Podcasts about rangelands

**This episode is part of a mini-series produced for the Gascoyne Catchment’s Group, who have kindly allowed me to share it with you. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I did making it.** Jos Percy’s childhood on Yoothapina Station was cut short by drought and war. Instead of making mudcakes and mustering sheep, he changed schools 12 times in 3 years, as the threat of invasion dictated his father’s postings in the army. After the war, the Percy family found their way to Wandina Station in the southern Rangelands - initially as managers, then as owners. It didnt take long for Jos to adapt to station life again, as he worked on properties around the country before coming home as manager. It was during this time he met his future bride, Jenny, and together they embarked upon the management of Williambury Station in the Gascoyne for the next 30 years, before achieving their goal of purchasing the property. At the time of this recording, Jos and Jenny were ages 89 and 82. To start our conversation, I asked Jos to tell me about his earliest memories.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New technology for livestock management, called “Virtual Fencing,” is catching on in Idaho and the West.

Send us a textWhat if you could stumble upon treasures worth hundreds of dollars while enjoying a family adventure? Join us as we recount our incredible journey through Winton, the heart of Outback Queensland, where we explore a blend of natural wonders, historic charm, and unforgettable family moments. From Jasper's birthday celebrations to the thrilling tales of dinosaur discoveries, our love for Winton grows with each visit, and we're excited to share our top 10 must-see attractions with you. You'll hear about the joys and challenges of parenting on the road, and why safety, including car seat checks, remains a priority on our travels.Our adventure kicks off with a breathtaking sunset tour of the Rangelands cattle station, guided by the charming Vicky. Experience the tranquility of the outback landscape, enriched with stories and delightful refreshments that make Winton's hospitality genuinely special. Relive the unique spirit of Winton through its historic pubs and vibrant social scene — we promise you'll want to join us in planning a pub crawl of your own. Whether it's the vibrant performances of the Crackup Sisters or the welcoming atmosphere of Tattersall's Caravan Park, Winton's community vibe is something you won't want to miss.As we journey through the lesser-traveled roads, we uncover the unique charm that makes Winton a standout destination. From opal fossicking at Opalton to capturing the perfect selfie at Winton's iconic signs, the town is filled with delightful surprises. Join us as we explore the interactive art of the musical fence, and get ready for our upcoming opal hunting adventure. Remember, happiness is not just a destination — it's a way of travel, and we encourage everyone to dream big, cherish their loved ones, and embrace the joy in every journey.Subscribe to Jasperoo - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCceGx3esRSQBYZfWvf4KVtw Our YouTube channel www.youtube.com/thefeelgoodfamily has a new destination video every Tuesday night at 7.30pm (AEST). We would love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram and our website www.thefeelgoodfamily.com Our Family Travel Australia Podcast is now LIVE and available on all podcast platforms, with a new episode aired every Friday night 8:30pm [AEST].

Livestock Grazing Makes More Habitat for Native Bees.

In this episode of 'Going Ahead with Goats,' host Kieran Smith chats with Trudie Atkinson, Technical Specialist for Grazing Systems with  NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development . They discuss what it is about goats that makes them so well adapted to grazing in Western NSW landscapes as well as grazing management strategies. Trudie shares insights about goat grazing preferences and diet selection, and factors to consider when monitoring goat paddocks, as well as trigger points for decision making. This episode is an excellent resource for land managers wanting to improve their goat grazing management . Thank you to our guest featured in this episode: Trudie Atkinson For more information: Going Ahead with Goats Project - https://www.lls.nsw.gov.au/what-we-do/our-major-projects/going-ahead-with-goats-project  module7-nutrition-mar2019-web.pdf (mla.com.au) For a transcript of this episode: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14pv0sk5pHlSaHQKoS2Yp667G5FGVy93C/view?usp=sharing  This podcast series is produced by Grow Love Project and hosted by Western Local Land Services, supported through funding from the NSW Government as part of the Going Ahead with Goats project.

If you've seen small trees in white shrouds on hills along the Florida highways, they protect citrus trees from the Asian citrus psyllid or citrus greening disease, and a USDA study confirms value of livestock grazing as a tool to protect western rangelands from wildfires.

Winegrape growers are embracing innovations to monitor vineyard conditions amid California's hotter, drier climate, and a USDA study confirms value of livestock grazing as a tool to protect western rangelands from wildfires.

Winegrape growers are embracing innovations to monitor vineyard conditions amid California's hotter, drier climate, and a USDA study confirms value of livestock grazing as a tool to protect western rangelands from wildfires.

Cheatgrass and other invasive species are threatening important rangelands and helping fuel severe wildfires in Eastern Oregon. Lisa Ellsworth is an associate professor and range ecologist at the college of agricultural sciences at Oregon State University. She joins us to explain how these areas have been affected by invasive species, extreme wildfires and human activity and what that means for the future of a crucial Western ecosystem.

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

Welcome to a special two part edition of the Pastoral Poddy, focusing on carbon in the rangelands. Western Local Land Services recently held an event on this topic. And for those who couldn't make it, we've gathered a panel of speakers to jam pack all the best bits into the podcast. This episode looks at health in rangelands and holistic land management approaches. It explores the significance of soil organic matter, carbon levels, and practical tips from experts in regenerative agriculture. We learn about adaptive land management practices and observing natural patterns to prevent erosion, promote ground cover, and enhance landscape health for long-term rehydration and rehabilitation. Thank you to our guests who featured in this episode: Karl Anderson - Research Officer – Soil Carbon, NSW Department of Primary Industries Sarah McDonald - Research Scientist Pastures, NSW Department of Primary Industries Paul Theakston - Rehydration and rehabilitation officer, Western Local Land Services Andrew Mosley - farmer, Etiwanda 100% Rangelands Ready, Cobar  For more information: Rangelands Living Skin Project - https://soilsforlife.org.au/rangelands-living-skin/ Sarahs McDonald - https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/staff/profiles/sarah-mcdonald Andrew's farm, Etiwanda -  https://soilsforlife.org.au/etiwanda/  Previous episode with details about Rangelands Rehydration -  https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pastoralpoddy/episodes/Rehydrating-the-rangelands-e1iackp/a-a7t82vv Produced by growloveproject.com  This podcast is supported by Local Land Services, through funding from the Australian Government's National Landcare Program.

Welcome back to a two-part episode on carbon in the rangelands. In the last episode, we covered some soil carbon fundamentals. And in this episode, we're looking at opportunities and challenges facing landowners in participating in carbon projects. With insights from experts and farmers, we learn about the key factors and the importance of staying informed for future market developments in rangelands. Tune in for a captivating discussion on the potential of carbon markets to shape regenerative land management. Thank you to our guests who featured in this episode: John Gavin - Natural Resource Manager, Remarkable NRM Fiona Garland - Western Local Land Services Lisa McFadyen - On-farm carbon advice project, NSW Department of Primary Industries   Andrew Mosley - farmer, Etiwanda 100% Rangelands Ready, Cobar For more information: On -Farm Carbon Advice project website https://bit.ly/Carbonfarming For those wanting to sign up to our expression of interest and receive communications from the On-farm Carbon Advice project please click the link and fill in the form bit.ly/3NZSwLD For further information about Natural Capital - https://www.lls.nsw.gov.au/help-and-advice/natural-capital and access to the Natural Capital Service Finder: https://www.lls.nsw.gov.au/help-and-advice/natural-capital/natural-capital-service-finder John Gavin NRM website - ⁠https://remarkablenrm.com.au/about-john/⁠  Andrew's farm, Etiwanda -  https://soilsforlife.org.au/etiwanda/   Produced by growloveproject.com  This podcast is supported by Local Land Services, through funding from the Australian Government's National Landcare Program.

In this conclusion to our trilogy, we're looking at a proposal to move beyond the concept of "rangelands" through the rewilding of the American west — meaning, the return of forgotten landscapes, species, and ecologies not commonly seen in generations (not to mention improved water and carbon storage). But at least one thing isn't compatible with this vision: grazing cattle on public lands.Catch up with Part 1 and Part 2And find citations, a transcript, and credits on our website— — —This ad-free podcast is supported by listeners just like you! Join our Patreon to get early episode releases, bonus content, merch, discord server access, and now toques! Head to futureecologies.net/join and choose whatever option works best for you.

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.

Rangelands are vast, natural grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, wetlands, and deserts that support grazing and browsing mammals and they are primarily natural ecosystems with native vegetation.These rangelands can become degraded by fire or improper grazing. We talk with Kari Veblen, professor of Rangeland Ecology at Utah State University about her research that focuses on the ecology and management of rangelands. Her research emphasizes multi-use landscapes, public and private, that are managed simultaneously for wildlife conservation and sustainable livestock production. The ultimate goal of her work is to inform sustainable management of rangeland ecosystems.

Our series on cows and rangelands continues in the weeds and in the thorns, looking at a specific piece of public land where livestock are being employed to give some endangered species a new lease on life.In this 3-part series, we're hearing from impassioned scientists and land managers with diametrically opposed opinions on the concept of "rangelands" — by some estimates, accounting for 50-70% of the earth's surface. Missed Part 1? Catch up here— — —Find credits, citations, a transcript and more at futureecologies.net/listen/fe-5-8-home-on-the-rangelands-part-2This ad-free podcast is supported by listeners just like you! Join our Patreon to get early episode releases, bonus content, merch, discord server access, and more. Head to futureecologies.net/join and choose whatever option works best for you.

On a crisp Friday morning by the banks of the Cotter river in January 2024, Siwan sat down with Senator David Pocock, the ACT's first independent senator and environmental advocate, to discuss what drives him and what he cares about; his journey towards and inside the world of politics and government; his life growing up in Zimbabwe and career in professional rugby, and more. This is a reflective and insightful conversation, one which reveals a down-to-earth and honest man who deeply cares about the environment we call home.Siwan and David also discuss the Upper Murrumbidgee, or 'The Forgotten River' — a stretch of river left behind by Federal and NSW water management reforms. As a result, between 90% and 99% of the headwaters of the Murrumbidgee is captured by the Snowy Hydro Scheme each year, which leads to crises like in 2019 when the river almost entirely dried up except for a few algae-choked pools.The ARRC has been raising awareness about the Forgotten River for a couple of years, and those efforts were rewarded in November 2023 when an agreement was reached between the Albanese Government and Senator Pocock, which ensured a combined $50m of funding for the health of the river, as well as reviews of key legislative documents regarding the regulation of the Upper 'Bidgee. This was a great success for the health of the river and a collaborative effort across the board. The Upper Murrumbidgee still needs more water, but we are hopeful that this agreement sets in motion the ability for these flows to be provided in future years.***If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a rating and review wherever you listen to your podcasts.Check out the episode show notes: https://arrc.au/senator-david-pocock-being-part-of-a-larger-story/Learn more about the Australian River Restoration Centre: arrc.au

The introduction of cattle to western North America has undeniably contributed to massive ecosystem change. But could cows be as much a part of the solutions as they are the problem?In this 3-part series, we're hearing from all sides of this issue: impassioned scientists and land managers with diametrically opposed opinions on the concept of "rangelands" — by some estimates, accounting for 50-70% of the earth's surface.Part 1 kicks things off with a look at the special case of California, and a challenge to the conventional environmentalist perspective that cattle are always a destructive force for biodiversity and ecosystem health.— — —Find credits, citations, a transcript and more at futureecologies.net/listen/fe-5-7-home-on-the-rangelands-part-1This ad-free podcast is supported by listeners just like you! Join our Patreon to get early episode releases, bonus content, merch, discord server access, and more. Head to futureecologies.net/join to meet everyone who makes this podcast possible.

It has been said many times that a picture is worth a thousand words. Our guest today is documentary photographer Sally Thomson, the creative genius behind the book "Homeground." She hopes her photos of 24 ranchers and land managers can broaden people's understanding of the impact conservation ranching has on the health of the land, the animals, and the people who live, work, and recreate in Southwestern and Rocky Mountain rangelands. Her book also includes rancher quotes and essays from land managers working to address challenges of climate change and diminishing resources and to find sustainable land management solutions. Interview Summary   I was especially interested in doing this podcast because we've had a lot of people on to talk about regenerative agriculture and there have been farmers and ranchers, some of whom we both know in common. There have been scientists who work on this, people who work with NGOs trying to promote this work, and even some policy makers, but never a photographer. It's going to be really interesting to hear from you and I look forward to what you have to say. So, we have spoken to chefs and filmmakers before who've used their arts to shape and change the food system. But as I say, you're the first photographer we've spoken to. Let's go back to the beginning. What got you interested in photography in the first place, and how can photography be used as a social or political statement?   Well, I didn't start out to become a photographer. I took a art class in college and that is really what first introduced me to photography. I was gifted a used cannon camera and a couple of lenses and I started experimenting with the camera. And I was immediately drawn to the medium. Especially watching the images kind of emerge in the dark room was just fascinating and kind of magical. But it never really occurred to me to consider photography as a career. I eventually went on to graduate school and I studied landscape architecture following my interest in environmental design and planning. I figured this would also give me the opportunity to incorporate photography into my creative process. I practiced landscape architecture for many years. But it wasn't until much later that I realized the power photography can have in storytelling, and raising awareness, and connecting me with people in places that, you know, I wouldn't have otherwise thought possible. So, up until about this point, I had used photography more for documenting my work. I had worked for a conservation organization in the Amazon Rainforest, and in order to communicate their message, I felt that photography was extremely useful in doing that. That's really what caused that shift in my thinking of turning to photography. In 2008, I created On Focus Photography, which was an effort to highlight the work of various underrepresented environmental cultural NGOs. I set about trying to learn everything I could about documentary photography at that point. That sort of led me to where I am today. What I do today is primarily divide my time between freelance assignment work, fine art and documentary photography.   Thanks for that background. It's really helpful to understand how you got to where you are now. So, let's turn to your book, "Homeground" brand new. Can you provide an overview of the book and what are some of the key things that you're hoping to convey?   Well, Homeground, of course, is a visual narrative. It explores the endangered rangelands of the American Southwest and the Rocky Mountains, and the people and the practices that are involved in restoring and sustaining these landscapes. I think one of the things that was kind of startling to me was the account of our rangelands, and I just wanted to talk about that briefly. Rangelands account for the largest share of the nation's land base. They cover more than one third of the land service in the continental US and that's according to USDA data. Unlike pastureland, rangelands consist of native vegetation, and they include a wide variety of different landscape types such as grasslands, desert shrub lands, and so on. They provide essential habitats for all kinds of living creatures, forage for livestock, and recreational opportunities. But in this country and elsewhere around the world, I learned that these lands are threatened due to land conversion, unmanaged grazing, invasive species, climate change, and things like that. The Nature Conservancy, in fact, says that grasslands represent the most threatened and least protected habitat on earth. Less than 2% worldwide and just 4% in the United States receive any kind of formal protection.   So, thinking about the Southwest and the Rocky Mountains, as you probably know, they connect vast areas of habitat and there are all kinds of organizations, federal, state, private and tribal ownership that form this mosaic of pattern on the land. But private individuals own more than half of the nation's range lands. The federal government manages about 40%, and state and local governments and tribal councils manage the remainder. I found these numbers were rather compelling, and it sort of put, for me, into perspective not only the scale and significance of these landscapes but point to the important role private land managers play in caring for this huge amount of land in our country.   There's a lot at stake, isn't there? Given how much land you're talking about and the importance of it to environment and everything else.   It is. And there's a map in the book that shows that distribution. It was based on data collected by USDA, but it was interpreted by Dave Merrill, who works for Bloomberg. It's just very insightful when you see that big square of rangeland and you realize how much landmass that really is. So, that really struck me and I wanted to make sure that people understood that.   Let's get back to the themes of your book, because I'm dying to hear about them. But tell me first, what inspired you to take on the issue of regenerative agriculture in particular?   I've always been deeply interested in the relationship between people and environment, and sort of how our actions can shape and impact the landscapes that we live in. When I moved to New Mexico in 2013, I'm originally from the East and went to school in North Carolina as a matter of fact. I got a job helping a local nonprofit organization called the Southwest Grassfed Livestock Alliance here in Santa Fe, SWGLA for short. I helped them to produce a short video about how some producers were beginning to manage their animals on the land by utilizing a method called Holistic Planned Grazing. This was a term first introduced by Alan Savory, decades earlier. So, for this project, I visited six ranches spread across the states of New Mexico, and Colorado and Arizona. Traveled all around interviewing these ranchers. And through that experience, I grew a deep appreciation for these people, the men and women who managed these vast and often very remote tracks of land, and their dedication to regenerating some of the most incredible degraded landscapes that I've seen. I was inspired by their dedication and their determination, and I continued to visit and photograph over the years dozens of ranches and others who worked toward improving the ecological health of our rangelands. I guess you could say that the book "Homeground" was my pandemic project because I'd always wanted to find a way to share these images and the information that I had accumulated over the years. The lockdown kind of gave me time to sit down and think about how to organize and present what I had learned. So, around 2021, I decided that I was going to create this book and it would be titled "Homeground." Home alluding to a place of belonging and identity relating to the land. This seemed appropriate for me and the way of life that I wanted to feature.   Sally, you mentioned Alan Savory and I wanted to make a note to remind our listeners that we've recorded a podcast with Alan Savory that's part of our series on regenerative agriculture. And, the person who connected the two of us, Nancy Ranney, a rancher in New Mexico, and I know somebody you know well also has been a guest for part of our podcast series, both very impressive people. So, now let's talk a little bit more about the book and some of the choices you made in producing it. Some of the book's photographs are in black and white and some are in color, that's an interesting choice you've made. Can you share some insights about the process of selecting and capturing images, why you did some in color, some in black and white, and how did these reflect the principles of regenerative ranching?   I've had a few exhibitions that revolve around this work, and most of those were all done in black and white. When I started putting the book together, I felt because you're up close and personal looking at these images, that color would be good in moving you along the story. Also, some of the images were old, some were taken back in 2013, some were taken in 2022 and 2023. So, it was sort of a way to differentiate the flow of the work. Along with the images, there are three essays in the book that are written by well-known land managers in the region. Nancy Rainey provided one of the essays on community engagement, Bob Budd, who works in Wyoming, and Tony Berg, who has also worked in Wyoming but is now in Oregon, and he's a mentor with the Savory Institute. Each of them provided insightful personal accounts of their experiences in regenerative ranching, highlighting themes of the book, which are the importance of rangeland biodiversity, healthy soils, and community engagement. Ranchers also have some quotations in the book, but I worked quite closely with various state federal agencies and local nonprofits and academic institutions, and there's a lot happening out there in terms of all these other people that are involved in helping ranchers to manage their lands more sustainably. So, some of those are like the Covera Coalition, the Western Landowners Alliance, Holistic Management International, and of course Alan Savory Institute. It's a very complex and interesting world that is evolving and growing, fortunately.   Well, that's so true. I mean, if you go back just a few years even, there's a lot less knowledge about these sorts of approaches to ranching and agriculture, and now a lot more people are talking about it, thinking about it, studying it, writing about it, and photographing it, which is really wonderful. You mentioned that the work took place over a period of 10 years. Are there any specific stories or experiences from this journey you had that you found particularly impactful or enlightening?   Every time I set foot on a ranch, it was impactful. And it's hard to separate out just one story, but one of the most interesting experiences, I think we talk a lot about holistic grazing and how it tries to mimic the bison that roamed hundreds of years ago on the land. I had an opportunity to go out and visit one of Ted Turner's ranches in Central New Mexico where they were having a bison roundup. I rode out into this landscape, which was like actually transporting myself back 200 years where there were no cars, no telephone poles, just the land and the animals. It was pretty fascinating to see those bison, 500 of them roaming across the landscape. When I was out there also, there was a herd of antelopes and another herd of elk. So, I really felt privileged to be out on that land and to witness, almost like stepping back into history.   There are a lot of young people now that are getting involved, which is really great because there was a time when it seemed like people talked about ranching dying. And there have been organizations like the Covera Coalition that have really worked hard to get young people involved in now there's a lot of interest. And not just amongst doing ranching work, but also in the scientific and academic communities. And so, I was able to work with some scientists from the University of Colorado and they were working in robotics of all things, using these robots to monitor the ground and collect data on the temperature of the soil, the composite of the soil, all sorts of things.   Another ranch I went to in Lamar, Colorado, they had reintroduced the black-footed ferret, an endangered species, that almost went extinct in the 1980s and they were bringing back to, you know, regenerate the soil in that part of the country. So, I actually went out with a team of scientists at night because they're nocturnal animals and the only time you can see them and that they can figure out what they're doing and where they're living, and how they're living is to spot them at night. They ride around from maybe 10 or 11 o'clock at night until the early hours of the morning searching for these black-footed ferrets. They'll stick their heads up out of a hole in the ground, but they're determined. And that determination and that interest was really exciting to see.   You paint a wonderful picture of all this when you were talking about the bison and being transported 200 years in the past created this very vivid image in my mind, and I can imagine how powerful it must have been to be there and how wonderful it is that you've captured this in your photographs. It is just so important that this kind of work gets communicated. One of the reasons I'm delighted that you did your book. Let me ask you a final question. How do you envision your book contributing to the broader conversation about regenerative agriculture and ranching, and the sustainable use of land, and what do you hope readers will take away?   I think the book provides a broad understanding to a very complex issue. Sometimes those issues are difficult to understand because they're wound up in a lot of statistics, or the media is not reporting accurately, or even reporting at all on the issue. I'm hoping that a book like this that shows photographs will draw people in to want to understand more. The other thing I wanted to mention was that these land managers that I have met, they understand that ranching and healthy systems go hand in hand, and making the regenerative transition is a slow, and it's a complex process. There are no quick fixes, there's no one size fits all answers. And that's most likely true, I would say, for anyone, anywhere who's trying to make that regenerative switch. In our fast-paced world, it seems like that nothing is happening, but it just takes time. That's one thing that I can see over this 10-year period is I can see a change. That's pretty gratifying.   Grasslands in particular are very overlooked ecosystem in our country, but they play a crucial role in guarding against climate change. And one thing that amazed me was that a three-foot-tall grassland plant has a root system that extends more than three to four times below the surface of the earth. And those deep roots work to stabilize and they nourish the soil and can sequester huge amounts of carbon from the atmosphere. So, rangelands are important in that way, and I think it's important for people to understand about that. Another thing is that I think our Southwestern and Rocky Mountain Rangelands, they're a part of our collective history and legacy, and their landscapes that provide us all with clean water and clean air. They offer us respite and recreational opportunities. And in our world now where 80% of the population resides in urban areas, it's pretty easy for us to overlook what we don't encounter every day. It's my hope that "Homeground" will engage viewers from across the country to consider the significance of regenerative ranching and its potential benefits to all of us regarding climate and conservation, wildlife, and food production.   Well, what an important goal. So good luck looking forward. So, for people who are listening, who'd like to obtain a copy of the book, how should they go about doing that?   They can go onto my website: sallythomsonphotography.com.   Bio Sally Thomson is a documentary and fine art photographer based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her work explores the relationship between nature and culture and how that forms our perception and expression of where and how we live. Thomson's previous experiences in landscape architecture and conservation planning inform her work as a photographer, which aims to inspire the conservation and regeneration of endangered environments and the cultural legacies they support. She holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from North Carolina State University School of Design. She is the Past President (2017-2021) of the American Society of Media Photographers New Mexico Board of Directors.    

Photographer Sally Thomson's gorgeous new book of photographs and texts, Homeground, is a deep exploration of rangelands in the Southwest––landscapes, livestock, water, wildlife, and the stewards who keep the land thriving. With her deep background in landscape architecture, conservation, and land use planning, Thomson photographs in ways that reveal a deep understanding and love for the land in all its richness and diversity.

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 set out to make this this interaction is 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.

African People & Wildlife is an organization dedicated to creating a world where Africa's people and wildlife coexist and thrive in vibrant, healthy landscapes. In this episode, we sit down with two folks who help achieve this vision in Tanzania. Elizabeth Naro and Ramadhani Omary use GIS in all aspects of their work—from managing business operations to monitoring rangelands and resources with local communities in the field. In this episode, learn how GIS helps them accomplish their goals.

Rangelands have evolved with grazing happening each year. We have just changed the animals that are allowed to graze. For rangelands to be healthy though we need to reduce the areas that become overgrazed easily. Oftentimes those areas are riparian areas as the cattle find comfort in being near water and food resources so close together. This book below talks about the the proper method you should employ to help create a healthy habitat. Cote, Steve, et al. Stockmanship. 2004.

In this episode, Jared is joined by fourth-generation Nevada rancher, Agee Smith, to talk about his journey to using holistic management to regenerate his family's rangeland. We discuss the challenges he faced in changing his management practices, the successes he has had, and the lessons he has learned along the way. Agee Smith is a co-owner of Cottonwood Ranch, a 35,000-acre ranch in Nevada. He has been ranching since he was a child, and he has a deep understanding of the land and the animals that live on it. In 1995, he attended a holistic management workshop that changed his perspective on rangeland management. He realized that he needed to take a more holistic approach to managing the ranch, and he began to implement changes to his grazing practices.One of the biggest changes Agee made was to invite everyone who was interested in the natural resources on the ranch to join a collaborative management team. This team includes representatives from environmental groups, government agencies, and universities. The team meets regularly to discuss the ranch's management plan and to make decisions about grazing, fire, water, and other resources.The collaborative management team has been a huge success for Cottonwood Ranch. The ranch has tripled the number of cattle it runs, and the riparian areas have been significantly improved. Agee is proud of the work that the team has done, and he believes that it is a model for other ranchers who want to regenerate their rangelands.If you are interested in learning more about holistic management or rangeland regeneration, this episode is for you. Agee Smith is a wealth of knowledge, and he shares his insights in a clear and concise way. This episode is sure to inspire you to take action to regenerate your own rangeland.For more info, you can email him at ageesmith51@gmail.com or visit their their website.Be sure to check out our previous episodes and click on the link to join our Webinar series:  https://www.agsteward.fyi/registration-page--1 or check this episode on YouTube. 

Inside Agriculture Segment 4

Conservation can be DEPRESSING, so for Mental Health Month we decided to share ONLY positive news and stories (after taking a little break for our brains). Rewire those neurons everybody, because it's not all bleak. Good news so far in May: Biden-Harris Administration announced $36 million for national forests and grasslands Dakota Prairie Grasslands received $464,000 of that to improve access. US Department of Agriculture and the Interior announced $2.8 billion in funding for 2024 authorized by the Great American Outdoors Act to improve access to management and recreation opportunities on national forests and grasslands. Proposed CRP Reform Act of 2023 TNC funding 9 grasslands research projects thru 2023 JE Weaver Small Grands Awards Arizona is restoring migration routes for pronghorn and mule deer South Dakota spending $1 mil restoring grasslands No-Mow-Summer in Dengibghshire County, Wales Earless Dragon burrows (Video) Saving Phu My, one of the Mekong Delta's last natural grasslands UN International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists WWF Policy Actions to Save Grasslands There's still time to save the Cerrado! (New Research) Cargill got sued over Cerrado deforestation again. Good news deep dives: Success in the Savanna: Blue-throated Macaw Update 2022 State of the Birds Report North American Grasslands Conservation Act Great Plains Ecotourism Coalition Utah Wildlife Board approves changes to Utah prairie dog rule Contact Website Facebook Twitter info@grasslandgroupies.org

This week Dana speaks with Dr. Laura Goodman, OSU Extension Range Specialist about the impacts of drought on native range. We discuss stocking rate and the new Rangeland Analysis Platform (RAP) tool that can help producers anticipate forage growth in the upcoming growing season. Click the link for the Rangelands Analysis Platform (RAP) To look [ Read More ]

Our guest, Mark “Merriwether” Vorderbruggen, is a wild plant foraging enthusiast.  He shares his best advice for foragers and great tips for beginners who are interested in learning how to forage wild plants and mushrooms for food.  Learn what your ancestors knew! Email us at wildpodcast@tamuk.edu For more information: https://www.foragingtexas.com/ https://www.ckwri.tamuk.edu/media/talk-wild-side-podcast https://www.rotarycc.com/harvey-weil/

In this episode we get an update from Dr. Hunter Reed, Wildlife Veterinarian with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, about the current status of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) within the state of Texas.  We also talk about recently-enacted testing protocols and other new regulations for detecting and controlling CWD in wild deer populations. Email us at wildpodcast@tamuk.edu For more information: https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/diseases/cwd/ https://www.ckwri.tamuk.edu/media/talk-wild-side-podcast https://www.rotarycc.com/harvey-weil/

Ecological sites are the basic component of a land-type classification system that describes ecological potential and ecosystem dynamics of land areas. We interviewed Dr. Joel Brown, current leader of the Natural Resources Conservation Service's National Ecological Site Team, to learn more about ecological site descriptions, transitions and transformations, and some thoughts about rangeland ecology under a changing climate. Image Credit: USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.Relevant Links:Ecosystem Dynamics Interpretive Tool (EDIT)If you're enjoying this podcast, please consider rating us and/or leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, Podcast Addict, or Podchaser Thanks!Follow us on Twitter @RainShinePodNever miss an episode! Sign up to get an email alert whenever a new episode publishes (http://eepurl.com/hRuJ5H)Have a suggestion for a future episode? Please tell us!Come Rain or Shine affiliate links:DOI Southwest CASC: https://www.swcasc.arizona.edu/ USDA Southwest Climate Hub: https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/hubs/southwest Sustainable Southwest Beef Project: https://southwestbeef.org/

We chat with Katie Spurgin of the state's unique Stewards of the Wild program.  Hear all about the work the Stewards program is conducting and how you can get involved.  Email us at wildpodcast@tamuk.edu For more information  https://www.tpwf.org/sotw/ https://www.ckwri.tamuk.edu/media/talk-wild-side-podcast https://www.rotarycc.com/harvey-weil/

In this episode of NDO Podcast we visit with Heather Husband, Meadowlark Initiative coordinator with the North Dakota Natural Resources Trust, and Ryan Taylor, Ducks Unlimited public policy director of North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana. We discuss the purpose and mission behind the Meadowlark Initiative, the benefits to all North Dakotans and the subtle beauty of the prairie.

There are tens of thousands of horses running wild in the Mountain West. The U.S. government mainly uses roundups to keep them from overgrazing public lands. But advocacy groups want more of a focus on fertility control.

USDA meteorologist, Brad Rippey, looks at notable state pasture and rangeland condition ratings for the week ending May 8th. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brianna Slothower's swan song on ATOTWS.  She and her master's advisor, Dr. David Wester, discuss their work researching the best ways to restore rangelands affected by energy pipelines in Texas.  And, we learn the worst way to try to straighten cattle panel. Email us at wildpodcast@tamuk.edu For more information: https://www.ckwri.tamuk.edu/research-programs/habitat-management-restoration-research https://www.ckwri.tamuk.edu/media/talk-wild-side-podcast https://www.rotarycc.com/harvey-weil/

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

The California Rangeland Trust commissioned scientists from UC Berkeley to explore the value of ecosystem services provided by 56 conserved ranches and to calculate the return on our environmental investment. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Lynn Huntsinger to discuss the findings from the Ecosystem Services Research. Dr. Huntsinger is the Russell Rustici Chair, a Professor of Rangeland Ecology and Management at Berkeley's College of Natural Resources, and one of the lead scientists of the Ecosystem Services Research. She is a champion of rangeland conservation and was recently featured in the Rangeland Trust's new short film, "From the Ground Up: Healing Our Planet, Healing Ourselves." Learn more at: https://rangelandtrust.org/

Our host, Dr. Sandra Rideout-Hanzak, shares some insights into the current wildfire situation in Texas.  We talk about weather impacts, preparing for wildfires on your property, and effects of wildfires on plant communities and wildlife.  Email us at wildpodcast@tamuk.edu For more information: https://www.ckwri.tamuk.edu/media/talk-wild-side-podcast https://www.rotarycc.com/harvey-weil/

3-17-22 AJ DailyCAB Insider: Market UpdateAdapted from a release by Paul Dykstra, Certified Angus Beef LLC R-CALF USA Announces Launch of Magazine, Podcast Adapted from a release by R-CALF USA United Nations Declares 2026 the International Year of Rangelands & Pastoralists Adapted from a release by Lia Biondo, Society for Range Management Compiled by Paige Nelson, field editor, Angus Journal. For more Angus news, visit angusjournal.net. 

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

Perspectives on what life is like in some of Nevada's high fire hazard areas. Featuring interviews with Jon Griggs, ranch manager at Maggie Creek Ranch in Elko, Nevada; and Jole Rector and Todd Ballowe, Washoe County residents living in a high fire hazard area.

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

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

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

"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!

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/

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/

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

"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