Members and other Participants Present
Norm Harris, University of Alaska, Fairbanks
John Kawula, University of Alaska, Fairbanks
Mel George, University of California
Mark Thorne, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Eileen Herring, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Karen Launchbaugh, University of Idaho
Walter Fick, Kansas State University
Mike Haddock, Kansas State University
Tracy Brewer, Montana State University
Jeff Mosley, Montana State University
Brad Schultz, University of Nevada, Reno
Amy Shannon, University of Nevada, Reno
Sherman Swanson, University of Nevada, Reno
Rex Pieper, New Mexico State University
Kathie Richardson, North Dakota State University
John Tanaka, Oregon State University
Nancy Marshall, South Dakota State University
Eric Mousel, South Dakota State University
Jim Dobrowolski, United States Department of Agriculture
Rodger Banner, Utah State University
Mindy Pratt, Utah State University
Tipton Hudson, Extension Washington State University
University of Arizona Workshop Planning Committee
Carla Long Casler, Arid Lands Information Center
Vicki Duraine, Science-Engineering Library
Barbara Hutchinson, University of Arizona Libraries
Doug Jones, Science-Engineering Library
Sheila Merrigan, Cooperative Extension
Jeanne Pfander, Science-Engineering Library
George Ruyle, Rangeland and Forest Resources Program
Anne Thwaits, Arid Lands Information Center
Aaron Valdivia, Science-Engineering Library
Other University of Arizona Participants:
Jennifer Arnold, School of Natural Resources
Julie Conley, Consultant, Rangelands and Forest Resources Program
Wolfgang Grunberg, Web Development Specialist, Arizona Remote Sensing Center
Colin Kaltenbach, Vice-Dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Min-Seong Kang, Arizona Remote Sensing Center
Chestalene Pintozzi, Facilitator, University Library
Carla Stoffle, Dean of Libraries
Deborah Young, Associate Director, Cooperative Extension
Special Guest
Tom Sheridan, University of Arizona Southwest Center
The Rangelands West Partnership held their 6th annual meeting on March 11-13, 2007 in Tucson, Arizona. The meeting was organized by the University of Arizona Steering Committee and it was attended by 23 rangeland scientists and agricultural librarians from 14 of the 19 participating Western land-grant universities. During the meeting, newly-elected officers (Dr. Karen Launchbaugh, Chairperson; Carla Casler, Vice-chair; and Dr. Norm Harris, Secretary) gave background information on the organization, verified the groups committee structure with members, and called for nominations for the next secretary. Other activities included a walking tour of the University of Arizona campus arboretum lead by the Director, Dr. Elizabeth Davison, comments from Dr. Deborah Young, Associate Director Arizona Cooperative Extension, and a presentation from Dr. Tom Sheridan on Landscapes of Fraud: Mission Tumacácori, the Baca Float, and the Betrayal of the Oodham .
Dr. Colin Kaltenbach, Vice-Dean and Director of the University of Arizona Agricultural Experiment Station presented information about WERA status and answered questions from the participants. Reporting obligations and the use of travel funds for library participants were discussed. Dr. Karen Launchbaugh gave an overview of the Rangelands West working group and presented ideas for the future. She also discussed the SARE grant, scheduled to end in May, and suggested states pool any remaining funds to pay for maintenance and adding content to regional web site. Members agreed to the pooling of remaining funds. Members also ratified the groups committee structure and signed up for standing and content committees. The executive committee volunteered to finish drafting WERA by-laws. The 2008 meeting has been scheduled to meet in Tucson during spring break. The 2009 meeting will be held in Albuquerque in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Society for Range Management.
Anne Thwaits showed the new Rangelands West website and discussed the changes in appearance, search capabilities and hierarchal structure based on discussions and group input from last years meeting. Further suggestions on changes were received from the group. The revised web site has been scheduled to debut in May. Members agreed to edit content metadata to reflect hierarchal changes before the May debut. Dr. Jim Dobrowolski, National Program Leader USDA/CSREES/NRE, discussed the eXtension program and suggested that the group form a Community of Practice to add an education component to the groups mission statement. A committee formed to determine the viability of creating a Community of Practice. The content working groups created scope notes, simple descriptions, reviewed metadata entry and began editing metadata to adhere to the new sites hierarchal structure.
" Progress and results of content working groups:
o Total categories in database: 316
o Categories still in need of scope notes: 93
o Scope notes needed, by category...
Rangelands and How They Work: 13
Plants and Animals: 4
Soils and Water: 0
Climate, Drought, and Fire: 12 (entire category)
Grazing, Recreation, Wildlife: 1
Vegetation Management and Restoration: 3
Inventory, Monitoring, and Assessment: 0
Rural Communities and Ranch Economics: 29
Planning and Collaboration: 20 (entire category)
Training, Teaching, Education and Careers: 4 (entire category)
Regional categories: 7 (these are merely lists of states in various regions of the U.S.)
- A total of 223 scope notes were created to define topics on the Rangelands West website thereby making it more usable by the general public.