Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

WERA-1081 Objectives

1. Coordinate activities of land grant university scientists and federal land management agencies related to maintaining and enhancing the social-ecological resilience of rangelands.
2. Exchange information of current and future research activities related to social, economic, and ecological aspects of integrated rangeland management.
3. Investigate the ecological, social, and economic values of ecosystem services from rangeland ecosystem restoration
4. Investigate social ecological linkages of rural communities and economies on rangelands.
5. Provide information on social-ecological resilience to appropriate audiences.

Brief summary of minutes of annual meeting:

Nov. 2:  Dr. Brandon Bestelmeyer at the Jornada Experimental Range has led  the WERA-1018 group on a tour of the Jornada Experimental Range.  We learned about vegetation change and resilience/STMs and restoration, the Criollo cattle program and livestock adaptations to aridity, and collaborative/translational science. 

Nov. 3:  State reports were given and we discussed the need to either rewrite 1018 or form a new group with broader participation.  This group has become rather small. We reviewed the attached report on NIFA activities. Urs Krueter gave a presentation about a new Joint Fire Science Program grant to study, "Fighting Wildfire with Prescribed Burning in the Southern Great Plains: Social and Regulatory Barriers and Facilitators.” Others talked about the sage-grouse related work they were doing.

We discussed current sage-grouse efforts within the committee and considered proposing a W (research) committee surrounding this large scale, innovative conservation project.  Wulfhorst, Rimbey, and Lewin have submitted proposals to NIFA on the sage grouse topic. Maczo and Tanaka reported on the possibility of some NRCS funding going to the Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable for related work. Tanaka and others discussed the work of W506, “Using Science-Based Solutions in Conservation of Threatened and Endangered Species: Sage-Grouse Case Study. After a long discussion we agreed that we would pursue either a new committee, a revision of this committee, or joining with another committee.

The meeting helped to coordinate activities of land grant university scientists and federal land management agencies related to maintaining and enhancing the social-ecological resilience of rangelands. The potential listing of Sage Grouse as an endangered species is of widespread concern to ranchers, range professionals, and environmentalists, and collaborative approaches are sought.  WERA 1081 has produced data valuable to assessing the impacts of alternate scenarios for enhancing sagebrush habitat while fostering ecosystem and range industry sustainability.  WERA has provided an opportunity for information exchange and regional assessments of economic and policy impacts on a regional scale. Member research has contributed to helping understand the impacts of wind energy, water policy, mineral resource development, wild horse management, and utility provision, among other things, on the sustainability and resilience of social ecological systems on western rangelands.

The group maintains a commitment to consistent productivity in academic and outreach publications, partly through exchange of information on current and future research activities related to social, economic, and ecological aspects of integrated rangeland management. The group has provided information on social-ecological resilience to a spectrum of audiences and members have served on numerous panels, boards, and committees targeting rangeland sustainability issues. Wulfhorst, Rimbey, and Lewin have submitted proposals to NIFA on the sage grouse topic. Maczo and Tanaka reported on the possibility of some NRCS funding going to the Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable for related work. Tanaka and others discussed the work of W506, “Using Science-Based Solutions in Conservation of Threatened and Endangered Species: Sage-Grouse Case Study. State reports include related activities.

 In terms of milestones, this project is coming to the end of this cycle. Members will need to consider whether or not to continue this project or create new ones.  On thought is to join with WDC 40.

Bentley Brymer, A., J. Holbrook, R. Nieymeyer, A. Suazo, J.D. Wulfhorst, K. Vierling, B. Newingham, T. Link, and J. Rachlow. 2016.  A social-ecological impact assessment for public lands management:  application of a conceptual and methodological framework.  Ecology & Society 21(3):9. http://dx.doi.org/10.5751/ES-08569-210309.

Louis Berger.  2015.  Technical Memorandum: Economic Impact Analysis of Oil and Operations Literature Review – Final.  Submitted to U.S. Bureau of Land Management, National Operations Center, Denver Colorado.

Louis Berger and Pinyon Environmental Inc.  2016.  Methods Technical Report: Oil and Gas Economic Impact Analysis – Final.  Submitted to U.S. Bureau of Land Management, National Operations Center, Denver Colorado.

Louis Berger and Pinyon Environmental Inc.  2016.  Desk Guide: Oil and Gas Economic Impact Analysis – Final.  Submitted to U.S. Bureau of Land Management, National Operations Center, Denver Colorado.

Brunson, M.W., Huntsinger, L., Kreuter, U., Ritten, J. 2016. Usable socio-economic science for rangelands.  2016.  Rangelands 38(2): 85-89.

Davies, K., Gearhart, A., Vavra, M., Schultz, B.W., Rimbey, N. 2016. Longer term rest from grazing: A response to Jones & Carter. J. of Rangeland Applications. 3: 9-15. Available online at:  http://journals.lib.uidaho.edu/index.php/jra/article/view/23

Foulke, Thomas and David T. Taylor (UW contributing authors). A Concise guide to Wyoming Coal: 2016. The Wyoming Coal Information Committee of the Wyoming Mining Association. Cheyenne, Wyoming. August, 2016.

French, T., L. Livingston, B. Hall, L. Grosskopf, and J. Tilden.  2016.  A Park County Profile: Socioeconomics. Collaborative support from University of Wyoming Extension, Wyoming Department of Administration & Information, and Wyoming County Commissioners Association.   http://wyo-wcca.org/files/2014/6481/9603/Park2016_20Apr16.pdf.

Godby, R., D. Taylor, and R. Coupal.  2016.  An Assessment of Wyoming’s Competitiveness to Attract New Wind Development and the Potential Impact Such Development May Bring the State-Summary Report.  Center for Energy Economics and Public Policy, Department of Economics and Finance, University of Wyoming.

Godby, R., D. Taylor, and R. Coupal.  2016.  An Assessment of Wyoming’s Competitiveness to Attract New Wind Development and the Potential Impact Such Development May Bring the State.  Center for Energy Economics and Public Policy, Department of Economics and Finance, University of Wyoming.

Huntsinger, L. 2016. Stewarding rangeland landscapes: building social capital to restore natural capital. 2016. In: I. Casasús and G. Lombardi (eds), Mountain pastures and livestock farming facing uncertainty: environmental, technical, and socio-economic challenges. Series A: Mediterranean Seminars, 116: 315-327. Proceedings FAO-CIHEAM Mountain Pastures Network, Zaragosa, Spain, June 2016. ISBN: 2-85352-559-7.

Huntsinger, L. The tragedy of the common narrative: Re-telling degradation in the American West. In:  Behnke, R.H. and Mortimore, M. (eds) The end of Desertification?: Disputing environmental change in the drylands Berlin: Springer Earth Systems Sciences, Springer-Verlag.  ISBN 978-3-642-16013-4 ISBN 978-3-642-16014-1 (eBook); DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-16014-1

Huntsinger, L., Plieninger, T., Pullido, F., Starrs, Paul. 2016.  Re: Eletter in response to Naudt’s et al. Europe’s forest management did not mitigate climate warming. Sceince 352(6273): 597-600.  March 2, 2016. [http://science.sciencemag.org/content/351/6273/597.e-letters]

Jiménez, M.N., Fernández-Ondoño, E. , Ángeles Ripoll, M., Castro-Rodríguez, J.,  Huntsinger, L., Navarro, F.B. 2016. Stones and organic mulches improve Quercus ilex l. afforestation success under Mediterranean climatic conditions. Land Degrad. Develop. 27: 357–365.

Lewin, P., S. Jensen, N. Rimbey, and J.D. Wulfhorst.  2016. “Core- and periphery-community dynamics on the range:  A replicated socio-economic assessment in southwestern Idaho”  Presentation at the 55^th annual meeting of the Western Regional Science Association 55th Annual Meeting, Big Island, Hawaii (WERA-1018 Paper Session).

Li, W.J., S. Talinbayi , L. Huntsinger^. 2016. Comparing transhumance in Xinjiang, China and California, USA. In: I. Casasús and G. Lombardi (eds), Mountain pastures and livestock farming facing uncertainty: environmental, technical, and socio-economic challenges. Series A: Mediterranean Seminars, 116: 69-75. Proceedings FAO-CIHEAM Mountain Pastures Network, Zaragosa, Spain, June 2016. ISBN: 2-85352-559-7.

Roche, Leslie M.; Schohr, Tracy K.; Derner, Justin D.; et al.2015.   Sustaining Working Rangelands: Insights from Rancher Decision Making.  Rangeland Ecology and Management 68 (5):383-389.

Salaghe, Florina and Thomas R. Harris. “Nevada Ranchers Attitudes toward the Trichomoniasis Vaccine’. 58^th Annual Conference Western Social science Association, Reno, Nevada, April 2016.

Stoellinger, T. and D. Taylor.  2016.  A Report on the Economic Impact to Wyoming’s Economy From a Potential Listing of the Sage Grouse.  For the Office of Governor Matthew Mead.  University of Wyoming College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, College of Law, and Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources.

Stoellinger, T. and D. Taylor.  2016.  A Report on the Economic Impact to Wyoming’s Economy From a Potential Listing of the Sage Grouse. Wyoming Law Review (accepted).

Taylor, D. and T. Foulke.  2016.  BLM Colorado River District Baseline Socio-economic Report.  Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, University of Wyoming (under review).

Taylor, D. and B. Feuz. 2016.  Economic Importance of Sheep Production in Uinta County, WY.  For Uinta County Commissioners.  Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, University of Wyoming.

Thompson, D., T. Becker, L. Allen, R. Price, and A. Clifford.  2015. A Fremont County Profile: Socioeconomics.  Collaborative support from University of Wyoming Extension, Wyoming Department of Administration & Information, and Wyoming County Commissioners Association.  http://wyo-wcca.org/~wcca/files/4414/4441/8462/Fremont2015_final.pdf

Taylor, D. and T. Foulke.  2016.  Sublette County Related Hunting and Fishing Spending,2015.  2016.  For Wyoming Wildlife Federation.  Department of Agriculture and Applied Economics, University of Wyoming (accepted).

Taylor, D. and T. Foulke.  2016.  Johnson County Related Hunting and Fishing Spending,2015.  2016.  For Wyoming Wildlife Federation.  Department of Agriculture and Applied Economics, University of Wyoming (accepted).

Taylor, D. and T. Foulke.  2016.  Sweetwater County Related Hunting and Fishing Spending,2015.  2016.  For Sweetwater County Commissioners.  Department of Agriculture and Applied Economics, University of Wyoming.

Wulfhorst, J.D., N. Rimbey, S. Jensen, and P. Lewin. 2016. Social and Community Assessment for Owyhee County. College of Agricultural & Life Sciences, Moscow, ID (November).