SAES-422 Multistate Research Activity Accomplishments Report

Sections

Basic Information
Additional Info

Status: Approved

Basic Information

Project No. and Title: WERA1018 : The Social-Ecological Resilience of Rangelands in Working Landscapes
Period Covered: 10/01/2015 to 09/30/2016
Date of Report: 08/23/2016
Annual Meeting Dates: 02/14/2016 to 02/18/2016

Paul Lewin, University of Idaho Tex Taylor, University of Wyoming John Ritten, University of Wyoming Kristie Maczko, University of Wyoming Tom Foulke, University of Wyoming (Chair) Julie Pierce, Bureau of Land Management (Salt Lake City) Deevon Bailey, Utah State University (Advisor)

Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

The meeting commenced at 10:30am on Tuesday, 16 February 2016, in Kona Room 4 at the Hilton Waikoloa Village in Kona, Hawaii. WERA-1018 met here in conjunction with the Western Regional Science Association meeting; meeting space was provided free of charge. Requirements for state reports was discussed by Dr. Bailey, who attended in an advisory capacity, in place of Don Snyder.

Brief reports for Idaho, Wyoming, and Bureau of Land Management were presented to the committee. Updates from the Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable were also shared as part of the Wyoming report. Discussion of these projects and the progress continued for some time.

Paul Lewin (Idaho) raised the idea of pursuing a research proposal through the AFRI program to evaluate regional economic impacts of sage grouse. Project elements potentially included state-level comparisons between Oregon and Idaho, mitigation strategies, interactions of sage grouse and wildlife, sociological effects of sage grouse and how communities respond (socially and economically) to sage grouse protection. The grant is up to $500,000.00, and must be submitted this Spring.

Julie continued her discussion, begun at our 2015 meeting, of research needs for the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, which is administered by the Bureau of Land Management. Other aspects of the business meeting focused on a need to review the current WERA 1018 objectives. The group must submit a new proposal by January 2017. Possible ideas for incorporation included sage grouse, and impacts on rural communities and rangelands. It is likely that John Tanaka will take over as the administrative advisor when Don Snyder retires. Potential new members were also brainstormed, and current members will continue to try to identify participants to invite.

We wrapped up the meeting with a discussion of location and timing for the 2017 WERA-1018 meeting. Idaho and Wyoming were the two top location choices, with options in Boise, Sun Valley/Ketchum, Jackson Hole and Cody (Note: this was later changed to Las Cruces, NM). Timing is proposed in late October/early November. The 2016 business meeting adjourned at 12:00pm.

The second component of the WERA1018 meeting was a series of presentations, given as an organized oral session during the Western Regional Science Association meeting. The session was organized and moderated by Tom Foulke. There was also discussion of an extension publication to be assembled, containing the various papers submitted at the WRSA conference.

Accomplishments

The group delivered an organized symposium at the Western Regional Science Association annual meeting. Presented papers were

A simplified history of grazing economics within the Bureau of Land Management, Julie A. SUHR PIERCE, U.S. Bureau Land Management, USA, Neil RIMBEY, Univ. Idaho, Moscow, USA, David T. TAYLOR, Univ. Wyoming, Laramie, USA, John TANAKA, Univ. Wyoming, Laramie, USA Discussant: Paul LEWIN, Univ. Idaho, Moscow, USA

A social and economic survey of public land ranchers, Kristie MACZKO, Univ. Wyoming, Laramie, USA, Brianne LIND, Univ. Wyoming, Laramie, USA, John TANAKA, Univ. Wyoming, Laramie, USA
Discussant: Julie A. SUHR PIERCE, U.S. Bureau Land Management, USA

Core- and periphery-community dynamics on the range: A replicated socioeconomic assessment in southwestern Idaho, Paul LEWIN, Univ. Idaho, Moscow, USA, Scott JENSEN, Univ. Idaho, Moscow, USA, Neil RIMBEY, Univ. Idaho, Moscow, USA, J.D. WULFHORST, Univ. Idaho, Moscow, USA Discussant: David T. TAYLOR, Univ. Wyoming, Laramie, USA

Economic impacts of sage grouse management in Wyoming: The 9-Plan, David T. TAYLOR, Univ. Wyoming, Laramie, USA, Thomas K. FOULKE, Univ. Wyoming, Laramie, USA
Discussant: John RITTEN, Univ. Wyoming, Laramie, USA

Management implications of increasing seasonal precipitation and source of supplemental funds on SE Wyoming cattle producers John RITTEN, Univ. Wyoming, Laramie, USA, Tucker HAMILTON, Univ. Wyoming, Laramie, USA, Christopher BASTIAN, Univ. Wyoming, Laramie, USA, Justin DERNER, United States Dept. Agriculture, USA, John TANAKA, Univ. Wyoming, Laramie, USA
Discussant: Kristie MACZKO, Univ. Wyoming, Laramie, USA

Additionally, the group is exploring grant submissions on topics of mutual interest. Two ideas were discussed: economic impacts of sage-grouse management and research needs for the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

Impacts

Obtained an NRCS grant ($490K) to estimate economic impact of sage-grouse management alternatives on ranches of different sizes.
Increased knowledge of Western Regional Science Association members on economic issues relevant to western rangelands.
Identified economic and social impacts of public land management on a rural economy in Idaho.
Worked with key stakeholders to define priority management areas for juniper control for wildland fire mitigation and sage-grouse habitat enhancement.
Improved knowledge of how agriculture contributes to improved wildlife habitat in California.
Determination of economic impacts on ranchers from diseases and management options.
Provided input to the Department of Labor that affected the implementation of new rules for H2A visas for sheepherders.
Working with Wyoming county commissioners to develop a template for county socioeconomic profiles.
Evaluating the economic impact of energy development in Wyoming with a variety of stakeholders.
Identifying economic aspects of managing for rangeland soil health.
Conducting a survey focused on motivations of conservation program participants.

Publications

Rimbey, Neil R., Tanaka, John A., Torell, L. Allen. 2015. Economic considerations of livestock grazing on public lands in the United States of America. Animal Frontiers Vol. 5, No. 4:32-35.

Wulfhorst, J.D., N. Rimbey, S. Jensen, P. Lewin. 2016. Social and Community Assessment for Owyhee County, Idaho. Department of Ag. Econ. and Rural Soc. AEE #16-xx. May. 2016. Forthcoming.

Spiegal, S., L. Huntsinger, P. Hopkinson, and J.W. Bartolome. 2016. Range ecosystems. In: H. Mooney and E. Zavaleta [eds]. Ecosystems of California. Berkeley, CA, USA: University of California Press. ISBN: 9780520278806

Huang, W., B. Bruemmer, and L. Huntsinger 2016. Incorporating measures of grassland productivity into efficiency estimates for livestock grazing on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in China. Ecological Economics 122:1-11.

Bartolome, James W.; Huntsinger, Lynn. 2015. Oak policy and management in California: Spanish origins and future considerations. In: Standiford, Richard B.; Purcell, Kathryn L., tech. cords. Proceedings of the seventh California oak symposium: managing oak woodlands in a dynamic world. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-251. Berkeley, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station: 49-58. http://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/49913

Maczko, Kristie, Diane Stott, Dennis Chessman, Jennifer Moore-Kucera, and Bianca Moebius-Clune. Managing Soil Health for Productivity and Profit. Directions Magazine. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Spring 2016.

Maczko, Kristie, Lori Hidinger, John Tanaka, and Chad Ellis. 2016. A Workshop on Future Directions of Usable Science for Rangeland Sustainability. Rangelands 38:53-63.

Tanaka, John, Kristie Maczko, Lori Hidinger, and Chad Ellis. 2016. Usable Science for Sustainable Rangelands: Conclusion. Rangelands 38: 90-95

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