Overview

What is RSS? |

Approximately 50 percent of the earth's terrestrial surface is classified as rangeland and grassland. Rangeland and grassland ecosystems in the United States provide forage for livestock and native herbivores, habitat for native flora and fauna, watersheds for rural agriculture and urban uses, ecosystem goods and services (e.g. biodiversity, carbon sequestration), open areas for recreation, renewable and nonrenewable energy sources, invasion sites for exotic species, and biogeochemical systems that globally interact with other terrestrial and atmospheric systems. CSREES seeks to ensure the sustainability of these resources.

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In Focus

• The Opportunities and Challenges in Agricultural Water Reuse report addresses recycled water issues as part of the REE Agricultural Water Security Initiative.
• CSREES chairs federal government Interagency Working Group for Grazinglands, a comprehensive initiative to improve agency cooperation and program effectiveness.
• Several multistate research projects address rangelands and grasslands issues.
• CSREES requested Renewable Resources Extension Act-National Focus Fund projects to develop eXtension Communities of Practice and projects to be replicated.
• CSREES funds research projects on rangelands and grasslands resource management and sustainability.
• CSREES requested research and extension projects to improve grazingland watershed health and help evaluate impacts of conservation projects and programs.


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Partnerships

• CSREES fiscally supports the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative, which focuses on heightened ecological and economic awareness of grazing lands.
• The ECOP Forestry and Natural Resources Task Force supports the Renewable Resources Extension Act (RREA), a formula-funded program administered by CSREES.
• CSREES participates in the Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable (SSR), a national effort to coordinate and enhance rangeland management.


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Events

• Future of Prescribed Fire: Public Awareness, Health and Safety, Tall Timbers 24th Annual Fire Ecology Conference, Tallahassee, FL, January 11-15, 2009.
• Merging Trails: Culture, Science and Innovation, 62nd Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management, Albuquerque, NM, February, 8-12, 2009.
• Rangeland IX International Congress 2011, Rosario, Argentina, April 5-10, 2011.


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Selected Results and Impacts

• CSREES helped fund the 2008 International Rangeland Congress and International Grassland Congress, Huhhot, Inner Mongolia, and produce the event's proceedings.
• CSREES funds sponsored the 2008 American Forage and Grassland Council Emerging Scientist Competition and the publishing of participant research presentations.
• CSREES funds help Oklahoma State University researchers develop new management techniques to decrease wheat production risks and maximize total farm income.


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Resources

• The Forage Leader, 2008 Summer Issue. American Forage and Grassland Council issue sponsored by CSREES.
• New Roles. ANGUS Journal article on retooling the CSREES rangelands and grasslands national program.
• Which Direction is Forward: Perspectives on Rangeland Science Curricula. Peer-reviewed article in Rangelands.


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Contacts

James P Dobrowolski