The 2024 Nebraska Range Short Course is teaming up with the Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition (NGLC) Grazing School on June 25 – 27, 2024 at the Spring Lake Ranch south of Gordon, Nebraska to host an event that will give individuals an opportunity to increase their skills with grazing, rangeland management, and livestock production.
The three-day, in-person course will be taught through classroom and field sessions focused on the underlying principles of grazing and rangeland management. “The goal of this event is to provide up-to-date, applicable information and training for the efficient and sustainable use of rangelands for livestock production and multiple ecosystem services,” said Mitch Stephenson, associate professor and range management specialist with the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.
Course topics include setting appropriate stocking rates, improving grazing returns, rangeland inventory and monitoring, grazing for healthier soils, managing for diversity, and plant identification.
“The Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition is excited to partner with Nebraska Extension to bring the summer Grazing School and the Range Short Course together in an event for livestock producers, agency representatives, and anyone interested in improving grazing lands,” said Leah Peterson, executive director of the NGLC. “Healthy grazing lands are essential to all, and this opportunity to improve upon those practices is packaged into a hands-on learning experience in the Nebraska Sandhills.”
Presenters include Bart Carmichael and Pat Guptill of Principled Land Management, LLC, ranchers who have been using diverse grazing management strategies for soil health, NRCS specialists, and Nebraska Extension rangeland specialists.
“A healthy ecosystem benefits livestock, the environment, wildlife, and ultimately, producers’ bottom lines,” Stephenson said. “In this course, we’ll use research and experiences from skilled grazing managers to show that.”
Registration is $200 and includes monitoring tools, meals, and interactive class materials.
The short course can be taken for university credit, which is an additional cost. Applications are due June 1 and enrollment is limited. For more information contact Leah Peterson (director@nebraskagrazinglands.org) or Mitch Stephenson (mstephenson@unl.edu). Visit the Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition website (nebraskagrazinglands.org/Events) to enroll in this event.