Free, Live-Broadcast of Special Symposia from the Society for Range Management Conference
Register soon for free online technical presentations on restoring riparian and wet meadow habitats as well as how people are teaming up to collectively manage sagebrush habitats
Are you interested in learning more about new research and management applications in sagebrush ecosystems? Now you can do so from the comfort of your home or office!
The upcoming Society for Range Management’s 2018 Annual Meeting (held in Sparks, Nevada) will feature two special symposia on cutting-edge science and management applications in sagebrush country that will be live-broadcasted for online viewing. Thanks to a partnership between the Bureau of Land Management, Natural Resources Conservation Service-Sage Grouse Initiative, Intermountain West Joint Venture, and Utah State University, the public can watch these presentations for free in real time, as well as access the recorded presentations for on-demand replays within a few weeks of the broadcast.
These full-day sessions, detailed below, will be held on January 30 and February 1. Each will feature a series of 20-minute presentations by scientists and land managers. Keep reading for more information about each of these sessions and how to register to watch them.
Note to participants on viewing high-quality video broadcasts: Due to the limited bandwidth of internet service in some areas and controls on streaming in some government equipment and offices, some participants may experience issues with viewing a high-quality live-broadcast. If issues are anticipated or encountered, you may wish to try an alternative 3G-capable device or use a private Wi-Fi service, such as in a coffee shop or home office, to access a better video feed.
For questions about registering or the live broadcast, please contact: Hannah Nikonow, hannah.nikonow@iwjv.org, (307) 431-9876.
Restoring and Managing the “Emerald Islands” of the Sagebrush Sea: New Science, Sticks and Stones, and the Eager Beaver
Session contact: Jeremy Maestas, jeremy.maestas@por.usda.gov
In sagebrush ecosystems of the American West, mesic habitats—wet, green areas such as streamsides, springs, or meadows—comprise only small fraction of the arid landscape. Yet these habitats are the lifeblood that sustain people and wildlife during the summer. These “emerald islands” retain enough soil moisture to remain productive late in the growing season, making them vital grocery stores that supply nutritious food and water for working lands and wildlife when uplands dry out.
Recent partnership efforts to holistically conserve sagebrush rangelands from ridgetops to valley bottoms have brought a renewed focus to conserving these rare mesic habitats. Restoration and management opportunities abound but approaches that are relatively simple, low cost, and effective are needed to engage more landowners and partners in conservation at meaningful scales.
This symposium will highlight: (1) examples of relatively simple yet effective approaches land managers are scaling up to boost resilience to drought, (2) new science and technology for quantifying outcomes of restoration and informing conservation targeting, and (3) provide an in-depth look at how managers are partnering with beaver in riparian restoration.
See this session’s full agenda here with details about each presentation.
When is this broadcast?
Tuesday, January 30th, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PST
How can I watch it live?
You will be sent an email confirmation with a password to enter at the time the broadcast begins. SAVE THIS EMAIL.
A Strategic, Multi-scale Approach for Managing Threats to Sagebrush Ecosystems Based on Resilience and Resistance Concepts
Session contact: Jeanne Chambers, jchambers@fs.fed.us
A paradigm shift is underway in how we collectively manage sagebrush habitat. Threats to sagebrush ecosystems and the species that depend on them, potential listings under the Endangered Species Act, and limited financial resources result in an urgent need for coordinated and strategic investments in conservation and restoration.
This symposium will highlight the new “Science Framework for Conservation and Restoration of the Sagebrush Biome,” which was developed in response to the Department of the Interior’s Integrated Rangeland Fire Management Strategy. The Framework provides a multi-scale approach for prioritizing areas for investment and determining effective management strategies within the sagebrush biome by linking the following concepts:
· Resilience to disturbance, such as, wildfire;
· Resistance to invasive annual grasses; and,
· Species habitat information to prioritize areas for conservation and restoration actions.
The symposium will highlight various aspects of this new Framework, including: why such an approach is needed, the scientific basis for applying resilience and resistance concepts, and management tools and applications for implementing this new approach. At the end of the session, a panel of regional managers will share perspectives on applying the Framework.
See this session’s full agenda here with details about each presentation.
When is this broadcast?
Thursday, February 1st, 8:00 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. PST
How can I watch it live?
You will be sent an email confirmation with a password to enter at the time the broadcast begins. SAVE THIS EMAIL.