2009 SRM Watershed-Riparian Committee Meeting Notes
Albuquerque, NM – February 8, 2009
1. Introductions/Chairs:Steve Smith, 2009 Chair, began the meeting with introductions and passed around the agenda and a sign-up sheet for updating the e-mail list. Ken Crane is Chair-Elect for 2010, and Lou Hagener is the Chair-Elect for 2011. Marilynn Hirsch and Susan Holtzman took meeting notes.
2. Webpage: The committee webpage is in the standard format but updates are needed for the activities accomplished and planned, as well as the committee member list. If anyone has other pictures they would like to see posted, please send them to the Committee Chair for consideration. A link to a riparian literature synthesis was also suggested.
Action:Susan will update the activities and member list portions and send to Ann Tanaka (webmaster) to be placed on the website. She will also make additionsto the Committee Handbook regarding meeting room arrangements and the committee binder and resubmit it also.
3.EcologicalSite Descriptions (ESDs) for Riparian Areas and Riparian Grazing (Technical Reference 1737-20) Forums: These WRC activities will be all day Thursday – plan to attend. NRCS is moving forward on development of riparian ESD’s and not just incorporating riparian into uplands. The current effort concentrates on lotic systems and will eventually address lentic systems too. This is a complicated process and the forum should generate a lot of questions and discussion. For example, should riparian areas be separate mapping units – data should be available next year to support this. How many data points would be needed? NRCS wants to be methodical and congruent as they go forward with mapping designations. There is also the question of who posts the descriptions. Previous ESD development efforts have been posted on the Jornada Experimental Station website but may also be put on an NRCS site. While the NRCS is the principal entity in the riparian ESD development process, BLM, FS and NRCS have a national MOU regarding working together in developing ESD’s in a consistent manner but the interagency interaction is an evolving process. The committee also discussed the possibility of doing additional forums to keep people apprised as the process evolves and to let the Board know that it is a committee priority topic. NRCS may be publishing a technical report this next spring.
Action:Tamzen Stringham will check with Jeff Repp (NRCS) about website and information management decisions for the riparian ESD effort.
4. High School Youth Forum Workshop: This year’s workshop is from 8:00am to 9:00am on Wednesday morning (the night after the dance). Janice Staats has committee members Jimmy Eisner and Sherm Swanson instructing. There will also be a post workshop learning evaluation. Janice is also judging high school youth papers and Carol Engle will spend the day with the HSYF when they go on their field trip. In the future, more advanced notification to committee members is needed in order to have adequate time to prepare.
Action: Put an article in Member News relative to committee support to HSYF and send a note to HSFY Leader around Sept/Oct in regards to workshop interest. No assignments made on these two tasks.
5. WRC Committee Binder: Jimmy Eisner still has this. Tamzen had some students organize it several years ago but it needs to be updated with current meeting agendas and notes, etc. Handling of the binder also needs to be added to the Committee Handbook.
Action: Jimmy is to mail the binder to Susan to update and she will send to the current Chair. Susan will add the binder section to the Committee Handbook.
6. University Watershed/Riparian Expertise Issue: The discussion during last year’s meeting had to do with the need to emphasize riparian and watershed expertise more strongly in university coursework. Currently, OPM criteria for the 454 series (Rangeland Management Specialist),does not require riparian coursework which affects university curriculum. It was suggested that it may be difficult to establish a separate riparian course in the curriculum but that riparian should be taught in other courses. Also discussed was the need for continuing education after graduation and the consequences that arise from lack of this expertise. At that time, Joel Brown suggested that members of the WRC write an article for Rangelands regarding the need for getting university graduates better trained in riparian coursework.
The discussion continued and both Tamzen and Derek said that they are being proactive relative to riparian within their courses and that universities were looking more now at outcomes. There was some comment about on-line emphasis and the need for availability for students, producers and others. It was stated that universities need to change their formats; students and faculty are behind the times; range as a discipline needs to be incorporating riparian management into its curriculum. This is an OPM issue and one suggestion was to send a committee representative to the Range Science Education Council meeting to be a voice for these issues. The WRC could take a motion to them regarding watershed and riparian requirements and to find out what it would take to get these incorporated. This committee could be a catalyst to illustrate to universities the importance of riparian expertise. Another comment was made to change the focus of the WRC to bring this issue to the forefront and to elevate its importance. It was acknowledged that agencies also have a role in riparian and the development of 454 requirements. The WRC could play a role in helping people realize that now is the time for riparian to be mainstreamed into universities. There are two key places: 1) accreditation – universities must have them, and 2) OPM – core requirements for agencies.
Action: Sherm will look into the OPM requirements and the process to change those. This would involve discussions with the agency liaisons who are working with universities, the SRM Accreditation Committee and the Range ScienceEducation Council. Tamzen will speak about this with Karen Launchbaugh. Susan will look into the BLM’s most recent effort at examining 454 position descriptions.
7. WRC Student Recruitment–In the past, Cindy McArthur made contacts with a number of universities and several students did attend the WRC meeting. We talked about the fact that students are very busy at these meetings and are not in the mindset for committee work and that teachers have been lax in getting them involved. A suggestion was made to give an invitation at the young people and student conclaves – have a committee representative do this in person; however, this has not worked in the past. At the same time invitations are being made to universityRange Clubs, the message about riparian coursework could be woven in. Advisors could make it a requirement. It could also be placed on the webpage for on-the-spot hiring. Committee chairs could attend the student luncheons to talk about participation.
Action: Tamzen will contact the university Range Club advisors relative to getting students to participate with the WRC next year.
8. Riparian Grasses Field Guide (Dr. Quentin Skinner): Work is continuing on a new riparian grasses field guide. Currently, the ecological descriptions are being written for the species included. Funding for completion is still uncertain; however, Quentin is asking the WRC for any support that may be needed in subsequent stages. Quentin is also completing a book of Wyoming grasses similar to the one done for Nevada. The direction for this type of information is to eventually have all of this on the web.
Action: No action at this time.
9. Rick Orr – Board of Directors Report:
SRM Annual Meetings–The next meetings are 2010 Denver, 2011 Billings, and 2012 Spokane. The Advisory Council is looking for a location for 2013 with some discussion on the pros and cons of joint meetings with AFGC.
Continuing Education/Professional Development (CEPD) – The Deserts Conference was very successful; there are products to post and give to legislators and $60,000 revenue generated with 27 sponsors and good participation from outside SRM. There will soon be a call for proposals for additional CEPD activities. The Board is encouraging committees to work with sponsors/sections to do CEPD functions as they are good for education and good for revenue and help offset other SRM expenses. The Denver office can provide support in the form of seed money.
SRM Board of Directors – The Board has monthly conference calls and occasional meetings. They also visit WashingtonDCeach year to coordinate with other organizations and agencies to foster understanding of the SRM mission and services and the expertise available. There is increased participation of BLM and Forest Service due to agency liaisons and the NRCS is considering refilling their position. SRM cannot lobby but can take a position on issues and make that available
SRM Publications – Rangeland Ecology and Management is self-sustaining but Rangelands is operating at a loss. Ed Fredrickson is staying on as editor of Rangelands and plans to work with sponsors to keep issues topical. There will be an invited author in each issue; an expert synthesis.
Committees – Committee are working more online. There still needs to be more committee integration/interaction and webpages need to be kept current. He asked that the committee report be turned in by Tuesday morning.
Action: Steve will leave 12 copies of a one-page synopsis of the committee meeting and any activities that need to be submitted to the WRC Board Rep by Tuesday morning this week.
10. Meeting WRC Symposia/Workshops – The planning committee will schedule fewer symposia and more workshops so the WRC will probably do another ‘forum’ or a workshop.
Riparian ESD Development (continued) – Will there be enough information to present for an update in the process at the 2010 meeting in Denver? The WRC supports the idea of keeping people apprised of this body of work as it progresses. Tamzen relayed some of the history and difficulty with this effort and just the struggle in definition let alone application. It would be constructive to include a discussion forum where issues of difficulty and necessity could be examined. This would probably be a workshop with application content as opposed to a technical session focusing more on presenting information, but it could be both. Audience input is important in the process and these forums can foster additional interest and participation.
Action: Tamzen will get back with the WRC after checking with the people who would be putting on the workshop.
Lentic Workshop – The WRC recognizes lentic resources as an emerging area of interest and the need for people to learn more about them. Lou Hagener agreed to lead formation of a subcommittee to put together a workshop for the 2011 meeting in Billings. There are a number of people with lentic expertise who can help plan and deliver this activity.
Action: Lou will canvass the committee for the names of people with lentic expertise, workshop content ideas and workshop subcommittee participants.
Riparian Plants – Quentin mentioned the idea of having a workshop on riparian plants including identification and ecological significance of various species. It was also suggested to somehow weave this into a management workshop.
Action: No action at this time.
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