Society for Range Management

Society for Range Management
Name	Society for Range Management
Established	1948
Purpose	Range and grazing management, rangeland science
Headquarters	Fort Collins, Colorado
Membership	professionals, students, land managers

Society for Range Management is a professional organization founded in 1948 focused on rangeland ecology, conservation practice, and grazing stewardship across North America and internationally. It serves land managers, researchers, educators, and policy practitioners who work with grasslands, shrublands, savannas, and desert landscapes, linking applied agronomy techniques with ecological science and natural resource institutions. The society fosters collaboration among members of academic departments, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and private industry to advance sustainable use of rangelands.

History

The society emerged in the post‑World War II era when leaders from the United States Department of Agriculture, University of California, Davis, Colorado State University, Texas A&M University, and Oregon State University convened to address land degradation and forage production. Early figures connected to the movement included personnel from the Bureau of Land Management, the Soil Conservation Service, and researchers associated with the Rocky Mountain Research Station and the Agricultural Research Service. The organization established regional sections and student chapters, collaborating with institutions such as Los Alamos National Laboratory on applied research and coordinating with international partners like Food and Agriculture Organization and International Union for Conservation of Nature on rangeland policy. Over subsequent decades it intersected with programs at the National Park Service, United States Forest Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and universities including University of Wyoming and New Mexico State University to respond to changing challenges such as invasive species, wildfire regimes, and drought.

Mission and Objectives

The society’s mission emphasizes stewardship, applied science, and professional development, aligning with mandates from agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and frameworks developed at conferences such as the International Rangeland Congress. Objectives include promoting best practices for grazing management used in collaborations with Nature Conservancy initiatives, supporting research agendas undertaken at the Smithsonian Institution and regional agricultural experiment stations, and informing policy dialogues among stakeholders including the Western Governors' Association and the Council on Environmental Quality. The organization advances objectives by facilitating knowledge transfer between research conducted at universities like University of Arizona and implementation by land managers affiliated with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and tribal colleges.

Membership and Organization

Membership spans professional categories—scientists, extension specialists, landowners, consultants—and student members linked to departments at institutions such as Montana State University and University of Idaho. The society operates through an elected board much like governance structures at the Ecological Society of America and the American Society of Agronomy, with committees modeled on those in the Society for Conservation Biology. Regional sections coordinate activities paralleling state chapters of the The Wildlife Society and collaborate with commodity groups such as American Forage and Grassland Council. Organizational partnerships include memoranda of understanding with agencies like the United States Geological Survey and engagement with international bodies including Australian Wool Innovation and the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association.

Programs and Activities

Programs encompass continuing education, certification initiatives comparable to those offered by the Certified Crop Adviser program, and annual meetings that mirror formats used by the Society for Ecological Restoration and the Ecological Society of America. The society organizes technical workshops with topics ranging from grazing planning adopted by practitioners in the Great Plains to restoration techniques cited in projects by the National Audubon Society and World Wildlife Fund. Outreach activities include youth engagement modeled after 4‑H and cooperative extension collaborations with institutions like University of California Cooperative Extension and Texas Agricultural Extension Service. International programs have linked the society to exchanges with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and academic networks at University of Pretoria.

Publications and Research

The society publishes peer‑reviewed and practitioner‑oriented materials similar in role to journals such as Journal of Range Management historically and later titles in line with publications from the American Society of Agronomy. Its publications disseminate research on topics investigated at the Rocky Mountain Research Station, data syntheses akin to work by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and case studies from projects funded by entities like the National Science Foundation and Natural Resources Conservation Service. The society supports special issues, technical manuals, and position statements that inform land management decisions at agencies including the United States Forest Service and regional planning bodies such as the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative.

Awards and Recognition

The organization confers awards recognizing achievements in science, education, and management comparable to honors presented by the Society of American Foresters and the American Fisheries Society. Awards celebrate contributions from individuals affiliated with institutions like Oklahoma State University, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, and international collaborators from University of Western Australia. Honors include lifetime achievement recognitions, early career awards, and student scholarships that parallel programs at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and are often supported by corporate partners such as agricultural equipment manufacturers and conservation foundations like the McKnight Foundation.

Category:Conservation organizations Category:Professional societies in the United States