Farmers and ranchers have always been respected for their unique knowledge of the land they work. Now, University of California Davis researchers are partnering with land managers to mine that collective wisdom and improve the ecological management of the state's rangelands. Ken Tate and Valerie Eviner used SARE grants to aggregate ranch-level data from hundreds of sites in their region as a way of understanding how particular ranching practices affect the entire rangeland system. Such data is now helping land managers make better informed, site-specific decisions in response to the most pressing challenges they face - be it invasive species, pests, flooding or drought.
Conducting reliable on-farm research is a critical step toward improving the sustainability of farms and ranches. Learn how to apply the scientific method to your on-farm experiments with How to Conduct Research on Your Farm or Ranch.
Also check out SARE's bulletin, Rangeland Management Strategies.
Want more information? See the related SARE grants: