Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

"Colin Kaltenbach, Administrative Advisor announced that a request for $1,000 per year to support programming activities of WERA 1008 was sent to all Deans of participating states. Five States have already sent in their contributions (Alaska, Nebraska, Montana , Utah, and Oregon ). There will be a follow up request. He also reminded the committee that official minutes of WERA meetings must be filed with Federal system within 60 days of meeting. "Business Meeting o Proposed and accepted that Policy and Standards Committee will now be known as the Steering Committee. o Read and discussed proposed Charter. o Steering committee will take members corrections and suggestions and revise Charter. o Revised Charter to be sent out for electronic vote within 60 days of end of annual meeting. o It was decided to have the next annual meeting of the Western Rangelands Partnership in Boise, Idaho (March 15-17, 2009) " Members expressed concern about combining Western Rangelands Partnership meeting with Society for Range Management meeting because Directors might be less inclined to provide travel funding o Karen Launchbaugh and John Tanaka will lead the committee. o It was decided to host a symposium at the Society for Range Management meeting (February 8-12, 2009) in Albuquerque, New Mexico o Karen Launchbaugh rotated to Past-Chair, Carla Casler rotated to Chair and Norm Harris rotated to Vice-Chair for the Western Rangelands Partnership. Amy Shannon will serve as Secretary. The group participated in a joint reception with Western States Agricultural Experiment Station Directors and Cooperative Extension Directors on the evening of March 17th. Karen Launchbaughs presentation on the Western Rangelands Partnership to this group was well received by the Directors.

Proceedings of the Workshop, March 17, 2008 " Welcome and overview by Carla Casler, Vice-Chair o Do what you can with what you have where you are. (Theodore Roosevelt) o Build on collaboration and develop easier methods to communicate " Self-introduction by participants " Overview and background of partnership by Karen Launchbaugh, Chair o Happiness is to be dissolved in something complete and great. (Willa Cather) o Unique cooperative effort involving range specialists and librarians o Representatives of nineteen states (all State web sites operating) o Evolved from Arizona-lead working group to official status of WERA  1008 " Rangelands West, Holly Hartmann, Director, Arid Lands Information Center o Western Rangelands Partnership is a template for other AgNIC groups o Group is coming out of infancy and maturing as an organization " Rangelands West Website Status, Anne Thwaits, Arid Lands Information Center o Memory leak of website proving troublesome to fix o Search results producing relevant links a problem o New method for input of metadata ranking needs to be developed " Content Development Capabilities with Forestandrange.org: Kelly Zophy, Coordinator, National Learning Center for Private Forest and Range Owners o Web-based learning center  Learning modules o Local natural resource professionals in searchable database o Marketing using Google Ad-words o Evaluation using focus groups, surveys, quizzes, and key informants " Developing Synergies with ARS with a Focus on Monitoring and Assessment: Jeff Herrick, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) research scientist, USDA  ARS Jornada Experimental Range o ARS good at conducting research and developing tools (software) o Hit and miss approach to extension and outreach " State Reports o Arizona  Jeanne Pfander § Metadata issues are troublesome § UA libraries produces $52,790 to conduct technical infrastructure needs assessment, develop technical requirements, business plan and sources for long-term funding o Nebraska  Dana Boden § First time at meetings § Site went on-line on October 22, 2007 (all State sites on-line) o Idaho  Karen Launchbaugh § Ideas for content; aerial videos of State, photos of representative sites around weather stations " Hot Topic Content Development, Julie Conley, UA Rangelands and Forest Resources Program o Working on environmental legislation (Conflicts  Resolution, Content  Debate) o Update hot topic content and check links o What is legal definition? o Separate emotional from ecological effects of grazing " AgNIC Report, Mike Haddock, Incoming Chair of AgNIC Executive Board o Launched in 1995 with five partner institutions o Strategic plan § Enhanced recognition of AgNIC § Improve content for Ag and Natural Resources § Develop technologies to deliver content o Focus grants (Born digital, reborn digital, NDLA) o AgNIC is people-centric not content-centric " Lunch  Building International Information Systems Using Common Standards  The Global Forest Information Service (GFIS): Gauri Salokhe, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) o Areas for collaboration " Free Web Tools: Google Analytics for statistics, Google Groups: Anne Thwaits o Tools for generating necessary web page statistics (handout for setting up system, this document is also posted on the Western Rangelands Partnership Google group) " Regional Groups Breakout and Brainstorming Session o In a perfect world, sites should be: § More interactive § One-stop centers § More historical images and documents § More dynamic " Prioritizing Breakout Session, facilitator Holly Hartmann o Site users (types; frequent or occasional) o Problems and needs leading to use of sites o Information (Delivery/modes) March 18th Tucson Room, Student Union, U of A Campus (8  11:30 AM) " Daily logistics, Jeanne Pfander " How do we change, evolve and adapt to the New West and to new technologies? Workshop and Prioritization, Holly Hartmann o Brainstorming and ranking of § Information Needs of Users § Types of Problems by Topic Group § Customers and Modes of Information Delivery UA Libraries Staff Lounge, 5th Floor Main Library (11:30  1 PM) " Lunch, Presentation of Trailblazer Award to Doug Jones for dedication and services to The Western Rangelands Partnership: Karen Launchbaugh, Carla Casler, and Norm Harris " New Web-based Tools for Communication and Mapping: Barron Orr Room A313-314, UA Libraries, Main Library (1:15  5 PM) " Joseph Hiller, Assistant Dean, Native American Programs, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences o Important user group  Indian Nations § 563 groups § 314 reservations § 97 million acres under tribal control § 60 percent of owners under compliance, the rest dont know " Standing Committees Meet o Develop definite goals o Schedule conference call to keep progress moving " Committee reports o Technical Committee § Regional site supports and directs traffic to State sites § Ask an expert on the regional site and frequently asked questions (FAQ) § State sites may not contain all hierarchical categories § Other organizations may host State sites if problems arise with State educational institutions § Technical needs assessment from Department Heads (range, library and information technology) o Assessment and Evaluation Committee § Procedures and process will be developed § Standards for populating State versus Regional sites § Hire someone to fix metadata error, remove outdated material, and remove of fix broken links o Outreach § See eXtension request for proposal (RFP) to determine if we should write proposal. § Proposal would be to develop new section or turn over some category such as Hot Topics o Content Development Committee " Challenges of involving members in content development between meetings § Should there be peer-review of sites and content Standing Committees: Executive Committee Chair - Carla Casler Vice-Chair - Norm Harris Secretary  (Open, to be filled by vote) Annual Meeting (2009) Karen Launchbaugh John Tanaka (Others to be appointed or volunteers) Assessment and Evaluation Committee Barbara Hutchinson, Co-Leader George Ruyle, Co-Leader (Others to be appointed or volunteers) Outreach John Tanaka (lead) Mark Thorne Barb Hutchinson Karen Launchbaugh Jeff Mosley Technical Karen Launchbaugh (lead) Mike Haddock Kathie Richardson Rex Pieper Tracy Brewer Sherm Swanson Steering Committee Executive Committee (3 individuals) Chairs of Outreach and Technical Committees (2 individuals) Chair of Topic Working Groups (1 Individual) Content Working Groups: " Each working group will select a leader who is responsible for organizing necessary updates (like scope notes), period reviews, and discussions on development of the topics " The leads of the 6 topic working groups will select a chair to serve as a liaison between the Topic Working Groups and the Executive Committee and chairs of other Sanding Committees Rangeland Uses & Workings This will include the Rangelands & How They Work and Grazing, Recreation, Wildlife, & Other Uses sections of the overall Rangelands West Hierarchy Members thus far: Mel George (leader) Rex Pieper Jeff Mosley Karen Launchbaugh Plants & Animals Members thus far: Mark Thorne (leader) Brad Schultz Tracy Brewer Karl Launchbaugh Mike Haddock Jennifer Arnold Soil & Water and Climate, Drought & Fire Members thus far: Carla Casler (leader) Kathie Richardson Allison Level Sheila Merrigan Vegetation Management & Restoration Members thus far: Sherm Swanson (leader) Mindy Pratt Walt Fick Rural Communities & Ranch Economics and Planning & Collaboration Members thus far: John Tanaka (leader) John Kawula Jeanne Pfander Eric Mousel Inventory, Monitoring, & Assessment Member thus far: Barb Hutchinson (leader) George Ruyle Roger Banner Norm Harris