From Genetics to Management: Prioritizing Grassland Bird Conservation Across the Full Annual Life Cycle
Grasslands in North America are disappearing, which is causing many grassland-dependent birds to decline as well. Scientists from Colorado State University and Bird Conservancy of the Rockies are using genetic data and population models to figure out where these birds go throughout the year and which populations are most at risk. Their goal is to help agencies and decision-makers know where to focus conservation efforts to protect these birds and support their recovery.
The Institute for Managing Annual Grasses Invading Natural Ecosystems (IMAGINE) at the University of Wyoming uses coproduced science, outreach, and education programs to develop, implement, evaluate, and adjust statewide and regional strategies for mitigating impacts of invasive annual grasses in rangelands while empowering informed decision making by landowners and managers. Check out IMAGINE’S website here.
Jaycie Arndt is the Invasive Grasses Specialist and coordinator for IMAGINE and NEWIGWG (Northeast Wyoming Invasive Grasses Working Group). Jaycie conducts rangeland and weed science research, develops educational materials, organizes the IMAGINE Monitoring Network, and facilitates annual grass workshops throughout Wyoming.
Playa Lakes Joint Venture recently completed a NRCS CIG project that connects social science research and communications to promote brush management behavior in Kansas and Oklahoma. During this webinar, insights will be shared from a literature review, key informant interviews, and focus groups that examine motivations and barriers to conducting brush management. The process for integrating these data into targeted communication messages aimed to increase participation in brush management will also be discussed. Although this study was completed in Kansas and Oklahoma, this research is relevant to the Northern Great Plains.
Ryan Roberts is the Social Science Specialist at Playa Lakes Joint Venture. Ryan has experience designing and implementing social science research that seeks to understand how grassland producers perceive and manage against invasive tree and shrub species.
Ventenata: Small Grass, Big Problem
The invasive annual grass ventenata (Ventenata dubia) is an increasing problem on grasslands of the Northern Great Plains. This presentation will focus on ventenata’s identification, biology, and ecology, and share some of the latest research into its management.
Dr. Jane Mangold is a professor and an extension invasive plant specialist at Montana State University in Bozeman, MT. She has been researching and teaching others about invasive plants on western rangeland for over 25 years. Many of her efforts have focused on invasive annual grasses, but she has also studied and written about many perennial invasive forbs on the region’s noxious weed lists.
Rangeland Analysis Platform
RAP offers powerful, easy-to-use tools and data that help practitioners understand, visualize, and respond to complex challenges in rangeland ecosystems. By integrating remote sensing, field observations, and machine learning, RAP enables stakeholders—from ranchers and conservationists to policymakers and resource managers—to evaluate vegetation trends, identify areas at risk, and design targeted management strategies.
With Dr. Scott Morford, Associate Director of the
Working Lands for Wildlife Science Team at the University of Montana.
Soil Health
With Keela Deaton, Soil Health Specialist, USDA-NRCS Montana
Grazing 101
This one-hour webinar is for field practitioners working on private working lands in the Northern Great Plains. Learn about the principles of range management, considering the whole system, and grazing impacts on plants.
With Dr. Krista Ehlert, Assistant Professor & State Extension Range Specialist, South Dakota State University.