Progress report for WPDP23-007
Project Information
Rangeland Extension professionals empower agricultural producers with research-based, practical information to improve environmental sustainability while enhancing quality of life and economic viability for ranchers and rural communities. Well-managed rangelands are a key component of sustainable agriculture as they help satisfy human food and fiber needs and contribute to producers’ economic security while also protecting watershed health, providing wildlife habitat, improving water quality, promoting plant diversity, and storing carbon. Rapid advances in communications technology are quickly providing new and valuable opportunities to educate and train sustainable agriculture professionals on innovative approaches for stakeholder outreach and engagement. This two-year project will specifically increase the capacity of rangeland Extension professionals to leverage novel technologies and more effectively reach, educate, and train ranchers and rangeland managers across the Western SARE region. Our interdisciplinary team consists of rangeland Extension professionals at the University of Arizona, University of Hawaii, and University of California, Davis; communications technology experts; The Rangelands Partnership (RP); and livestock producers. Working with our extensive partner networks, we will (1) organize a two-day conference for rangeland Extension professionals with hands-on technology training focused on stakeholder-identified novel technologies in sustainable rangeland management; (2) create a webpage on the RP’s Rangelands Gateway (https://rangelandsgateway.org) to maintain digital content including four quick start guides focused on applying new technologies, conference materials, and additional resources; and (3) develop and deploy web-based courses focused on key technologies identified during the conference. This multi-faceted training program combined with strong outreach will extend learning opportunities and expand the ability of rangeland Extension professionals to share ideas and acquire new knowledge and skills that enhance their capacity to serve stakeholders.
This project will provide multiple professional development opportunities focused on innovative technologies and program delivery approaches that can be used to increase the visibility of sustainable rangeland principles and systems. Using a train-the-trainer approach, rangeland Extension professionals from Arizona, Hawaii, and California with communications technology experts, the RP, and livestock producers, will achieve the following objective:
By the end of the project period, increase knowledge, skills, and technical capacity among rangeland Extension professionals to deliver scientific and technologically relevant rangeland education to ranchers to improve sustainability of the nation’s natural resources.
Success will be measured by surveying participants before and after the conference and following the web-based courses to document knowledge gained and what participants intend to do with that new knowledge. Programming will be adjusted at each training opportunity using results from surveys conducted at previous trainings.
The project team has the knowledge and experience to achieve this objective. The multi-disciplinary team has expertise in innovative technology and experience designing, hosting, and evaluating Extension workshops and webinars. PI Hall (Arizona) has helped develop real-time vegetation monitoring software and other innovative rangeland tools. Co-PI Thorne (Hawaii) organized a conference for Hawaii Extension professionals focused on novel technologies. Co-PI Roche (California) was instrumental in an award-winning webinar series focused on Extension innovations. Project manager Dalke (Arizona) has experience developing online resources and leading multi-state collaborative projects. Communications technology experts include Hudson (Washington, podcasting), Randolph (Michigan, agricultural virtual/augmented reality, videography), and Arispe (Oregon, technology curriculum development, geospatial mapping). Livestock producers will help identify technology trends, participate in trainings, and support the project promotion. The team will use knowledge and experience gained from past work to effectively disseminate information related to innovative technologies and program delivery approaches to better educate and train producers in the Western region.
Milestone 1: Conference and Hands-on Training (7/1/2023-6/30/2024)
The team will:
- Conduct a needs assessment of rangeland professionals (RP, Extension in AZ, HI, CA) and livestock producers;
- Based on feedback, plan conference/technology training (e.g., organize sessions, invite speakers);
- Create and execute a communication plan to publicize the conference;
- Host two-day Innovative Technology Conference with hands-on training following the 2024 RP Annual Meeting; and
- Evaluate learning outcomes using the WSARE approved survey.
Participants will include members of the RP, specifically rangeland Extension professionals and other natural resources professionals. Hawaii livestock producers will also be invited to participate. The conference will increase knowledge, skills, and technical capacity among ~40 rangeland Extension professionals and other natural resources professionals to provide innovative education to stakeholders.
Milestone 2: Digital Content and Web-based Courses (4/1/2024-6/30/2025)
The team will:
- Create four quick start guides focused on applying key technologies;
- Create a Rangelands Gateway webpage to maintain guides, web-based course registration/recordings, conference materials, and additional resources;
- Plan four web-based courses focused on key technologies and approaches based on conference feedback;
- Create and execute an online communication plan to publicize digital content and courses;
- Host four web-based courses for ~100 people/course; and
- Evaluate learning outcomes using the WSARE approved survey.
Participants include rangeland professionals, RP and Society for Range Management members, University and Extension faculty and staff, and livestock producers. This project will result in increased capacity to deliver technologically relevant education to ranchers to improve rangeland sustainability among ~400 individuals who participate in the web-based courses and others that access digital content. After the final course, participants will have knowledge of new technologies; capacity to incorporate technologies into their programming; skills to select the most appropriate approaches; awareness of emerging trends; and knowledge of where to access resources online.
Cooperators
- (Researcher)
- - Producer
- - Producer
- - Producer
- (Educator)
Education
Education will be provided through multiple avenues. An in-person two-day conference for rangeland Extension professionals with presentations and hands-on technology training. Portions of the conference will be recorded and uploaded to a webpage on the Rangeland Partnership’s Rangelands Gateway (https://rangelandsgateway.org) to maintain digital content. Web-based courses will be developed that focused on other key technologies identified during the conference. The webpage will also include four quick start guides focused on applying new technologies, recordings of the web-based courses, and additional resources.
Education & Outreach Initiatives
Provide hands-on training and additional resources about innovative technologies to rangelands professionals and livestock producers.
A needs assessment was conducted by reaching out to rangeland professionals and livestock producers. Based on the feedback a conference and technology training has been organized and will take place March 19-20, 2024. The Innovative Technology Conference will be a two-day event that focuses on introducing rangeland professionals to four technologies (augmented reality, virtual learning, drones, and podcasting) and provide a hands-on demonstrations of each of the technologies. The introduction to technology presentations will be recorded and posted to the Rangelands Partnership website (rangelandsgateway.org). A page will be created that is dedicated to sharing information about these technologies. As the project continues more resources, like fact-sheets and other recorded webinars, will be made available on the website.