Rangeland Symposium

 Natural resource stewardship is one area of focus for rangeland managers, landowners, conservationists, and federal, state and private agencies. This Wednesday the "Congress on Western Rangelands" will bring together groups interested in the most innovative strategies to manage western working landscapes in the midst of controversy. 

The program is designed to help participants learn about the conditions and policies that influence western rangeland conservation and management from a multitude of perspectives. One objective is to explore some of the biggest contemporary challenges to managing rangelands, such as the pattern of litigation and appeal processes involved with federal grazing permits. These public land lawsuits can delay and prevent the implementation of actions which are expressly designed to enhance environmental conditions on rangelands.

 OK. All that said, we all know there’s more than a little tension concerning this issue between cattlemen, outdoor enthusiasts, loggers and all kinds of non-profit legal groups representing the environment. Does this upcoming conference sound like a mix between a gasoline and matches? Here’s Kelly Crane, University of Idaho rangeland extension specialist: “If people think we’re coming in with guns a’blazin’ they won’t participate. I want people to see that we’re out there trying to do the right thing and manage resources sustainably.”

 That sounds like the right approach for sure. Let’s everybody take a chill pill and approach this potentially volatile subject with an open mind.