2016
November 4, 2016
Colleagues and Clients:
I think you will be interested in the following events related to rangeland conservation and grazing management.
1. Central Coast Rangeland Coalition Survey to Define Work Over Next 5 Years (deadline November 9, 2016, 5pm)
The Central Coast Rangeland Coalition (CCRC) asks you to take an online survey to rank topics for the Coalition’s Rancher, Manager, and Scientist Forum on Rangeland Conservation. We will use the results to define the graduate student reviews of the scientific literature on the 5 priority topics and to focus future meetings. The range of topics emerged from interviews of the Forum sponsors and from a 2015 survey of CCRC’s membership. The CCRC and its Forum represent an opportunity for ranchers, managers, and scientists to discuss and learn about pressing issues of management of Central Coast rangelands. These topics often haven’t yet had much scientific research applied, don’t yet have guidelines based on scientific expertise, and would be better understood by discussion. Take the survey at -- https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CCRC_Next_5Years
2. “Knocking Out Noxious Weeds on Rangelands” Workshop Series, November 9 through December 14, 2016
This workshop series will offer significant opportunities to learn about the current science of rangeland pest plant management. The workshops will be held in 5 places throughout our state, and are designed for ranchers, consultants, and land managers. Speakers will cover a wide range of topics from effective strategies, reduced-risk practices while promoting biodiversity, and economic losses caused by pest plants. Get more information and register at -- http://knockoutweeds.com/
3. California Rangeland Conservation Coalition 2017 Summit, January 12-13, 2017
The 2017 Summit of the California Rangeland Conservation Coalition (CRCC) was just announced. Save the dates (January 12-13, 2017), and sign up for e-updates from the CRCC. Registration is not yet available. Get more information at -- http://carangeland.org/2017-summit/
Thank you, Larry
September 1, 2016
Colleagues and Clients:
I think you will be interested in the following events related to rangeland conservation and grazing management:
1. Central Coast Rangeland Coalition, Fall 2016 Meeting, October 20, 2016, Byron, CA
This meeting will provide participants with the most current science-based grazing management strategies that benefit California grassland plants and birds. On conservation properties, ranchers are often asked to check on fields and move cattle much more frequently than they normally would. This significantly increases the time commitment from the rancher and reduces the costeffectiveness of their operation. This meeting will provide ranchers and land management agencies the opportunity to better understand each other’s needs, and come up with management strategies that benefit plants and birds, and that are cost-effective for the rancher. It will be held on Thursday, October 20, 2016, 9:00am – 5:00pm at Vaquero Farms, 15,500 Vasco Road, Byron, CA. For more information, and to pre-register go to -- http://www.elkhornsloughctp.org/training/show_train_detail.php?TRAIN_ID=GrU4V2K
2. California-Pacific Section, Society for Range Management, Fall Meeting, October 26-28, Volcano, Hawaii
The fall meeting of CalPac will return to Hawaii. Events will be on the east side of the Big Island, about 30 miles southwest of Hilo, and at the Kilauea Military Camp (KMC; http://kilaueamilitarycamp.com/) from October 26-28, 2016. For more information, and to register go to -- http://www.rangelands.org/casrm/HTML/whatisnew.html#calpac
3. UC Santa Cruz KS Norris Center for Natural History, Public Open House, Hay Barn, November 12-13, 2016
The theme of this event is “cross-pollination” about the art and science of Santa Cruz insects. It will showcase the artwork of Maryjo Koch and the Randall Morgan Insect Collection. The event will be Saturday and Sunday, November 12 and 13 at UC Santa Cruz’s newly restored Hay Barn near the base of campus. It is hosted by the new Kenneth S. Norris Center for Natural History. As you’ll recall from an earlier email, I helped to establish an endowment to support the Norris Center, in honor of my mentor, Kenneth S. Norris. For me and many others, our career paths into rangeland management began with training in natural history. For more information, go to — https://events.ucsc.edu/event/3815
Thank you, Larry
February 24, 2016
Colleagues and Clients:
I think you will be interested in the following events and news related to rangeland conservation and grazing management:
1. Central Coast Rangeland Coalition, Spring 2016 Meeting, April 21, 2016, Sunol, CA
This gathering will provide an opportunity for local ranchers to describe their commitment and investment as well as the economic realities of managing cattle operations in California. The gathering will include technical experts who will clarify how costs, profits, and revenue need to balance out for an operation to be viable. Also, public land managers will speak to the costs, opportunities, and challenges of supporting ranching operations on public lands. It will be held on Thursday, April 21, 2016, 8:45am – 4:30pm at the San Francisco Public Utility Commission Sunol Yard, 505 Paloma Way, Sunol, CA. For more information, and to pre-register click here (http://www.elkhornsloughctp.org/training/show_train_detail.php?TRAIN_ID=CeU6F8J).
2. Central Coast Rangeland Coalition, Rancher, Manager, and Scientist Forum on Rangeland Conservation
We are very pleased to announce this important part of the CCRC has been funded for a second 5-year period. Our sponsors are the East Bay Regional Park District and The Nature Conservancy of California. Grey Hayes and I will begin planning the topics by interviewing the sponsoring agencies and local ranchers, then selecting graduate student fellows and their faculty sponsors. You may view the graduate student papers here (http://www.elkhornsloughctp.org/training/show_train_detail.php?TRAIN_ID=RaV1HLP).
3. New Publication Series—Understanding Working Rangelands
Sheila Barry, County Director, Santa Clara and Livestock and Natural Resources Advisor, San Francisco Bay Area, is the lead author for the series. Two publications were co-authored by Larry Ford. You can find and download four new peer-reviewed publications in this series at the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources catalog here (http://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/).
4. Devii Rao’s New Blog on Livestock and Natural Resources
Devii Rao, the new Livestock and Natural Resources Farm Advisor for San Benito, Monterey, and Santa Cruz County (and my former apprentice), has a new blog and other sources of info on Central Coast rangelands. She is busy planning her priorities to serve the needs of ranchers, agency managers, and consultants in the region. Check out the blog from the link here (http://cesanbenito.ucanr.edu/livestock/). Thank you, Larry