Western Colorado High School Teachers Workshop – Range Management Field Day in Oak Creek on July 20th – REGISTER TODAY!
This year we are excited to announce that the Colorado Section of the Society for Range Management (CSSRM) and the SOROCO High School (Oak Creek) Ag Program will be co-hosting a range management field day to generate interest and excitement in implementing rangeland ecology curriculum and FFA Range Judging Career Development Events (CDE’s) in western Colorado! The field day is the result of an action item developed by the CSSRM Youth Activities Committee. The committee recognized the need for increased interest in range management CDE’s and curriculum in agriculture/FFA programs in western Colorado.
The Field Day will take place on Tuesday, July 20th from 9:00am to 3:30pm at SOROCO High School. Coffee and pastries will be provided in the morning as well as lunch for all participants.
We invite Ag teachers, Environmental Science teachers, natural resource professionals, ranchers, and landowners to come learn the history and application of rangeland ecology and how to engage high school aged students in the field of range management.
Attendants can expect to leave the workshop with:
- An understanding of the significance of well managed rangelands and the benefits to humans that come from healthy rangeland ecosystems
- An understanding of how to facilitate FFA Range Judging Career Development Events (CDE’s) and lead 4-H clubs in rangeland science primarily through the use of the Range and Pasture Management guide developed by CSU Vocational Agriculture Education program
- Familiarization with plant structure and responses to grazing
- Basic plant identification for western Colorado plants and practice pressing and mounting specimen; participants will take home Riker mounts that they create to begin their collection
- Understanding range sites/Ecological Site Descriptions (ESD’s) and how the fit into rangeland ecology and management
- Practice in conducting FFA range judging and plant identification CDE’s
For more information or to register, please contact Baili Foster (NRCS, Steamboat Springs) Baili.foster@usda.gov or Jay Whaley (SOROCO High School, Oak Creek) Jwhaley@southrouttk12.org.
Pre-registration is required by July 13th.
State and local social distancing protocols will be encouraged.
