Educating For The Future Of Our Rangelands

1. Educating For The Future Of Our Rangelands Jessica Davis Montana State University ABSTRACT An education program will be developed as a component of a middle school science class curriculum and can be easily adapted for a number of age groups. It will enhance the understanding that properly managed livestock grazing can lead to conservation of natural resources. • The dominant use of rangeland in most of the world is for • basic food and fiber production with minimal carbon • emission. Most of the worlds domestic cattle, sheep, goats • and horses, etc. spend a large part of their lives on • rangeland providing for a low cost, energy efficient means • of converting plant material into valuable products for • human use (USDA Joint Council –Rangelands) . SUPPORTING MATERIAL FOR LECTURE TOPICS Describe the grazing effects on plant communities. SAMPLE LECTURETOPICS APPLICATION IN THE CLASSROOM • EDUCATION GOALS • After completing this curriculum students will: • Recognize how rangelands can help to efficiently produce food and fiber with limited carbon emissions. • Identify the difference between conservation and preservation. • Explain the response that grazing has on natural vegetation and soil processes. • Be able to list reasons why plants have different responses to grazing in a natural system. • Explain the benefits and consequences that livestock grazing has on rangelands. • Describe the importance of a managed grazing system. INTRODUCTION Rangelands provide a way for plant materials to be used to produce food and fiber for human consumption with few inputs. As the world’s population continues to grow, it is important that we utilize natural resources sustainably. The general public is not familiar with the benefits grazing on rangelands can provide for both societal needs and values. It is important that we start the education process with our future, the young individuals that will be making the policy and management decisions determining the future of our rangelands and communities. The goal of range management is to harvest the forage resource in such a manner as to keep the impacts consistent with sustaining the total resource base of rangelands (Blackburn, 1983). Controlled livestock grazing based on scientific principles is compatible with other public rangeland resources, such as water and wildlife, and may be used for enhancement of these resources (Holechek, 1981).  Photos will be used to demonstrate effects of grazing management on different ecosystems. This photo shows a fence line contrast depicting two different grazing management systems. Photo by Idaho Wildlife Federation. How do rangelands provide a way to efficiently produce food and fiber for human consumption? • Grazing is one process that defines ecosystem function • including nutrient cycling, plant community composition • and dynamics of forage production. (Fleischner, 1994) Photo by Cindy Selensky Photo by Cindy Selensky DETERMINATION OF LESSON SUCCESS 1. Divide students into groups and provide them the supplies that they will need to grow twenty Bluebunch Wheatgrass plants.   2.Provide sand, silt, and clay soil.   3. Grow plants with different amounts of water.   4. Once plants have established, have students clip plants at 5-day, 10-day and 15-day increments to simulate different grazing intervals. 5. Have students measure the regrowth of the plants and record their results. 6. After an adequate sample has been taken,ask students to find differences in the plant responses to defoliation. Ask for reasons why the responses were different. If livestock grazing provides both benefits and consequences on rangelands, then how do we balance this interaction? Students will be given a pretest before the lesson and post test to determine the comprehension of material that was presented. The results of the tests could be used as a tool to further develop and change the lesson plan. Literature Cited: Fleischner, Thomas. 1994. Ecological Costs Of Livestock Grazing in Western North America. Conservation Biology. 8: 629-644. Holechek, Jerry L., 1981. Livestock Grazing Impacts on Public Lands: A Viewpoint. J. Range Manage. 34(3): 251-254. Rangeland Resources and Management: A Report to the USDA Joint Council.1985. Rangelands.7(3): 109-111. Conduct an experiment to demonstrate how plants grow differently with different environmental factors (soil types, sunlight,temperature, and moisture). Photo by USDA NRCS