Project Grant 20236801439530

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE GREAT PLAINS REGION IS THE CENTER OF THE NATION'S LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION, BUT ITS SUSTAINABILITY IS THREATENED BY INCREASINGLY FREQUENT AND INTENSE DROUGHTS AND WILDFIRES ASSOCIATED WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, AS WELL AS WOODY PLANT ENCROACHMENT THAT SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES FORAGE PRODUCTION FOR LIVESTOCK. EMERGING RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES SUCH AS PYRIC HERBIVORY (INTEGRATIVE USE OF PRESCRIBED FIRE AND GRAZING) AND MIXED-SPECIES GRAZING (WITH BOTH CATTLE AND GOATS/SHEEP) ARE EFFECTIVE FOR REDUCING THE RISK AND IMPACTS OF DROUGHT, WILDFIRE, AND WOODY PLANT ENCROACHMENT. THESE CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES NOT ONLY CAN PROMOTE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION AND THE REGION'S AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY, BUT ALSO CAN REDUCE THE RISK AND IMPACT OF WILDFIRES TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY AND RESTORE AND SUSTAIN THE MANY RANGELAND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES TO THE PEOPLE OF THE GREAT PLAINS REGION. THE ADOPTION OF PYRIC HERBIVORY AND MIXED-SPECIES GRAZING BY THE RANGELAND MANAGERS, AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING AND POLICY SUPPORT OF THESE CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES, HOWEVER, HAVE BEEN LIMITED AND THERE IS AN URGENT NEED TO INCREASE BOTH.THIS CLIMATE HUB PARTNERSHIP PROJECT WILL BUILD AN INTEGRATED EXTENSION AND EDUCATION PROGRAM AIMING TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT EFFECTIVE, TRANSLATABLE, AND SCALABLE APPROACHES TO PROMOTE ADOPTION AND PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF PYRIC-HERBIVORY AND MULTI-SPECIES GRAZING AS CLIMATE-SMART PRACTICES. BUILDING ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE, RESOURCES AND COLLABORATIVE NETWORK DEVELOPED BY A CURRENT USDA-FUNDED PROJECT (THE PRAIRIE PROJECT) AND STRONG COLLABORATION WITH THE CLIMATE HUBS, THIS PROJECT WILL RECRUIT AND SUPPORT COHORTS OF EDUCATORS, NATURAL RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS, AND PROFESSIONAL MASTER'S STUDENTS TO DEVELOP IMPACTFUL EDUCATIONAL AND OUTREACH RESOURCES, IMPLEMENT THEM IN THEIR OWN CLASSES AND OUTREACH PROGRAMMING TO ENGAGE STUDENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS, AND TRAIN THEIR PEERS TO ENGAGE A GREATER NUMBER OF STUDENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS. THE PROJECT TEAM, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE COHORT MEMBERS, WILL DEVELOP HIGH-IMPACT RESOURCES AND INNOVATE TO ENGAGE LAND MANAGERS AND THE PUBLIC THROUGH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL PROGRAMING AND SOCIAL MEDIA TO PROMOTE THESE CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES.THE PROJECT WILL CULTIVATE A CADRE OF EDUCATORS AND NATURAL RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS AS AGENTS OF CHANGE, DEVELOP A COLLECTION OF INNOVATIVE AND EFFECTIVE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH RESOURCES, AND ENGAGE A LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS, RANGELAND MANAGERS AND THE PUBLIC. THESE EFFORTS WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON PROMOTING THE ADOPTION AND PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF PYRIC HERBIVORY AND MIXED-SPECIES GRAZING AS CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES, WHICH WILL HELP TO SUSTAIN LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION AND RURAL LIVELIHOODS, INCREASE RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE, AND PROVIDE RANGELAND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES TO THE PEOPLE OF THE GREAT PLAINS REGION AND BEYOND. IT WILL PROVIDE AN EFFECTIVE, TRANSLATABLE, AND SCALA,BLE APPROACH TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS OF THE USDA CLIMATE HUBS AND EXTENSION AND EDUCATION.