean trees (the late Dr. Kendall Johnson's joke). RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE The Forest Overstory Podcast, start here: https://forestry.wsu.edu/forestoverstory/ Paul Hessburg's TEDx talk, Living in an Era of Megafires: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edDZNkm8Mas WSU's forestry Extension website: https://forestry.wsu.edu/ Ann Stinson, The Ground At My Feet -- Sustaining a Family and a Forest: https://www.amazon.com/Ground-My-Feet-Sustaining-Family/dp/0870711466/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= Transcript available at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-79-forest-overstory-podcast-sean-alexander

AoR 78: One Study to Rule Them All -- 3M Soil Health Research with Jeff Goodwin & Derek Scasta Feb 17, 2022

How do we build soil health? What is soil health? Is careful grazing helpful or hurtful? Can anything be done to meaningfully influence soil health? And how would we know? What can be measured that indicates progress? These are the questions Derek Scasta and Jeff Goodwin and their team intend to begin to answer through a recently funded national-scale project called Metrics, Management, and Monitoring: An Investigation of Pasture and Rangeland Soil Health and Its Drivers. This ambitious research and outreach effort, funded through a variety of public and private monies, will combine state-of-the-art experimental research with case studies documenting existing soil health effects on farms and ranches where consistent practices have been in place for years (and unlike investing, prior performance does predict future results). These results will inform policy and trade in carbon markets, enhance agricultural resilience to climate uncertainty, and advise land managers on how to increase profitability, land health, and animal health. This interview introduces the project's history, objectives, and timeline. Stay tuned for those future results. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Ecological Outcomes Verification, https://bit.ly/3sNy9GT Journal article, "Usable Science: Soil Health", Rangelands, 2016. Journal article, "Valuing and Rewarding Ecosystem Services From Rangelands", Rangelands, 2014. Journal article, "Rangelands and Ecosystem Services: Economic Wealth From Land Health?", Rangelands, 2011 Article links at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-78-one-study-rule-them-all-3m-soil-health-research-jeff-goodwin-derek-scasta TRANSCRIPT Coming soon at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-78-one-study-rule-them-all-3m-soil-health-research-jeff-goodwin-derek-scasta

AoR 77: Local Seed Genetics & Range Seeding Methods, Mel Asher & Jerry Benson Feb 07, 2022

Seeding in extreme environments such as arid and semi-arid rangelands requires extra care in site preparation, species selection, seed selection, seed placement, planting timing, and care for emerging seedlings. Mel Asher and Jerry Benson have been successfully doing large-scale restoration on challenging rangeland settings for many years. Jerry owns BFI Native Seeds, specializing in locally-sourced native species for the Intermountain West; Mel is the new owner of Derby Canyon Natives, a company that provides live plant stock, mostly containerized. She and Jerry have been doing post-fire rehabilitation for long enough to speak with some authority and they literally wrote the book on it. This episode covers nearly multiple aspects of rangeland seedings, with a focus on plant materials. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE http://www.bfinativeseeds.com/ https://derbycanyonnatives.com/ Shrub-steppe and grassland restoration manual for the Columbia River Basin, https://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01330 Transcript at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-77-local-seed-genetics-range-seeding-methods-mel-asher-jerry-benson.

AoR 76: To Seed or Not to Seed? Post-Fire Rehabilitation with Richard Fleenor Jan 21, 2022

Deciding whether to seed, what to seed, and how to apply seed after wildfire are weighty questions. Seeding costs money, seedings often fail, and most rangelands won't pay you back for rehabilitation failure. Richard Fleenor, NRCS state rangelands conservationist in Washington, has a background in plant materials and revegetation and discusses with Tip analyzing burn severity, pre-fire plant community composition, and options in seed selection and application. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Shrub-Steppe and Grassland Restoration Manual for the Columbia River Basin: https://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01330 OR & WA Guide for Conservation Seedings & Plantings (NRCS publication): https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_042417.pdf NRCS Eastern Oregon/Washington Rangeland and Grazed Forest Seeding Guide, Tech note 1: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_PLANTMATERIALS/publications/wapmstn11194.pdf TRANSCRIPT: https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-76-seed-or-not-seed-post-fire-rehabilitation-richard-fleenor

AoR 75: Why Does Soil Organic Matter Matter?, Doug Collins & Andy McGuire, Part 2 Dec 16, 2021

Soil organic matter is considered an indicator of soil health, there are numerous methods promoted for building it, SOM is credited with the potential to alleviate greenhouse gas increase, but Andy & Doug say the way we've understood SOM is perhaps an artifact of the old ways of measuring it. The complexity of what we call 'organic matter' is significant, challenging, and prompts a re-thinking of both soil health measurement and soil-building practices. This episode is not quite "Why Everything You Thought You Knew About Soil Organic Matter is Wrong", but advances in soil biology and chemistry will certainly challenge your long-held notions about this topic. If you haven't heard part 1 of this interview with Doug Collins and Andy McGuire, go to episode 74. Related resources: WSU Extension publication by Doug & Andy, "Understanding and Measuring Organic Matter in Soil" can be downloaded at https://pubs.extension.wsu.edu/understanding-and-measuring-organic-matter-in-soil. Recent article at the website BioCycle, referencing Collins' and McGuire's work: "Saying Goodbye to a Soil Organic Matter Fundamental", www.biocycle.net/connections-sayi…ter-fundamental/

AoR 74: Why Does Soil Organic Matter Matter?, Doug Collins & Andy McGuire, Part 1 Dec 02, 2021

Soil organic matter is considered an indicator of soil health, there are numerous methods promoted for building it, SOM is credited with the potential to alleviate greenhouse gas increase, but Andy & Doug say the way we've understood SOM is perhaps an artifact of the old ways of measuring it. The complexity of what we call 'organic matter' is significant, challenging, and prompts a re-thinking of both soil health measurement and soil-building practices. This episode is not quite "Why Everything You Thought You Knew About Soil Organic Matter is Wrong", but advances in soil biology and chemistry will certainly challenge your long-held notions about this topic. Be sure to come back for Part 2 of this interview with Doug Collins and Andy McGuire, both of them agronomists and professional soils enthusiasts. Related resources: WSU Extension publication by Doug & Andy, "Understanding and Measuring Organic Matter in Soil" can be downloaded at https://pubs.extension.wsu.edu/understanding-and-measuring-organic-matter-in-soil. Recent article at the website BioCycle, referencing Collins' and McGuire's work: "Saying Goodbye to a Soil Organic Matter Fundamental", www.biocycle.net/connections-sayi…ter-fundamental/

AoR 73: James Rickert on Closed Herds, Open Abattoirs, and Creative Grazing (Part 2) Nov 18, 2021

Ranch sustainability requires land care that works for the long haul and management that makes a profit more years than not. Jim Rickert, owner of the Prather Ranch in northern California, makes the case that a ranch must take care of people and animals, too, in order to last, and these goals are synergistic, not mutually exclusive. This two-part interview with Jim chronicles his circuitous path from a masters degree doing linear programming models of farm financial alternatives under Earl Butz, economist at Purdue, later US Secretary of Agriculture under Presidents Nixon and Ford, to running a fully integrated beef operation, with a closed cow herd, a ranch feedlot, and a gold-standard abattoir. Perhaps most unique, Prather Ranch has "an international reputation as a supplier of high quality bovine hides, bones, tissues, organs and other bovine xenograft materials for the medical device, pharmaceutical and biological industries." If you missed part one of this interview, see episode 72. Learn more about the Prather Ranch at https://www.pratherranch.com/. Learn more about their meat marketing at https://www.prathermeats.com/. Information about the bovine parts used for medical purposes is at https://www.closedherd.com/.

AoR 72: James Rickert on Closed Herds, Open Abattoirs, and Creative Grazing (Part 1) Nov 04, 2021

Ranch sustainability requires land care that works for the long haul and management that makes a profit more years than not. Jim Rickert, owner of the Prather Ranch in northern California, makes the case that a ranch must take care of people and animals, too, in order to last, and these goals are synergistic, not mutually exclusive. This two-part interview with Jim chronicles his circuitous path from a masters degree doing linear programming models of farm financial alternatives under Earl Butz, economist at Purdue, later US Secretary of Agriculture under Presidents Nixon and Ford, to running a fully integrated beef operation, with a closed cow herd, a ranch feedlot, and a gold-standard abattoir. Perhaps most unique, Prather Ranch has "an international reputation as a supplier of high quality bovine hides, bones, tissues, organs and other bovine xenograft materials for the medical device, pharmaceutical and biological industries." Be sure to check back for part two of this fascinating interview. And please take a short listener survey here: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eG2NDoDEVAnGh3U. Learn more about the Prather Ranch at https://www.pratherranch.com/. Learn more about their meat marketing at https://www.prathermeats.com/. Information about the bovine parts used for medical purposes is at https://www.closedherd.com/.

AoR 71: Huntsinger & Gennet, How to Conserve Ranches and Support Environmental Stewardship Sep 30, 2021

Ranching and livestock production on rangelands provide food and fiber concurrently with other ecosystem services such as wildlife habitat, clean air and water, carbon sequestration, cultural resources, recreational opportunities and scenic vistas. However, an implicit “wicked challenge” is the lack of mechanisms to effectively value ecological services to reward ranchers and landowners for their conservation. A desire to conserve rangelands and enhance ecological values has brought together individuals of otherwise disparate views. Using whole landscapes to provide ecosystems services and economic viability has turned charismatic environmentalists into ranching advocates and ranchers into conservation activists. This is adapted from a recording of the Society for Range Management's 2021 annual meeting plenary session on Feb 15. To download the PowerPoint slides for these talks, go to https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-71-huntsinger-gennet-how-conserve-ranches-and-support-environmental-stewardship Transcript: https://bit.ly/2YQFPNn

AoR 70: Soil Carbon and Social Networks with Peter Donovan Sep 16, 2021

How to measure soil carbon, influence soil carbon, and influence others to care about soil carbon has motivated Peter Donovan for nearly three decades now. He locates himself squarely between the social worlds of science and practice and has worked to foster the relationship between knowing and doing with a passion that is unusual in our culture. In this wide-ranging interview, he and Tip discuss what is soil carbon, what we don't know about soil carbon, and the importance of social networks and internal motivation to caring for land well. Be sure to take a look at the Soil Carbon Coalition website: https://soilcarboncoalition.org/ Transcript: https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-70-soil-carbon-and-social-networks-peter-donovan

AoR 69: Wildland Stream Bacteria Forensics Science in Idaho, Part 2 Sep 02, 2021

Microbial source tracking has gained accuracy in the last decade, and a multidisciplinary team at University of Idaho recently used MST methods to help US Forest Service managers identify causes of contamination of a stream listed by regulatory authorities for high bacteria. This is the first of a two-part episode with Eric Winford, Associate Director of the Idaho Rangelands Center; Dr. Jim Sprinkle, Univ. of Idaho Extension beef specialist at the Nancy Cummings Research & Extension Center; Dr. Jane Lucas, post-doc in Univ. of Idaho Dept. of Soil & Water Systems; and Alan Kolok, Director of the Idaho Water Resources Research Institute. Listen to learn about E.coli as an indicator species, methods to determine what animals are contributing e. coli to streams, potential targeted water quality improvement practices, and more. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Idaho Water Resources Research Institute, www.uidaho.edu/research/entities/iwrri Alan Kolok, IWRRI director, can be reached at www.uidaho.edu/cnr/faculty/kolok Idaho Rangelands Center, www.uidaho.edu/cnr/rangeland-center Idaho Rangeland Resources Commission article about this Mink Creek study, idrange.org/range-stories/south…ry-solved-with-dna/ Transcript: https://bit.ly/3z1UBhp

AoR 68: Wildland Stream Bacteria Forensics Science in Idaho, Part 1 Aug 19, 2021

Microbial source tracking has gained accuracy in the last decade, and a multidisciplinary team at University of Idaho recently used MST methods to help US Forest Service managers identify causes of contamination of a stream listed by regulatory authorities for high bacteria. This is the first of a two-part episode with Eric Winford, Associate Director of the Idaho Rangelands Center; Dr. Jim Sprinkle, Univ. of Idaho Extension beef specialist at the Nancy Cummings Research & Extension Center; Dr. Jane Lucas, post-doc in Univ. of Idaho Dept. of Soil & Water Systems; and Alan Kolok, Director of the Idaho Water Resources Research Institute. Listen to learn about E.coli as an indicator species, methods to determine what animals are contributing e. coli to streams, potential targeted water quality improvement practices, and more. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Idaho Water Resources Research Institute, https://www.uidaho.edu/research/entities/iwrri Alan Kolok, IWRRI director, can be reached at https://www.uidaho.edu/cnr/faculty/kolok Idaho Rangelands Center, https://www.uidaho.edu/cnr/rangeland-center Idaho Rangeland Resources Commission article about this Mink Creek study, https://idrange.org/range-stories/southeast-idaho/mink-creek-water-quality-an-e-coli-mystery-solved-with-dna/ TRANSCRIPT https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-68-wildland-stream-bacteria-forensics-science-idaho-part-1

AoR 67: Land Potential Knowledge System Revisited with Jeff Herrick Aug 05, 2021

Grazing managers of any kind and in any place must answer the questions of what is and what is not possible and how to manage toward meaningful landscape change. LandPKS was developed to make basic rangeland site data available to anyone and enable time-efficient long-term monitoring based on the rangeland health principles. Jeff Herrick has been working with graziers and managers across the globe for some years to develop an easy-to-use system to "support farmers, ranchers, gardeners, land-use planners, and other natural resource managers with open-source tools that allow them to easily access knowledge and information, and to collect, share, and interpret their own soil, vegetation cover, and management data. LandPKS data, information, and knowledge can be used to improve soil health and productivity. It supports all approaches to land management including traditional, regenerative, organic, and holistic." Listen to this practical discussion between Tip and Jeff about recently updated features of the LandPKS app and data portal as well as general principles supporting rangeland monitoring of grazing areas and adaptive management. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Land PKS training modules. https://landpotential.org/knowledge-hub/ Land PKS data portal. https://landpotential.org/data-portal/ And to install the app and begin working . . . https://landpotential.org/mobile-app/ TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/37l9EGH Coming soon at https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-67-land-potential-knowledge-system-revisited-jeff-herrick

AoR 66: Livestock Price Risk Management with Jack Field & Shannon Neibergs Jul 22, 2021

The future ain't what it used to be (Yogi Berra): there are more price risks and stressors on cattle markets than ever, and the predictability of cattle markets is at an all-time low. Livestock insurance is not new but is recently gaining adoption as a reliable risk tool to prevent catastrophic financial losses and prepare for uncertainties such as drought. Listen to Jack Field, with CKP Insurance, discuss insurance products with Dr. Shannon Neibergs, WSU livestock economist and director for the Western Center for Risk Management Education. For more information, contact Jack directly at jfield@ckpinsurance.com or (509) 929-1711 . Transcript: https://bit.ly/3x5mbIC More information from USDA Risk Management Agency on LRP is available at https://www.rma.usda.gov/Policy-and-Procedure/Insurance-Plans/Livestock-Insurance-Plans.

AoR 65: Vanessa Prileson, Conservation Ranching in Pima County, Arizona Jul 08, 2021

Pima County owns and leases large tracts of land for working landscapes and biological conservation. Vanessa Prileson manages the range program which ensures this arrangement is successful and has good advice for other organizations selecting lessees/operators who need to be able to manage toward conservation goals and as well as economic and production goals. Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan. https://webcms.pima.gov/cms/one.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=52654 TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/3AHjH6l

AoR 64: Mark Kossler & Carter Kruse, Conservation Ranching at Landscape Scales Jun 10, 2021

Ted Turner started buying ranch land in the early 1990s as both an investment and to conserve habitat for imperiled species at a spatial scale that would be meaningful. Today, Turner Enterprises owns nearly 2 million acres of land across the Western United States. Mark Kossler manages the ranching operations on these 15 properties, all of which include bison. Carter Kruse is the lead scientist for the management efforts behind numerous species conservation efforts on Turner's holdings. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE https://tedturnerreserves.com/our-mission/ TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/3vua1cb

AoR 63: Early Drought Response 2021 with Matt Reeves & Shannon Neibergs May 27, 2021

Spring 2021 arrived with a large percentage of the Western U.S. exhibiting below-average precipitation, in some places a lot below the 15-year mean. Matt Reeves discusses current conditions and potential ecological responses, and Shannon Neibergs analyzes livestock management options, including current cattle markets, hay supply, and herd management scenarios. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Matt has a periodic spring/summer webinar called Reading the Tea Leaves: https://www.fs.usda.gov/rmrs/events/tealeaves The Fuelcast website is https://www.fuelcast.net/ Livestock Forage Program: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/FactSheets/livestock_forage_program_lfp-fact_sheet.pdf IRS tax management, weather-related(drought) sales of livestock: https://ruraltax.org/files-ou/RTEWeatherRelatedSalesofLivestock.pdf TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/2SzCTkZ

AoR 62: Ashley Hibbard, Artistry on the Range May 13, 2021

Ashley Hibbard may seem an unlikely rancher, but she may do more to change minds about ranching than most who seem more likely advocates. Ashley, who astute listeners will remember from the Women in Ranching Forum from SRM's 2020 annual meeting, runs an artist-in-residency program on the Sieben Live Stock Company home place in central Montana. Good art can bypass bad logic, and the beauty of ranching done well affects even those who think ranching is detrimental to both humans and the planet. Listen to Ashley tell her story in this interview. SHOW NOTES Ashley and Cooper are featured in a Montana Land Reliance video series, "Stewardship with Vision." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=179SsWS2RJo Women in Ranching recording: https://soundcloud.com/art-of-range/aor-036-srm-09-womeninranching TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/3fo0sWS

AoR 61: Cooper & Chase Hibbard, Part 2 -- Grazing Principles Apr 29, 2021

Gus Hormay worked with the Sieben Live Stock Company in the 1970s and 80s to help him understand rotation grazing principles. Chase and Cooper have adapted these ideas, centered on extended rest, to their context and needs. This approach has worked especially well on public lands managed for elk habitat. They received the National Cattlemen's Beef Association's Stewardship Award in 2003 in recognition of these efforts and results. In this second half of the interview, Cooper and Chase describe their blend of rest-rotation and short-duration, high intensity grazing, methods for winter grazing, and putting this all together in some mixed-ownership landscape grazing projects. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Working Cows podcast interview with Cooper: https://workingcows.net/?s=hibbard Kiss the Ground, documentary on regenerative agriculture: https://kisstheground.com/ Scott Chase's (Cooper's dad) new book, Beyond the Rio Gila: https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Rio-Gila-Scott-Hibbard/dp/1432866133/ref=sr_1_1?crid=20PWDKDLFEKN6&dchild=1&keywords=beyond+the+rio+gila+scott+hibbard&qid=1620216618&sprefix=beyond+the+rio+%2Caps%2C300&sr=8-1 Angus Beef Bulletin article: http://www.angusbeefbulletin.com/ArticlePDF/0303abb_Sieben.pdf 2021 Rangelands journal article "Potential to improve winter grazing pastures: Sieben Land and Livestock study": https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S019005282100002X. Authors estimate that It is estimated that grazing instead of feeding cattle during the winter can save 42% to 70% of the yearly input costs in the western United States and Saskatchewan, Canada. TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/3wDtyat

AoR 60: Ranch Succession and True Grit at Sieben Live Stock Co. with Cooper & Chase Hibbard Apr 15, 2021

"Big ranches mean big risks", says Chase Hibbard. Large lands and lots of cattle doesn't equal guaranteed success in the economically unforgiving world of family ranching. The Sieben Live Stock Company has been around for 6 generations and has both awards and scars to show for their perseverance. All good stories have tension and dark threads in the weaving. Join Tip in a conversation with Chase and Cooper Hibbard about navigating the ups and downs of keeping a big ranch together. They discuss the fascinating history of this iconic Montana ranch, hard succession planning decisions, and how management is sustained today. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Sieben Live Stock Company website: https://www.siebenlivestock.com/ Charlie Russell painting, "Waiting for a Chinook", aka "Last of the 5,000": https://www.charlesmarionrussell.org/Waiting-For-A-Chinook.html Montana Land Reliance: https://mtlandreliance.org/ Land Trust Alliance: https://www.landtrustalliance.org/. The Land Trust Alliance is a national land conservation organization that represents more than 1,000 member land trusts and is a good source for more information about land trusts and conservation easements. https://www.landtrustalliance.org/ Ties to the Land succession planning: http://tiestotheland.org/ TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/3hYvA0W

AoR 59: Don McMoran and Kristen Vanvalkenburg, Total Farmer Health Apr 01, 2021

Farmer and rancher mental health has been in the news the past few years, with farmer suicide rates alarmingly high. Farmers and ranchers are often seen as the embodiment of the American ideal -- the rugged individualist who is self-sufficient, doesn't need help, lives on the land, doesn't have problems . . . but the stresses of modern farming, especially financial stresses, leave many feeling hopeless and helpless. Don McMoran and Kristen Hinton-Vanvalkenburg discuss programs to help farmers and their families deal productively with the stressors and with mental health challenges unique to farming. There are several signs or symptoms to look for when stress has begun to take an effect on you or someone you know. If you see something, say something! Thoughts of hurting oneself Care of Livestock Declines Increase in Agriculture-Related Accidents Appearance of Farmstead Declines Children Show Signs of Stress Lack of energy/motivation to do usual tasks Loss of interest in favorite activities Alcohol and/or substance abuse/addiction Withdrawal from others Relational tension RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE WSU Extension Suicide Prevention. https://extension.wsu.edu/skagit/suicide-prevention/. WSU and the Agricultural Suicide Prevention Program is not a crisis center. IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE, reach out to the National Suicide Prevention line, 1(800) 273-TALK (8255). Western Regional Agricultural Stress Assistance Center. https://farmstress.us/ National AgrAbility Project. http://www.agrability.org/ Hanna Ranch, the movie: https://www.amdoc.org/watch/hanna-ranch/ and here: https://www.amazon.com/Hanna-Ranch-Mitch-Dickman/dp/B00KIGQLEK TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/3qTwZ9x

AoR 58: Thomas Maxwell, New Zealand Grazing Geography in Brief Mar 18, 2021

Americans often refer to electric fence as "New Zealand" fence, and many other grazing innovations seem to have origins in this relative small island in the southern hemisphere. Thomas Maxwell, a pasture scholar from Lincoln University in NZ, provides an overview of the history of indigenous land use, European settlement, and domesticated grazing animal use in New Zealand. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Recent article "Functional diversity vs monotony: The effect of a multi-forage diet as opposed to a single forage diet on animal intake, performance, welfare, and urinary nitrogen excretion". https://academic.oup.com/jas/advance-article/doi/10.1093/jas/skab058/6148868 TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/30ZzjkM

AoR 57: Fiona Flintan, Pastoralism and People of African Rangelands Mar 04, 2021

Americans are vaguely aware of pastoralism as a term connoting a lifestyle that revolves around animal raising, but most of us don't have much more understanding than a loose attempt at a definition. Fiona Flintan has spent much of her career with the International Livestock Research Institute working with pastoralist cultures in Africa, helping secure rights to land and address conflicts, and communicating this way of life to the outside world. Listen in on her conversation with Tip about livestock as a way of life rather than a means of obtaining money, about unique features of pastoralist peoples, of the nature of conflicts over abundance rather than shortage. RESOURCES MENTIONED: https://www.ilri.org/ Guidelines for participatory rangeland management: https://www.ilri.org/publications/mapping-guidelines-participatory-rangeland-management-pastoral-and-agro-pastoral-0 TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/37BWYvB

AoR 56: Beth & Maurice Robinette, Practicing and Promoting Holistic Management Feb 18, 2021

Maurice and Beth are a father-daughter team who raise and sell farm-finished beef in Eastern Washington and are perhaps the first two-generation pair trained in holistic management. They have experienced the highs and lows of making a family ranch run well: for people, for land, for animals, for consumers. They reflect in this interview on decades of practice and adaptive learning and offer entrepreneurial lessons for others interested in doing direct meat sales and identifying other profit centers connected to a truly sustainable ranching operation. Beth operates a Cowgirl Camp (http://pnchm.org/educational-opportunities/new-cowgirl-camp/) for women in ranching, and the ranch website offers a good example for others working to promote their meat sales: https://www.lazyrbeef.com/. WEBSITES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE https://www.lazyrbeef.com/ http://pnchm.org/educational-opportunities/new-cowgirl-camp/ https://csanr.wsu.edu/case-studies/ TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/2OTpYbI

AoR 55: Clay Conry, Regenerative Agriculture and the Working Cows podcast Feb 04, 2021

Some people are called to work at the intersection of theory and practice and to challenge unchallenged ideas about what we do and why we do what we do. Clay Conry is one of those people. His Working Cows podcast is occupying a niche in livestock agriculture. As both a practicing rancher and a thinker, Clay is influencing sustainable agriculture for the good, for healthy land and animals as well as human flourishing. Join Clay and Tip for a discussion about what Clay has learned through three years of recording a weekly podcast on cows. Subscribe today to the Working Cows podcast. Go to https://workingcows.net/podcasts/ and click on your favorite podcasting app. TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/2M74aYT

AoR 54: Conservation Ranching, Wildland Fire, & Climate Change--The Wicked Problem SRM Plenaries Jan 21, 2021

The Society for Range Management's annual meeting will be held virtually Feb 15-18, and the keynote speakers for the plenary sessions will address three 'wicked problems' in range. Drs. Lynn Huntsinger and Nathan Sayre, who are moderating two of the plenary sessions, discuss the outline of these wicked problems to introduce the important subject matter for this year's conference. SHOW NOTES Register for the conference at http://annualmeeting2021.rangelands.org/. Establish a membership for reduced registration at https://rangelands.org/. TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/2Y0Mcd5

AoR 53: Matt Germino, Rangeland Fire Ecological Risks & Benefits Dec 17, 2020

Decisions about how and whether to suppress fire on semi-arid rangelands are full of "if, then" statements. Altered plant communities, the absence of historic fire regimes, costs of restoration, and risks of human property or life are just the beginning of considerations necessary for sound wildfire management. Tip and Matt Germino discuss the big picture of how to think about fire on rangelands and fill in a few of the questions that are always answered with "It depends . . . " For more on wildland fire management, listen to episodes 34, 39, 44, 52. For more on invasive grass management, listen to episodes 5, 11, 31, 24, 52. TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/2LJZeZr

AoR 52: Fire Risk Reduction Through Grazing -- UC-Davis Research Roundtable Dec 03, 2020

The relationship between grazing and fire is complex. And the national conversation about using livestock grazing as a control measure is sometimes controversial. Wildfire in general is a difficult topic because of the higher fire potential of many altered plant communities, the recognition that periodic fire is probably necessary in fire-adapted plant communities, and the economic consequences of catastrophic wildfire in suppression costs and direct property damage. Using fire to fight fire and to create fire-resistant or fire-resilient plant communities, is important because it reduces the likelihood of megafires. But grazing is a more controllable tool than even prescribed fire but accomplishes different results than fire. And it's much cheaper than chemical or mechanical treatments on acreage of any size. Join Tip's conversation with Devii Rao (Univ. of California Davis Extension Livestock and Natural Resources Advisor), Felix Ratcliff (LD Ford Consultants in Rangeland Conservation Science), and Sheila Barry (UC-Davis Extension Advisor) about recent fire and grazing research and the idea of maximum residual dry matter as a management tool. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Blog article on results of grazing and fire research. https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=43618 For more information, contact Devii Rao, http://cemonterey.ucanr.edu/about/contact/?facultyid=28070. TRANSCRIPT: https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-52-fire-risk-reduction-through-grazing-uc-davis-research-roundtable

AoR 51: Matt Germino, Nitrogen and Carbon Cycling on Rangelands Nov 19, 2020

To fertilize or not to fertilize? That is NOT the question. Nitrogen is a driver of plant growth but its complex relationship with soil carbon and soil microorganisms makes fertilizing rangelands a complicated subject. Simple solutions often miss the mark, and adding nitrogen to natural plant communities as opposed to agricultural monocultures is usually not a good way to boost forage production. Tip and Matt Germino probe the depths of this fertile question. RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW Nutrient Network (NUTNET) -- https://nutnet.org/home The textbook Matt referred to is "Exotic Brome-Grasses in Arid and Semiarid Ecosystems of the Western US: Causes, Consequences, and Management Implications (Springer Series on Environmental Management)". Some chapters are available for download without a fee at https://greatbasinfirescience.org/research-publications/exotic-brome-grasses-arid-semiarid-ecosystems-western-us-available-chapters-causes-consequences-management-implications/. See Chapter 3 for impacts of exotic invaders on range ecosystems. Hard copies are available for purchase here https://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319249285 or here https://www.amazon.com/Exotic-Brome-Grasses-Semiarid-Ecosystems-Western/dp/3319249282. TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/2Kkn1yC

AoR 50: Cliff Mass, 2050 Climate in the Northwest Nov 05, 2020

Climate influences vegetation, and a variable climate challenges land management. Cliff Mass, University of Washington atmospheric scientist, discusses climate drivers in the Pacific Northwest, how topography affects weather, whether 2020 wildfires can be attributed to global warming, and state-of-the-science approaches to modeling future climate. This tight episode finishes with Dr. Mass's recent analysis of climate out to 2050. RESOURCES MENTIONED Cliff Mass's popular blog is at cliffmass.blogspot.com. And his book "The Weather of the Pacific Northwest" is available at https://www.amazon.com/Weather-Pacific-Northwest-Cliff-Mass/dp/0295988479. TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://bit.ly/35ezhII

AoR 49: Steve Fransen, How Grass Grows is More Exciting Than You Think Oct 22, 2020

Did you think of dormant-season grazing as grazing standing hay--not much to worry about? There's more going on in the plant than you think. Dr. Steve Fransen sheds some light on multiple dormancy and root shedding periods in grasses as well as eight other growth phases where there is more than meets the eye. Knowledge of these phases should change how we think about grazing grass throughout the year. Dr. Fransen is leading a Pacific Northwest Inland Pasture Calendar project designed to guide grazing management through detailed understanding of plant physiology and phenology. This project will help ranchers and other varieties of 'grass farmers' optimize pasture and rangeland and hay productivity for maximum profitability. Dr. Fransen, Washington State University's forage specialist, has a team of experts offering a 3-day training that is available to anyone interested. This material is applicable to anyone anywhere who is growing cool-season forage species. Register for the November 3-6, 2020 online conference and training at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pnw-inland-pasture-calendar-training-tickets-118686349065. After the event, we will post the conference materials webpage in this same space. That website will host ongoing training opportunities. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Pasture calendar for Western Oregon and Washington: https://pubs.extension.wsu.edu/the-western-oregon-and-washington-pasture-calendar PNW Publication, PASTURE AND GRAZING MANAGEMENT IN THE NORTHWEST https://www.extension.uidaho.edu/publishing/pdf/pnw/pnw0614.pdf TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://bit.ly/3m6jNfJ

AoR 48: Andres Cibils on Heritage Breeds, Animal Sensors, and Optimizing Livestock Production Oct 08, 2020

The last few decades have brought significant technological transitions in rangeland science and animals, specifically with advances in wireless and sensor technologies and access to “big data”. Dr. Cibils answers a few key questions: How can we direct inevitable change in desirable ways? Through these transitions, which can sometimes be disruptive economically or socially, how can we sustain the flow of rangeland products to consumers and improve environmental conditions in order to maintain or increase the well-being of those who live, work, and recreate on rangelands? Dr. Cibils and Tip discuss using technology to reduce ranch operational costs, GPS-enabled animal trackers that provide real-time location data, renewed interest in heritage breeds such as Criollo and Raramuri, and more. Learn more about Dr. Cibils' work at https://southwestbeef.org/ Recently published papers are available here: https://jornada.nmsu.edu/user/10211/biblio. Transcript: https://bit.ly/3cgfYRq

AoR 47: Derek Bailey, The Holy Grail of Grazing--Livestock Distribution Principles and Practices Sep 24, 2020

It is cliche but true that most range grazing problems are animal distribution problems. And no one's name is more closely tied to distribution than Derek Bailey. Dr. Bailey and Tip discuss frontiers in understanding and manipulating livestock distribution to conserve rangeland health. The conversation includes animal selection, attractant placement, herding, and technologies for range livestock management. Learn more about Dr. Bailey's work at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Derek_Bailey Transcript available at: https://bit.ly/2FOO7Mb WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 60 seconds to complete this quick 5-question survey: wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX

AoR 46: Matt Reeves, Fuelcasting: A West-Wide Rangeland Fuel Assessment Sep 10, 2020

The Western U.S. has experienced catastrophic fire frequency and extent in 2020. Matt Reeves, USFS, shares some wildfire prediction tools that may help landowners and agencies prepare in the future for both wildfire and grazing decisions that may help mitigate the effects of fire. He introduces a new monthly webinar for the growing season called “Reading the Tea Leaves”. https://www.fs.usda.gov/rmrs/events/tealeaves MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST Fuelcast app, https://www.fuelcast.net/ Rangeland Production Monitoring Service, https://www.lankstonconsulting.com/rpms. Wildfire Decision Support System, https://wfdss.usgs.gov/wfdss/WFDSS_Home.shtml Transcript: https://bit.ly/33NOWNl

AoR 45: James Rogers, Leadership in Managing Rangelands for People Aug 27, 2020

"We've overdone management and undervalued leadership." James Rogers is the manager of the Winecup Gamble Ranch in northeastern Nevada, one of the largest ranches in the country, spanning an area larger than Rhode Island. Tip and James discuss the history of the Winecup Gamble, pros and cons of large corporate ranches, their role in ranching and conservation communities, and unique challenges at the Winecup. James also talks about his management philosophy of taking care of people in order to get results on the land and in the commercial enterprise of cow-calf production. The conversation includes a large-scale outcomes-based grazing pilot permit with the Bureau of Land Management. Learn more about the Winecup Gamble Ranch at https://winecupgambleranch.com/. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 60 seconds to complete this quick 5-question survey: wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: COMING SOON!

AoR 44: SRM Symposium, Adaptive Management of Burned Rangeland Aug 13, 2020

Restoring desirable native species and ecosystem function after wildfire is challenging and frequently unsuccessful. Land managers increasingly recognize the need to practice adaptive management of burned areas at both the project and regional scales. Acting on this recognition will require managers and scientists to develop a shared understanding of their roles and the challenges and opportunities they experience at each step in the adaptive management process. This symposium focused on how science for informing adaptive management of public lands is being co-produced by scientists and managers regarding the objectives of reducing exotic annual grasses, increasing desirable perennial plant communities, and reducing unhealthy fire frequency or fire size in sagebrush steppe. This symposium was part of the Society for Range Management's Annual Meeting in Denver in February 2020. Laura Van Rieper, BLM Social Scientist at National Riparian Service Team, begins the symposium. Matt Germino on post-fire rehabilitation research at 26:55. David Pilliod on the Land Treatment Exploration Tool at 51:41. Paul Steblein facilitating Q&A begins at 1:14:03. Soda Fire research published by USGS is available at https://www.usgs.gov/staff-profiles/matthew-j-germino?qt-staff_profile_science_products=0#qt-staff_profile_science_products. The Land Treatment Exploration Tool is at https://www.usgs.gov/centers/fresc/science/land-treatment-exploration-tool?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 60 seconds to complete this survey: wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX For more information on rangelands and rangeland science, visit globalrangelands.org/. To learn more about the Society for Range Management, visit https://rangelands.org/.

AoR 43: Dr. Lauren Porensky, Embracing Complexity and Humility in Rangeland Science Jul 30, 2020

Dr. Lauren Porensky is an ecologist interested in plant communities, herbivores, and spatial complexity. Her research focuses on balancing livestock production with conservation and restoration in semi-arid rangelands. Porensky got her PhD at UC Davis working on livestock management and wildlife conservation in central Kenya. She currently investigates the interactive effects of grazing, fire, prairie dogs, and variable weather on plants, livestock, and humans in the northern Great Plains. This is a re-presentation of the plenary address Dr. Porensky delivered at the SRM annual meeting in February 2020. The accompanying PowerPoint slides are available as a PDF document at https://www.dropbox.com/s/kqkhypna7zupqtb/Porensky_plenary_handout.pdf?dl=0. More information about Lauren's research can be found at https://www.ars.usda.gov/plains-area/fort-collins-co/center-for-agricultural-resources-research/rangeland-resources-systems-research/people/lauren-porensky/. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 60 seconds to complete this survey: wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX

AoR 42: Dr. Leslie Roche, socio-ecological systems--emphasizing the human dimensions Jul 16, 2020

Dr. Leslie Roche is a UC Cooperative Extension Specialist in Rangeland Science and Management with the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences. She earned a Ph.D. in Ecology from UC Davis, and was a USDA-NIFA Postdoctoral Fellow and Project Scientist before joining the faculty in September 2015. Her research and extension program is at the intersection of agricultural, environmental, and social issues of ranching and livestock production on California’s grazinglands. She works across diverse systems and uses interdisciplinary and collaborative approaches to evaluate adaptive decision-making and management strategies to address key challenges and connect solution-oriented research with the needs of local communities, natural resource managers, and policymakers. This is a re-presentation of the plenary address she delivered at the SRM annual meeting in February 2020. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 60 seconds to complete this survey: wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX Transcription: https://bit.ly/3jmoRMn

AoR 41: Stewart Breck & Matt Barnes, Livestock-Predator Interactions Jul 02, 2020

Stewart Breck is a research carnivore ecologist with the USDA-APHIS-WS National Wildlife Research Center and a member of the new Colorado State University Center for Human Carnivore Coexistence in Fort Collins. He has been focused on carnivore ecology and behavior and minimizing conflict between carnivores and people many years. The interview also includes Matt Barnes, a grazing consultant out of Colorado who works with the Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative and has a long history in the middle ground between ranchers and wildlife advocates. Resources mentioned in the interview CSU-Center for Human & Carnivore Coexistence series on wolves in Colorado: https://sites.warnercnr.colostate.edu/centerforhumancarnivorecoexistence/projects/people-predators/ Colorado State University fact sheet, Wolves and Livestock: https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/people-predators/wolves-and-livestock-8-010/ Barnes paper on links between grazing management and preventing predation: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/290434755_Livestock_Management_for_Coexistence_with_Large_Carnivores_Healthy_Land_and_Productive_Ranches Guidebook by Western Landowners Assn.: https://westernlandowners.org/publication/reducing-conflict-with-grizzly-bears-wolves-and-elk/ WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 60 seconds to complete this survey: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://bit.ly/2CZTiaq For more information on rangelands and rangeland science, visit globalrangelands.org/

AoR 40: Sara Place, Connections Between Rural Producers and Urban Consumers Jun 18, 2020

Ranching and rangelands are undergoing rapid and intertwined changes. Changes include ecological transitions due to climate and invasive species; land use transitions associated with urbanization and shifting priorities for public lands; demographic transitions reflected in the increasing average age and decreasing number of ranchers; and market transitions associated with changing consumer attitudes and globalized markets. Dr. Place discusses the importance of reconnecting consumers and food producers. Sara Place was recently a science advisor for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. This talk was recorded at the Society for Range Management annual meeting in February 2020 in a symposium titled: Strategies for sustainability transformations in western rangelands. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 60 seconds to complete this survey: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX Transcript: https://bit.ly/39m4eeM For more information on rangelands and rangeland science, visit globalrangelands.org/

AoR 39: Katie Wollstein, Outcome-Based Grazing to Address Wildfire Risk on Idaho Rangelands Jun 04, 2020

This is a presentation from the Society for Range Management's annual meeting in February 2020 in a symposium titled "Stakeholder Engagement to Improve Federal Rangeland Wildfire Mitigation and Response". Rangeland wildfires have grown in size, frequency, and length of season due to factors that include increasing human use of rangelands, vegetation state change (e.g., cheatgrass invasion), drought, and climate change. Because western U.S. rangelands are largely managed by the federal government for multiple uses, and because wildfires frequently cross jurisdictional boundaries, implementing successful strategies to reduce wildfire risk and impact or to improve post-wildfire recovery is likely to require involvement by multiple actors beyond the federal rangeland management agencies. This symposium presents results of new research exploring options for engagement between land management agencies and multiple stakeholders to improve federal wildfire mitigation and response. Katherine Wollstein will present results from three BLM field offices showing how formal and informal arrangements and processes affect learning, interpretation, and subsequent implementation of management designed to reduce wildfire risk in Idaho. Find out more about Katie Wollstein at https://www.uidaho.edu/cnr/policy-analysis-group/about/wollstein Recent publications by Katie --Davis, E. J., Abrams, J., & Wollstein, K. (2019). Rangeland Fire Protection Associations as disaster response organisations. Disasters. https://doi.org/10.1111/disa.12389. Available at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/disa.12389 --Abrams, J.A., K. Wollstein, and E.J. Davis. 2018. State Lines, Fire Lines, and Lines of Authority: Rangeland Fire Management and Bottom-Up Cooperative Federalism. Land Use Policy 75:252-259. Abstract at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0264837718300103 --Abrams, J.A., E.J. Davis, and K. Wollstein. 2017. Rangeland Fire Protection Associations in Great Basin Rangelands: A Model for Adaptive Community Relationships with Wildfire? Human Ecology 45(6):773-785. Abstract at https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10745-017-9945-y. University of Idaho Policy Analysis Group publications are available at https://www.uidaho.edu/cnr/policy-analysis-group/research/publications. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 60 seconds to complete this survey: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX Transcript: https://bit.ly/39h1or6 For more information on rangelands and rangeland science, visit globalrangelands.org/

AoR 38: Neal Wilkins, Science to Action--Communication Needs of the 21st-C Range Manager May 21, 2020

When rangeland scientists question why those who manage ecosystems do not implement the information developed into action, the manager's concern is not centrally about the quality of data or information but rather the processes of knowledge production and implementation. Knowledge is a result of human reflection and experience, and it is most often found within an individual or collective routine or process that results in an increased capacity for decision-making and action to achieve some purpose. This definition stands in meaningful contrast to data, which refers to unedited descriptions or results of observations about states of past, present or future domains, or information about patterns that observers find or impose onto data that has been generated through experimentation. Speaker is Neal Wilkins (East Foundation). https://eastfoundation.net/the-foundation/our-team/east-foundation-team/neal-wilkins-phd/ WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 60 seconds to complete this survey: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX Transcript: https://bit.ly/3jnk7pN For more information on rangelands and rangeland science, visit globalrangelands.org/

AoR 37: Karim-Aly S. Kassam, Transdisciplinary Research, Indigenous Knowledge, & Wicked Problems May 07, 2020

Karim-Aly Kassam is International Professor of Environmental and Indigenous Studies in the Department of Natural Resources and the American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University. His aim is to seamlessly merge research and teaching in the service of communities. His research focuses on the complex connectivity of human and environmental relations, addressing indigenous ways of knowing, food sovereignty, sustainable livelihoods, stewardship, and climate change. This research is conducted in partnership with indigenous communities such as the Standing Rock Sioux Nation (USA) and the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe (USA), as well as in the Pamir Mountains of Afghanistan and Tajikistan, the Kongur Shan Mountains of China, and the Alai Mountains of Kyrgyzstan. By investigating the relationship between biological and cultural diversity, Dr. Kassam seeks to expand the foundations of the notion of pluralism. You can learn more about Dr. Kassam at his website, https://dnr.cals.cornell.edu/people/karim-aly-kassam/. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 60 seconds to complete this survey: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX Transcript: https://bit.ly/2ZK2SqK For more information on rangelands and rangeland science, visit globalrangelands.org/

AoR 36: Women In Ranching, SRM Forum Apr 23, 2020

This forum highlighting leading women in ranching operations was recorded Feb 20, 2020 at the National Western Complex in Denver, Colorado as part of the Society for Range Management annual meeting. The speakers included women from non-traditional ranching backgrounds as well as women whose families have been in the ranching business for several generations. The speakers provide a breadth of perspective as to what ranching is and why women are critical to the mission of sustainable ranches. This list is certainly not comprehensive of all the qualified women, but a group who carry the flag for all those who are instrumental in their ranch operations. Speakers were: Mary Budd Flitner, Wyoming rancher-- "Betting It All " Ashley Hibbard, Montana rancher--"Impostor syndrome". Starts at 19:25. Julie Sullivan, Colorado rancher--"Hippie Meets Rancher". Starts at 40:30. Nancy Ranney, New Mexico rancher--"Regenerative Ranching in Mesa Country". Starts at 1:04:35. Mimi Hillenbrand, South Dakota bison rancher. (With apologies to Mimi, we’ve not included this talk because recording quality was poor and listening would depend on seeing the accompanying video). The session was coordinated and facilitated by Pat Pfeil, a Florida rancher. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 60 seconds to complete this survey: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX Transcript: https://bit.ly/3fLZO3h For more information on rangelands and rangeland science, visit https://globalrangelands.org/ The forum was sponsored by: National Grazing Lands Coalition Colorado Cattlemen's Assn Western Landowners Alliance Bird Conservancy of the Rockies Colorado Dept. of Agriculture AgRisk Advisors Colorado Sheep and Wool Authority Bamert Seed Company

AoR 35: Frank Price, Has Scientific Communication Failed the Art of Range Management? Apr 09, 2020

When does science become art? We often refer to the “Art and Science of Range Management’ but how often do we acknowledge the “art” or the “artist?” in today’s world of ever-expanding technology and engineering, many aspects of the “art” of natural resource and land management are being overshadowed by a desire for predictability driven decision processes. This session with Jenny Pluhar and Frank Price, involving a conversation with H.L. Bentley, Special Agent in Charge of Grass, Abilene, Texas Field Station, 1898, was recorded at the Society for Range Management annual meeting in Denver in February 2020. Learn more about Frank Price at https://rangelandsandranching.com/. The desire to be “right,” or better yet, to not be “wrong,” weighs heavily on the decision-maker and ultimately can lead to inaction for fear of getting the science wrong. Science and management theory have become a driver for many decision-makers in their efforts to minimize potential negative impacts of decisions made, and in the realm of natural resources, command and control are sought over managed ecosystems. Management decisions must be made every day in the world of land management and are nearly always made with less than perfect and far less than complete knowledge. Those tasked with the responsibility of stewarding the lands they manage are confronted with challenges that require a decision in the present that may have long-term implications, both to the operation as well as across a broad array of society. Added to the basic operational challenges of land management, the impacts of social, political, ecological and economic drivers confront the land manager with a complexity of scenarios that cannot be addressed through traditional scientific methodologies. in addressing these facts, the Society for Range Management recognized that rangeland management is the “art and science” of deploying management decisions on the landscapes. Whereas, academic endeavors rightfully focus on the “science,” the practitioner remains the ultimate decision-maker in the rangeland management system, the “artist” if you will, integrating both “art” and “science” into the decision-making process. in many ways, land management is truly a creative endeavor with the managers creativity producing the art of the management process. Science favors one “right” answer, while the artist may create many scenarios on the landscape, utilizing the science but considering all the other drivers mentioned above. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 60 seconds to complete this survey: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX TRANSCRIPT A full transcript of this session is available at https://bit.ly/2RnGI9m

AoR 34: Lynn Huntsinger, Forests, Rangelands, Fires, and Grazing . . . For the Trees? Mar 26, 2020

This talk was recorded at the Society for Range Management annnual meeting and training February 2020. The talk is from a symposium titled "Strategies for sustainability transformations in western rangelands." Lynn's presentation is available as a PDF here. hhttps://bit.ly/2QJXxLi Ranching and rangelands are undergoing rapid and intertwined changes. Changes include 1) ecological transitions due to climate and invasive species; 2) land use transitions associated with urbanization and shifting priorities for public lands; 3) demographic transitions reflected in the increasing average age and decreasing number of ranchers; 3) market transitions associated with changing consumer attitudes and globalized markets, and 4) technological transitions with advances in wireless and sensor technologies and access to “big data”. in this symposium, we ask: how can we direct inevitable change in desirable ways? Through these changes, how can we sustain the flow of rangeland products to consumers and improve environmental conditions in order to maintain or increase the well-being of those who live, work, and recreate on rangelands? WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 60 seconds to complete this survey: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX Transcript: https://bit.ly/2WD8jGj For more information on rangelands and rangeland science, visit https://globalrangelands.org/

AoR 33: Karen Launchbaugh, What Does the Society for Range Management Need to Be? Mar 12, 2020

Dr. Karen Launchbaugh's plenary address at the SRM's 2020 annual meeting was titled "Bridging the Gap: What Does SRM Want/Need to be and How to Get There?" This is a recording of that talk. Karen's PowerPoint presentation is available in PDF at http://bit.ly/2TRiox7 if you want to follow along. Karen Launchbaugh is a professor of rangeland ecology at the University of Idaho who specializes in topics related to grazing behavior, range animal nutrition, and targeted grazing. Dr. Launchbaugh’s research and teaching focus on applying principles of grazing management and targeted grazing to manage invasive plants, wildland fuels, and livestock-wildlife interactions. She is currently conducting research on how cattle grazing affect nesting sage-grouse and using targeted grazing to manage cheatgrass. Karen grew up on a sheep and cattle ranch in western North Dakota where she developed a passion for un-derstanding rangelands and learned about the SRM through Ranch Camp and the High School Youth Forum. She subsequently obtained three college degrees in rangeland science and management including a B.S. from North Dakota State Universi-ty, M.S. from Texas A&M University, and Ph.D. from Utah State University. Karen currently serves as director of the Rangeland Center at the University of Idaho. the Center is a unique organization of 35 university scientists and educators who work closely with land managers to bring science to management issues on Idaho’s range-lands. Together, the Center’s faculty and partners “bring science and solutions to the range.” WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 60 seconds to complete this survey: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Brunson, M. W. & Huntsinger, L. Ranching As A Conservation Strategy: Can Old Ranchers Save The New West? Rangeland Ecology & Management 61, 137–147 (2008). PDF available at https://journals.uair.arizona.edu/index.php/jrm/article/view/19844 Howery, L.D., 2015. A Brief History of How the Society for Range Management was Founded. Rangelands 37, 20–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2014.12.007. Article available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S019005281400008X and a PDF is here: https://bit.ly/3bukFp8. For more information on rangelands and rangeland science, visit https://globalrangelands.org/ TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/3jogGPB

AoR 32: David Bohnert on Range Cattle Nutrition, Body Condition Score, & Calf Performance Feb 27, 2020

What's good for cattle nutrition is sometimes different than what's good for plants. Dr. Bohnert talks about the timing of nutrient supply on rangelands and the nutrient demand of late winter- or spring-calving beef cattle and how to manage body condition to optimize calf performance. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 60 seconds to complete this survey: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX Resources TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://bit.ly/31B0lyt

AoR 31: Cheatgrass Research Meets NPR, a panel discussion Feb 13, 2020

Join Barry Perryman, Matt Williamson, and Karen Launchbaugh as they discuss recent research on cheatgrass causation and association and strategies to hold invasive annual grass at bay. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 60 seconds to complete this survey: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX ARTICLES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW Williamson article, “Fire, livestock grazing, topography, and precipitation affect occurrence and prevalence of cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) in the central Great Basin, USA”. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10530-019-02120-8 Reducing cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) fuel loads using fall cattle grazing https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1080744615301121 PDF here: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Brad_Schultz/publication/325182735_Viewpoint_An_Alternative_Management_Paradigm_for_Plant_Communities_Affected_by_Invasive_Annual_Grass_in_the_Intermountain_West/links/5b7588fda6fdcc87df814299/Viewpoint-An-Alternative-Management-Paradigm-for-Plant-Communities-Affected-by-Invasive-Annual-Grass-in-the-Intermountain-West.pdf Grazing Management on Seeded and Unseeded Post-Fire Public Rangelands https://www.appliedanimalscience.org/article/S1080-7446(15)30975-X/abstract TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://bit.ly/2ODRW8h

AoR 30: Transformation & Translation, SRM’s 2020 annual meeting and training Jan 30, 2020

Join Julie Elliott, Chuck Butterfield, Hailey Wilmer and Matt Barnes as they discuss their new approach to the Society’s 2020 annual meetings. Interaction, conversation and hands-on learning rather than presentation is the outworking of a planning process that capitalizes on the integrative nature of rangeland science and rangeland people and the process of translating and transforming the Society’s meetings and trainings to the 21st century. Find out more at http://www.srm2020.org/ WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 2 minutes to complete this short survey to help us continue funding the podcast: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/2RGM6Vv

AoR 29: Sam Fuhlendorf Part 2, Conserving Pattern & Process Through Creative Grazing Jan 16, 2020

"Six patches make you six times less likely to be entirely wrong". Diversity and variability drive rangeland health. Healthy rangelands provide an array of ecological and social goods and services. Resiliency describes the robustness of natural mechanisms that allow land to continue providing those EGS over time with and through disturbance. Disturbances are necessary processes to create botanical diversity, but also changing diversity, across space and time. Human-caused disturbances should avoid pushing ecosystems over thresholds, tipping points, into new degraded stable states. Dr. Fuhlendorf says scientists and managers should "embrace ecological humility" and assume we know less than we think we do. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 2 minutes to complete this short survey to help us continue funding the podcast: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX Resources TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/2T0VKDx

AoR 28: Sam Fuhlendorf Part 1, Managing Rangelands for Heterogeneity Jan 02, 2020

"Six patches make you six times less likely to be entirely wrong". Diversity and variability drive rangeland health. Healthy rangelands provide an array of ecological and social goods and services. Resiliency describes the robustness of natural mechanisms that allow land to continue providing those EGS over time with and through disturbance. Disturbances are necessary processes to create botanical diversity, but also changing diversity, across space and time. Human-caused disturbances should avoid pushing ecosystems over thresholds, tipping points, into new degraded stable states. Dr. Fuhlendorf says scientists and managers should "embrace ecological humility" and assume we know less than we think we do. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 2 minutes to complete this short survey to help us continue funding the podcast: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX Resources TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/36uoQ28

AoR 27: Nicole Masters, For the Love of Soil Dec 19, 2019

Regenerative agriculture has gained popularity in response to concerns about the long-term effects of various agrochemical inputs we use on a variety of landscapes as well as the growing recognition of the complexity and sheer volume of microbial life in the soil-plant interface and below. Nicole discusses the origins of her book For the Love of Soil and some possible conclusions for building up soil health on rangelands. Her book can be purchased on Amazon or at her website https://www.integritysoils.co.nz/ WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 2 minutes to complete this short survey to help us continue funding the podcast: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://bit.ly/2tw4I0W

AoR 26: Paul Starrs, Far Beyond Maps--Rangeland Geography Dec 05, 2019

Lands are tied to people, and any changes in land use necessarily involve people. Understanding people and land together is the work of cultural and landscape geography. Paul Starrs is a geographer who has written some of the more interesting literature on the lifeways of range people. Tip and Paul discuss the culture of the West and challenges to ranching in a wide-ranging interview centered on Paul's opening chapter in the book "Ranching West of the 100th Meridian". WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 2 minutes to complete this short survey to help us continue funding the podcast: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW: Many of Paul Starrs's publications are available at his ResearchGate page, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Paul_Starrs/research. A brief biography and contact information can be found at his faculty page, https://www.unr.edu/geography/people/paul-starrs. The 1998 book "Ranching West of the 100th Meridian" is available for purchase at most online stores or by special order from your local bookstore. His book Let the Cowboy Ride is a more robust treatment of ranching in the American West than the title would suggest. This is a readable, scholarly exploration of "the peculiar conditions that created an abiding tension between ranchers and government in the western reaches of the United States, and to understand this tumult in the context of its time then and our time now" (from the author's introduction in the book). The book is available to order through various outlets. For those who are interested in Deep Springs College, their excellent website is https://www.deepsprings.edu/. TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://bit.ly/2RnYlGX

AoR 25: Brady Allred & Matt Jones, the Rangeland Analysis Platform (RAP) Oct 31, 2019

Rangeland vegetation monitoring has always been hampered by landscape variability, site selection bias, and available time to get to remote areas. With the Rangeland Analysis Platform, range managers can get landscape-scale cover values (perennial grass, annuals, shrubs, and trees) over both space and time, with data going back to 1984. Brady Allred and Matt Jones discuss the origins of the RAP, the mechanics of the technology, and applications for land managers. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 2 minutes to complete this short survey to help us continue funding the podcast: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX RESOURCES DISCUSSED ON THE SHOW Rangeland Analysis Platform. https://rangelands.app/ Working Lands for Wildlife. http://bit.ly/322b83g Journal article "Innovation in rangeland monitoring: annual, 30 m, plant functional type percent cover maps for U.S. rangelands, 1984–2017", available in full text at http://bit.ly/32YowXK. Journal article "Patterns of rangeland productivity and land ownership: Implications for conservation and management", available in full text at http://bit.ly/325fDKN. 1976 journal article by Eugene Maxwell: "A Remote Rangeland Analysis System", available at http://bit.ly/2phKJ4v. Convert Google Earth KML file into shapefile for importing into the RAP. https://mygeodata.cloud/converter/kml-to-shp TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://bit.ly/2N9IZmR

AoR 24: Matt Germino, Bunchgrass Roots Fight Cheatgrass Oct 17, 2019

Perennial bunchgrass roots are the prize fighter in the wildland boxing ring with cheatgrass, and bacteria may be sitting this one out. Matt Germino, range scientist with the US Geological Survey in Idaho, describes recent research on how bunchgrass roots compete with invasive annual grasses below the soil surface. We discuss concepts of resilience and resistance, the ecological mechanisms involved in competition, monitoring measurements that are good indicators of root dominance, and eventually discuss discouraging research on Pseudomonas flavescens, the bacterium hoped to be a silver bullet against cheatgrass. You can find more information on the research discussed here at the USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center website: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/fresc And you can reach Matt Germino at mgermino@usgs.gov. Many articles on the Rangelands journal website are Open Access and do not require a paid subscription to the Society for Range Management or the journal. Check it out at https://www.journals.elsevier.com/rangelands. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 2 minutes to complete this short survey to help us continue funding the podcast: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/2OJBoeQ

AoR 23: Rick Knight Returns, Rise of the Radical Center Sep 26, 2019

Following "Cattle Free by '93" sentiment of the 80s and 90s has come growth in the middle ground, supported by both increasing recognition of the ecosystem goods and services provided by grazed rangelands as well as improvements in grazing management. Tip and Rick continue their discussion here and transition to Payment for Ecosystem Services programs that incentivize stewardship instead of non-production. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 2 minutes to complete this short survey to help us continue funding the podcast: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX PUBLICATIONS MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST The book Rick co-authored, Ranching West of the 100th Meridian, is available at https://islandpress.org/books/ranching-west-100th-meridian. Beef and Beyond: Paying for Ecosystem Services on Western US Rangelands. https://journals.uair.arizona.edu/index.php/rangelands/article/viewFile/19306/18969 Ranchers as a keystone species in a West that works. https://journals.uair.arizona.edu/index.php/rangelands/article/view/12293 Patterns of rangeland productivity and land ownership: Implications for conservation and management. https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/eap.1862 TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/36rWohO

AoR 22: Rick Knight, Conservation Value of Private Ranchlands Sep 19, 2019

The value of large public lands is largely dependent on adjacent private lands. Charismatic megafauna that characterize the American West will, perhaps ironically, only survive if large livestock ranches remain profitable. Rick Knight, conservation biologist at Colorado State University, discusses with Tip the unequal ecological value of private lands, the rise of the radical center, and the economics of maintaining habitat through ranching. PUBLICATIONS MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST The book Rick co-authored, Ranching West of the 100th Meridian, is available at https://islandpress.org/books/ranching-west-100th-meridian. Beef and Beyond: Paying for Ecosystem Services on Western US Rangelands. https://journals.uair.arizona.edu/index.php/rangelands/article/viewFile/19306/18969 Ranchers as a keystone species in a West that works. https://journals.uair.arizona.edu/index.php/rangelands/article/view/12293 Patterns of rangeland productivity and land ownership: Implications for conservation and management. https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/eap.1862 TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/2l9fhmE

AoR 21: Don Llewellyn, Fetal Programming and its Implications for Range Cattle Nutrition Sep 05, 2019

Epigenetics studies in beef cattle have revealed surprising long-term effects of cow nutrition on performance of offspring in muscle and fat development, calf survivability, growth, carcass characteristics, reproduction, and health. Don Llewellyn and Tip discuss research what is meant by fetal programming (the more familiar name for this branch of epigenetics)and some of the research from Nebraska and Kansas that has illuminated the relationship between the health of the mother and the subsequent health of the calf throughout its life. LINKS Feeding Beef Cattle II: Fetal Programming, by Don Llewellyn. http://pubs.cahnrs.wsu.edu/publications/pubs/em060e/ Fetal Programming: Cow Nutrition and its Effects on Calf Performance, from North Carolina State Univ. https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/fetal-programming-cow-nutrition-and-its-effects-on-calf-performance Fetal Programming of Beef Cattle, by Tom Hamilton, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food. https://www.canadiancattlemen.ca/2014/01/29/fetal-programming-of-beef-cattle/ Nutrition During Gestation and Fetal Programming (scientific paper by Kimberly Vonnahme). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/242680621_Nutrition_During_Gestation_and_Fetal_Programming Feeding Beef Cattle I: The Realities of Low-Quality Forages, by Don Llewellyn. http://pubs.cahnrs.wsu.edu/publications/pubs/em053e/ WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 2 minutes to complete this short survey to help us continue funding the podcast: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/2kCgtPh

AoR 20: Don Llewellyn, This is Your Rumen on 3% Crude Protein -- Supplementation Science Today Aug 22, 2019

A common misconception about late summer and fall range grass is that low-quality forages serve only as fillers and have little value as feed. If this were universally true, wild ruminants would not be able to survive. Join Tip Hudson and Don Llewellyn for Art of Range episode #20 as they discuss how to get ruminants to digest low-quality forages. Rumen physiology, ruminant nutrition, and the fine points of proper protein supplementation for cattle on late summer/fall/winter range and pasture are all on tap. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 60 seconds to complete this quick 5-question survey: wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4GHpHVHlsouSorr TRANSCRIPT: https://bit.ly/33YCsBU LINKS Feeding Beef Cattle I: The Realities of Low-Quality Forages, by Don Llewellyn. http://pubs.cahnrs.wsu.edu/publications/pubs/em053e/ Feeding Beef Cattle II: Fetal Programming, by Don Llewellyn. http://pubs.cahnrs.wsu.edu/publications/pubs/em060e/ (REQUEST WET CHEMISTRY, NOT NIR, WHEN YOU SUBMIT A RANGE SAMPLE FOR ANALYSIS) Forage Analysis Interpretation, Montana State University. http://msuextension.org/publications/AgandNaturalResources/MT201609AG.pdf Understanding Forage Test Results, Oregon State University. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/ddbe/4436492e61471e1ea718426edb2f50a9f6dc.pdf Supplementing Beef Cows Mineral Supplementation of Beef Cows in the Pacific Northwest. https://www.extension.uidaho.edu/publishing/pdf/PNW/PNW670.pdf

AoR 19: The Philosophy of Art of Range: How Does Conversation Promote Deep Thinking? Aug 08, 2019

Why a podcast to teach on range ecology and livestock production? Tip discusses some of the thInking behind using podcasting to counter the ”Age of Distraction” and to promote deep thinking about complex subjects. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 60 seconds to complete this quick 5-question survey: wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4GHpHVHlsouSorr TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://bit.ly/2KjwAvg

AoR 18: Iric Burden and Matt Reeves, Drought Response in Arizona Using Climate Tools Jul 25, 2019

WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 2 minutes to complete this short survey to help us continue funding the podcast: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://bit.ly/32OcUa1

AoR 17: Jason Karl, Big Data for Big Landscapes — Detecting Change with Remote Sensing Jul 11, 2019

Can satellite data and drones answer questions we’re not even asking yet? Jason Karl, Univ. of Idaho researcher, believes that’s a good possibility. We may be able to make connections, associations, observations, even test hypotheses, using images of whole landscapes in tandem with ground-based measurements to better understand and manage rangelands. Join Jason and Tip as they discuss the limitations and opportunities in remotely-sensed data, how to choose good monitoring indicators and measurements, and rancher-ready tools for analyzing landscapes. TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://bit.ly/2S7sLvt Chapter on monitoring protocols: Options, approaches, implementation, benefits. https://jornada.nmsu.edu/files/bibliography/17-012.pdf https://www.landscapetoolbox.org/

AoR 16: Shannon Neibergs, Livestock Risk Management Tools May 23, 2019

“If a grain farmer doesn’t have crop insurance, any lender will show him/her the door.” But ranchers have not historically used many financial risk tools such as crop insurance. Tip and Shannon Neibergs, director for the Western Center for Risk Management Education, discuss the variety of risk education products available to ranchers as well as various financial measurement and financial risk tools such as livestock insurance products. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 2 minutes to complete this short survey to help us continue funding the podcast: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX Transcript: https://bit.ly/2wg68e8 Ag Risk & Farm Management Library https://www.cffm.umn.edu/products/AgRisk.aspx What is Livestock Risk Protection Insurance? https://agrisk.umn.edu/Library/Record/what_is_livestock_risk_protection_insurance USDA Risk Management Agency livestock insurance plans https://www.rma.usda.gov/en/Policy-and-Procedure/Insurance-Plans/Livestock-Insurance-Plans Rangeland resiliency case study documentary films: http://csanr.wsu.edu/case-studies/

AoR 15: Ethan Lane, Monitoring to Tell an Environmental Story May 09, 2019

Ethan Lane, director of the national Public Lands Council, makes a compelling case for ranchers to build a record of stewardship in order to tell a positive story as well as provide protection from critics of public lands grazing. He and Tip discuss the work of the PLC, why ranchers should be doing their own monitoring, and suggestions for constructively interacting with state and federal agencies. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 2 minutes to complete this short survey to help us continue funding the podcast: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://bit.ly/2VwAWGr Resources mentioned in this episode: PLC.org policy.ncba.org

AoR 14: Jeff Herrick, Rangeland Monitoring for the 21st Century Apr 25, 2019

The scientists at the Jornada Experimental Range have been at the forefront of research monitoring rangeland health for decades. Jeff Herrick, a lead soil scientist at the Jornada, discusses with Tip recent advancements in rangeland monitoring methods and tools, including a monitoring app that brings together big data and on-the-ground sampling. Land PKS is now available at landpotential.org, and developers will be rolling out several key modules over the next couple months. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 2 minutes to complete this short survey to help us continue funding the podcast: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://bit.ly/2GAMYnV RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE www.landpotential.org (Land PKS) https://www.landscapetoolbox.org/ https://rangelands.app/ (Rangeland Analysis Platform) https://jornada.nmsu.edu/monit-assess (Jornada monitoring protocols)

AoR 13: Sherman Swanson, Rangeland Monitoring for Adaptive Management Apr 11, 2019

How many times have you thought: “You should have seen what this looked like 10 years ago?!” We usually mean that a range site or riparian zone looks better than it did 10 years ago, but most people can’t back up that claim. Join Tip and Sherm Swanson as they discuss ways to document landscape change and translate that data into management action. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 2 minutes to complete this short survey to help us continue funding the podcast: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://bit.ly/2UqDMYf RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Nevada Rangeland Monitoring Handbook | Third Edition http://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/sp_2018_03.aspx "Practical Grazing Management to Meet Riparian Objectives", Journal of Rangeland Applications. https://journals.lib.uidaho.edu/index.php/jra/article/view/16

AoR 12: Nathan Sayre, Politics of Scale—A History of Rangeland Science Mar 28, 2019

Dr. Nathan Sayre has written the definitive work on the origins and history of rangelands science, public ownership, agency management, and grazing philosophy in the United States. Join Tip and Nathan as they discuss his background building fence on ranches on the Southwest, his pathway to the sociology of rangelands, and then surprising findings in Sayre’s book research. Finally, they visit about recommendations for modern range management. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 2 minutes to complete this short survey to help us continue funding the podcast: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://bit.ly/2OvMHGx RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Nathan's book is "The Politics of Scale: A History of Rangeland Science". You can order through a local bookseller, or directly from the publisher, University of Chicago Press: https://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/P/bo16762107.html Or, you can support the monopoly at https://www.amazon.com/Politics-Scale-History-Rangeland-Science/dp/022608325X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1538427564&sr=8-1&keywords=politics+of+scale. Recent articles by Nathan Sayre referenced in the podcast are available on the show notes link: https://bit.ly/2CHhkEe For more on concerns on the publishing monopoly, you can listen to an interview with Franklin Foer, author of the book “World Without Mind: The Existential Threat of Big Tech”, here: https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/world-without-mind-franklin-foer-interview/

AoR 11: Barry Perryman, Back to the Future with Applied Research to Control Cheatgrass Mar 14, 2019

A half-century of war on cheatgrass hasn’t reduced its dominance on the high sagebrush seas. Barry Perryman of Univ. of Nevada-Reno says old-fashioned observations and rancher communication have led researchers to a promising paradigm shift: targeting the unique biology of this biennial grass through fall and winter grazing. Barry and Tip discuss classical approaches to field research, an admonition from Dr. Temple Grandin to pay attention to real people doing real work in the real world, and Barry's pathway to uncovering some convenient truths about cheatgrass biology through research in the Old World. They finish up with a discussion of fire ecology in the Great Basin. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 2 minutes to complete this short survey to help us continue funding the podcast: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://bit.ly/2JcrkLm RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE A UN-R bulletin on grazing to control cheatgrass is available here: http://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/files/nr/2015/sp1503.pdf 1491, a book by Charles Mann, can be purchased at https://www.amazon.com/1491-Revelations-Americas-Before-Columbus/dp/1400032059/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=1491&qid=1581963901&sr=8-1. Most of Barry's publications are available at his university web page: https://www.unr.edu/anvs/people/perryman-barry

AoR 10: Matt Reeves, Rangeland Forage Prediction Tools Feb 28, 2019

Range forage production can vary widely from year to year. What if you could get a production prediction 3 months ahead of the growing season and make management decisions from it? Tip's guest today, Matt Reeves (USFS) is part of a group of researchers who have developed the Rangeland Production Monitoring Service, a backward-looking prediction tool that is not meteorological forecasting, but a machine-learning approach to a seasonal outlook based on historical climate data. This episode includes an interview with Matt followed by Matt's talk at the Society for Range Management conference a couple weeks ago. The slides referred to in Matt’s talk are available at the show notes link: https://www.dropbox.com/home/Art%20of%20Range%20show%20notes WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take 2 minutes to complete this short survey to help us continue funding the podcast: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Y3fUWlQdBsyBZX TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://bit.ly/2C9kT5Z RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Rangeland Production Monitoring Service (RPMS): https://www.fs.fed.us/rmrs/projects/development-rangeland-production-monitoring-service-could-improve-rangeland-management Grasscast GRASSCAST: http://grasscast.agsci.colostate.edu Although Grass-Cast doesn’t currently extend into the Pacific Northwest, it might inspire ideas for adapting it to that region. The Drought Monitor, along with NDMC’s “Managing Drought Risk on the Ranch” handbook: https://drought.unl.edu/ranchplan/Overview.aspx. USDA’s revamped farmers.gov website, where ranchers can now more easily find information about weather-related safety-nets such as the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/FactSheets/2018/livestock_forage_disaster_program-july2018.pdf; Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/FactSheets/2018/livestock_indemnity_program_fact_sheet-may_2018.pdf; and Pasture, Rangeland and Forage (PRF) insurance product https://www.rma.usda.gov/en/Fact-Sheets/National-Fact-Sheets/Pasture-Rangeland-Forage-Pilot-Insurance-Program. These programs were renewed in the 2018 Farm Bill (here’s a great Farm Bill overview by one of my (Reeves’) trusted AgEcon colleagues at OK State) https://news.okstate.edu/articles/agricultural-sciences-natural-resources/2018/stotts_2018-farm-bill-passage.html. Three other climate/ag tools developed by our friends at the Northwest and Southwest Climate Hubs: 1. Seedlot Selection Tool for forest landowners throughout the northwest and beyond: https://seedlotselectiontool.org/sst/ 2. Orchard Crop Suitability Mapping Tool for the northwest: https://climate.northwestknowledge.net/NWTOOLBOX/cropSuitability.php 3. AgRisk Viewer (from the SW Hub) -- an online tool for viewing historical causes of insured crop loss at the county level throughout the US: https://swclimatehub.info/rma/rma-data-viewer.html

AoR 9: Lynn Huntsinger, Ranching as a Conservation Strategy Feb 14, 2019

Dr. Lynn Huntsinger has written persuasively about the importance of private land ranching and public lands grazing as a means of conserving, even protecting, open space, wildlife habitat, and clean water. This runs counter to the preservationist paradigm that dominated for several decades, but it is gaining traction as it also gains scientific validity. Dr. Huntsinger is a Rustici endowed professor in Environmental Science, Policy, & Management at University of California at Berkeley. She and Tip discuss risks of land conversion, benefits of intact ranches, and opportunities for ranchers to capitalize on the less tangible benefits that society receives from their private lands, when managed well. SURVEY Please take 60 seconds to complete this quick 5-question survey and to access continuing education credits (CPRM only): wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4GHpHVHlsouSorr TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://bit.ly/2XvUUP6 Dr. Huntsinger’s website: https://ourenvironment.berkeley.edu/people/lynn-huntsinger Article on ranching in the Bay area http://news.aag.org/2016/01/bay-area-open-space-is-not-open-space/ Articles mentioned in our discussion (most are not open access but Tip can provide a PDF upon request): Barry, Sheila J. 2014. Using Social Media to Discover Public Values, Interests, and Perceptions about Cattle Grazing on Park Lands. Environmental Management 53:454–464 Marty, Jaymee T. 2005. Effects of cattle grazing on diversity in ephemeral wetlands. Conservation Biology 19 (5):1626-1632. Historical progression of articles related to our podcast: Huntsinger, L. and J. Oviedo. 2014. Ecosystem services may be better termed social ecological services in a traditional pastoral system: The case of California Mediterranean rangelands at multiple scales. Ecology and Society 19 (1): 8[http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol19/iss1/art8/] Huntsinger, L., Johnson, M., Stafford, M. and J. Fried. 2010. California Hardwood Rangeland Landowners 1985 to 2004: Ecosystem services, production, and permanence. Rangeland Ecology and Management 63:325-334 Brunson, M. and L. Huntsinger. 2008. Can old ranchers save the new west? Synthesis paper, Journal of Range Ecology and Management 61:137-147. Sulak, A. and Huntsinger, L. 2007. Public lands grazing in California: untapped conservation potential for private lands? Rangelands 23(3):9-13. Liffman, R., L. Huntsinger, and L. Forero. 2000. To ranch or not to ranch: home on the urban range? J. Range Management53(4)362-370. Huntsinger, L. and P. Hopkinson. 1996. Sustaining rangeland landscapes: a social and ecological process. Journal of Range Management 49:167-173.

AoR 8: Karen Launchbaugh, Targeted Grazing to Control Weeds Jan 31, 2019

Ralph Waldo Emerson said that a weed is "a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered". Tip's guest, Karen Launchbaugh, says that some "plants out of place" present serious ecological and ecological challenges to land managers but that some unwanted plants have redeeming qualities, particularly for domestic grazing animals. They discuss exotic species, various control strategies for weeds, success stories, integrated pest management principles, and, of course, using specific grazing timing and intensity and class of animal to suppress weed populations. SURVEY Please take 60 seconds to complete this quick 5-question survey and to access continuing education credits (CPRM only): https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4GHpHVHlsouSorr TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://www.dropbox.com/home/Art%20of%20Range%20transcripts RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE USEFUL WEBSITES https://targetedgrazing.org University of Idaho targeted grazing research papers: https://targetedgrazing.org/research/ The same site has grazing prescriptions for many individual species: knapweed, leafy spurge, starthistle, canada thistle, etc. https://targetedgrazing.org/prescriptions/ Targeted Grazing Handbook. This landowner-oriented reference guide has individual chapters for various grazing goals, such as controlling brush, enhancing wildlife habitat, limiting wildfire, orchard understory management, and more. https://targetedgrazing.org/other-resources/targeted-grazing/ Rangeland journal article from 2012: "Targeted Grazing: Applying the Research to the Land". https://journals.uair.arizona.edu/index.php/rangelands/article/download/19480/19120 BEHAVE project (Behavioral Education for Human, Animal, Vegetation, and Ecosystem Management) http://behave.net/ SUCCESS STORIES Idaho Rangeland Resources Commission article, "Ray Holes--The Goat King". https://idrange.org/range-stories/north-central-idaho/ray-holes-the-goat-king-using-goats-to-combat-noxious-weeds/ BEEF Magazine article, "Use target grazing to take aim at invasive weeds" https://www.beefmagazine.com/americancowman/pasture-and-range/target-grazing Leafy spurge control in Alberta, Jan 2019 article at The Western Producer: https://www.producer.com/2019/01/alberta-sheep-ranch-focuses-on-grazing/ CONTRACT VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PRACTITIONERS Livestock for Landscapes Network. http://www.livestockforlandscapes.com/network.htm This site lists, by state, livestock businesses who have their shingle out to conduct contract weed control work. Businesses in the PNW: Craig Madsen, Healing Hooves: https://www.healinghooves.com/ Ray Holes. Ray Holes, rayholes@yahoo.com, 208-740-9264 Nicole Bellows & Larry Davis, NW Goat Grazers. https://www.northwestgoatgrazers.com/

AoR 7: Ken Tate, Challenges in Public Lands Grazing Jan 17, 2019

Dr. Ken Tate is the Russell L. Rustici Endowed Rangeland Watershed Science Specialist in Cooperative Extension at University of California-Davis. Tate’s research and outreach focuses on the diverse managed ecosystems that make up California’s grazinglands, promoting management that supports the many benefits society receives from these working landscapes, including clean water, biodiversity and agricultural productivity. He and Tip discuss ecological and social challenges to public lands grazing, including water quality, public opinion, and bad reporting. They also discuss surveys conducted by UC-Davis to better understand ranchers' opinions on how regulations and land management policies affect them. SURVEY Please take 60 seconds to complete this quick 5-question survey and to access continuing education credits (CPRM only): https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4GHpHVHlsouSorr TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://www.dropbox.com/home/Art%20of%20Range%20transcripts RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE UC-Davis Rangelands Watershed Health website: http://rangelands.ucdavis.edu/rangeland-water-quality/ Many of Ken's publications are available here: http://rangelands.ucdavis.edu/kenneth-w-tate/ Grazing Management to Improve Soil Health, article by Ken: http://rangelands.ucdavis.edu/grazing-management-to-improve-soil-health/ California Rangeland Trust's "Rangeland Conservation Impact Award": https://www.rangelandtrust.org/press-release/conservation-impact-award-awarded-dr-kenneth-w-tate/

AoR 6: Jack Southworth, Adaptive Stocking for Ranch Resiliency Jan 03, 2019

Jack Southworth, a rancher in Eastern Oregon, discusses with Tip how he manages for ecological and economic resiliency through flexible stocking rates, changing class of cattle based on the season's feed resources, and maximizing photosynthesis rate through the high desert's short growing period. SURVEY Please take 60 seconds to complete this quick 5-question survey and to access continuing education credits (CPRM only): https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4GHpHVHlsouSorr TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://www.dropbox.com/home/Art%20of%20Range%20transcripts RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE WSU Extension rancher-to-rancher case study documentary about Southworth Brothers Ranch. http://csanr.wsu.edu/case-studies/ Capital Press article about national range management award. http://bit.ly/2QBNs58 WSU Low-Stress Cattle Handling: Understanding and Working with Cattle Instinct (video). https://vimeo.com/83256777 WSU Publication “Understanding Low-Stress Cattle Handling Techniques to Improve Animal Performance and Human Safety”. https://pubs.extension.wsu.edu/understanding-lowstress-cattle-handling-techniques-to-improve-animal-performance-and-human-safety Country Natural Beef: https://www.countrynaturalbeef.com/ WSU publication: 2008 Estimated Costs and Returns for a 150-Head Cow-calf to Grass-finished Beef Production System in the Channelled Scablands Range Area of East-central Washington. https://pubs.extension.wsu.edu/2008-estimated-costs-and-returns-for-a-150head-cowcalf-to-grassfinished-beef-production-system-in-the-channelled-scablands-range-area-of-eastcentral-washington

AoR 5: Kirk Davies, Invasive Annual Grass Management Dec 13, 2018

Dr. Kirk Davies, lead range scientist at the Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center (EOARC) in Burns discusses with Tip invasive annual grass (IAG) on western rangelands and current research into promising new approaches to biological control of cheatgrass and ventenata. The conversation weaves in the role of fire in semi-arid shrub-steppe ecosystems, challenges in rehabilitating annual grass-infested rangeland, grazing as a biological control for cheatgrass, the pros and cons of sagebrush plants as refugia, and Dr. Davies' thoughts on how to promote perennial grasses simultaneous with grazing IAG. SURVEY Please take 60 seconds to complete this quick 5-question survey: wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4GHpHVHlsouSorr TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://www.dropbox.com/home/Art%20of%20Range%20transcripts RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE The scientists at the EOARC are prolific publishers. This OSU/USDA research station makes their journal articles and research papers available to the public on their website. https://oregonstate.edu/dept/EOARC/publication and https://oregonstate.edu/dept/EOARC/resources-0 Journal article: An Alternative Management Paradigm for Plant Communities Affected by Invasive Annual Grass in the Intermountain West. May 2018 in Rangelands by Berry Perryman, Brad Schultz, Kent McAdoo, Sherman Swanson. Full text available at https://bit.ly/2LblZBl. Implications of Longer Term Rest from Grazing in the Sagebrush Steppe, journal article by Kirk Davies, Martin Vavra, Brad Schultz, and Neil Rimbey. They conclude from a wide literature review that "Not grazing can cause an accumulation of fine fuels that increase fire risk and severity and, subsequently, the probability of sagebrush steppe rangelands converting to exotic annual grasslands. One common theme they found was that shifts in plant communities (i.e., exotic annual grass invasion and western juniper encroachment), caused in part from historical improper grazing, cannot be reversed by long-term rest. This synthesis suggests that land managers should carefully consider if long-term rest will actually achieve their management goals and if a change in grazing management would achieve similar results." https://oregonstate.edu/dept/EOARC/sites/default/files/publication/798.pdf Adaptive Management for Invasive Annual Grasses: A Step-By-Step User's Guide for Implementing EBIPM, by Roger Sheley, Brenda Smith, Kimberly Reever-Morghan, and Tony Svejcar. 40pp. https://s3.amazonaws.com/sfc-dynamic-content/uploadfiles/152/Adaptive%20Management%20sm.pdf Grazing Invasive Annual Grasses: The Green & Brown Guide, by Brenda Smith, Roger Sheley, and Tony Svejcar. https://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/55316/PDF Post-fire Grazing Management in the Great Basin, fact sheet for Sage Grouse Initiative. https://www.sagegrouseinitiative.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/7_Post-fire_Grazing.pdf

AoR 4: Fred Provenza, Matching Animal to Environment Nov 29, 2018

Guest Fred Provenza and Tip talk about how animals and environment affect each other in what Dr. Provenza calls a dance—a dance he’s written about in his brand-new book “Nourishment”. Tip and Fred discuss the 40 years of research that led to the writing of this capstone book. Along the way, they discuss how domestic animals can be selected or trained to match their environment and how this intersects with ecological, economic, and social resilience of rangeland-based livestock operations. Art of Range podcast show notes (www.artofrange.com) Episode 4: Dr. Fred Provenza, matching animal to environment Guest Fred Provenza, professor emeritus, Utah State University, and host Tip Hudson discuss Dr. Provenza’s lifetime of research on the complex relationships among animals and their environments, particularly with regard to diet and animal health. SURVEY Please take 60 seconds to complete this quick 5-question survey and to access continuing education credits (CPRM only): https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4GHpHVHlsouSorr TRANSCRIPT A full transcript is available at: https://www.dropbox.com/home/Art%20of%20Range%20transcripts?preview=AoR_004_Fred_Provenza.clean.txt RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE BEHAVE project. www.behave.net. (Behavioral Education for Human, Animal, Vegetation, and Ecosystem Management) WSU Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources: Northwest rangelands and climate resiliency. http://csanr.wsu.edu/northwest-rangelands/ 2013 Provenza paper "Complex Creative Systems". https://journals.uair.arizona.edu/index.php/rangelands/article/download/19605/19238 Dr. Provenza's new book, "Nourishment: What Animals Can Teach Us about Rediscovering Our Nutritional Wisdom". https://www.amazon.com/Nourishment-Animals-Rediscovering-Nutritional-Wisdom-ebook/dp/B07KJH3FQD/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1543443718&sr=8-1&keywords=books+by+fred+provenza Dr. Provenza's book, The Art & Science of Shepherding". https://www.amazon.com/Art-Science-Shepherding-Michel-Meuret/dp/1601730691/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1543443776&sr=8-2&keywords=books+by+fred+provenza Recipe for rose hip tea: https://www.earthfoodandfire.com/wild-rose-hip-tea/ WSU publications on fetal programming in beef cattle Feeding Beef Cattle I: The Realities of Low-Quality Forages. https://pubs.wsu.edu/ItemDetail.aspx?ProductID=15519&SeriesCode=&CategoryID=&Keyword=Beef Feeding Beef Cattle II: Fetal Programming--Rethinking Cow/Calf Feeding Programs. https://pubs.wsu.edu/ItemDetail.aspx?ProductID=15547&SeriesCode=&CategoryID=&Keyword=Beef Articles on cow body size Article by John Scasta, Univ. of Wyoming range specialist. https://www.westernfarmerstockman.com/beef/finding-sweet-spot-cow-size Article by Kris Ringwall, NDSU beef specialist. https://www.drovers.com/article/beeftalk-finding-right-cow-size-not-simple Article by Dillon Feuz and Jesse Russell, Colorado State University. http://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/agriculture/the-optimal-cow-size-for-intermountain-cow-calf-operations-3-767/ University of Florida article, Relationship of Cow Size to Nutrient Requirements and Production Management Issues. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/an226

AoR 3: Floyd Reed, Landscape Change Over Time Nov 15, 2018

Floyd Reed, retired US Forest Service range conservationist, discusses with Tip a book he co-authored several years ago with Dave Bradford and Robbie LeValley examining landscape photographs taken in Western Colorado between 1885 and 1915. They found those sites and repeated the photographs. The book is titled, “When the Grass Stood Stirrup-High: Facts, Photographs, and Myths of West-Central Colorado”. Tip & Floyd discuss photographic monitoring methods that can be used by ranchers and range professionals. TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://artofrange.com/episodes/aor-3-floyd-reed-landscape-change-over-time Books or resources mentioned in the podcast: When the Grass Stood Stirrup-High, by Dave Bradford, Floyd Reed, and Robbie LeValley is available through Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, Tri-River Area, 525 Dodge St, Delta CO, 81416. Ph: 970-874-2195. Rangeland Through Time, by Kendall Johnson, is available online at http://rangelands.org/wy_photos/RangeThroughTime/RangeThroughTime.html. It can be purchased through Amazon or other online book sellers. https://www.amazon.com/Rangeland-through-time-photographic-Miscellaneous/dp/0941570053. Re-discovering the Big Horns: a pictorial study of 75 years of ecological change, by John George Jack, 1976. Available from used book sellers. Exploring with Custer: The 1874 Black Hills Expedition, by Ernest Grafe and Paul Horsted, published in 2002. https://www.amazon.com/Exploring-Custer-Black-Hills-Expedition/dp/0971805318/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1542157323&sr=8-2&keywords=Exploring+With+Custer "Beginnings of Range Management: Albert F. Potter, First Chief of Grazing, U.S. Forest Service, and a Photographic Comparison of his 1902 Forest Reserve Survey in Utah with Conditions 100 Years Later”. July 2005. David A. Prevedel & Curtis M. Johnson. https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_journals/2005/rmrs_2005_prevedel_d001.pdf University of Idaho publication on photomonitoring, rancher field guide with photoboard: https://www.cals.uidaho.edu/edcomm/pdf/PNW/PNW672.pdf University of Idaho publication on photo monitoring procedures: https://www.cals.uidaho.edu/edcomm/pdf/PNW/PNW671.pdf Photomonitoring guide by Fred Hall, USFS. This is the gold standard for fixed point, repeat photography: https://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/gtr526/ The Glass Cage, by Nicholas Carr. https://tinyurl.com/y8kal673 The Age of Interruption, by Thomas Friedman. https://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/05/opinion/05friedman.html A Crack in Creation, https://www.amazon.com/Crack-Creation-Editing-Unthinkable-Evolution/dp/0544716949

AoR 1: Karen Launchbaugh, Grazing Philosophy Oct 01, 2018

Guest Dr. Karen Launchbaugh and host Tip Hudson discuss grazing management philosophies, changes in scientific understanding of plant community dynamics over the last 50 years, and grazing terminology. SURVEY Please take 60 seconds to complete this quick 5-question survey: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4GHpHVHlsouSorr TRANSCRIPT The full transcript of this episode is available at: https://bit.ly/2DLNd1q RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE State and transition modeling: an ecological process approach. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs144p2_050801.pdf Land EKG Grazing Response Index: http://www.landekg.com/newsletter-200909/ Original Grazing Response Index: https://www.blm.gov/or/programs/nrst/files/Grazing%20_Response_Index.pdf Targeted Grazing Handbook, by Univ. of Idaho: http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/rx-grazing/Handbook.htm Politics of Scale, by Nathan Sayre. https://amzn.to/2Qif7DA

AoR 2: Karen Launchbaugh, Grazing Management Fundamentals Sep 21, 2018

Guest Karen Launchbaugh and host Tip Hudson discuss grazing management principles that apply everywhere, coordinating grazing management across multiple ownerships, stocking rate planning for long-term rangeland health, and the pros and cons of common grazing rules of thumb. SURVEY Please take 60 seconds to complete this quick 5-question survey: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4GHpHVHlsouSorr TRANSCRIPT A full transcript is available at: https://bit.ly/2NfeCIq RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Land EKG Grazing Response Index: http://www.landekg.com/newsletter-200909/ Original Grazing Response Index: https://www.blm.gov/or/programs/nrst/files/Grazing%20_Response_Index.pdf Journal article "Practical Grazing Management to Meet Riparian Objectives", by Sherman Swanson: https://journals.lib.uidaho.edu/index.php/jra/article/view/16 Burkhardt & Sanders paper, "Management of Growing Season Grazing in the Sagebrush Steppe": https://journals.uair.arizona.edu/index.php/rangelands/article/view/19540/19175 Targeted Grazing Handbook website and publications: http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/rx-grazing/handbook.htm

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