by Brian Mealor
Millions of acres of western rangelands are negatively impacted by invasive species, and cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) is one of the most widespread. Its ability to alter species composition and ecological functions negatively impacts habitat quality for livestock and wildlife alike. Hundreds of research papers have been published on its ecology and management, yet land managers in Wyoming and around the West are still uncertain of the most effective, cost-efficient methods to restore cheatgrass-dominated systems to a higher-functioning status.
Do you have ideas for restoring a cheatgrass-dominated pasture into a more productive, diverse plant community? Consider entering a team into the Wyoming Restoration Challenge 2015!
The University of Wyoming, along with partner organizations, is accepting entries for (up to) 4-person teams to compete in the first ever rangeland restoration challenge. Each team will be assigned a plot of land at the University of Wyoming James C. Hageman Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension Center near Lingle, Wyoming. Pre-competition vegetation and soils data will be collected to establish a baseline of ecological condition of each plot. Each team will develop and implement a restoration plan to meet the land management goals clearly specified for the site.
The performance of all teams will be evaluated by a panel of non-biased agricultural and natural resources professionals.
For more specific information on the competition itself, please visit the guidelines page.
TO REGISTER GO TO: http://RestoreWY2015.eventbrite.com/
Please register by March 6, 2015
Source: Weed Control Freaks
Posted by Jami Howell
