Society for Range Management
Watershed/Riparian Committee Meeting Notes
January 25, 2004
8:00 am – Noon
Attendees: Carol Engle (Chair 2004), Tamzen Stringham (Chair 2005),
Janice Staats, Bob Welling, Red Baker, Bob Sprentall, Holger Jensen,
Joshua Edwards, Sandy Wyman, Jim Dobrowolski, Ron Stellingwerf,
David Wheeler, Quentin Skinner, Ronnee-Sue Helzner, Corey Moffet,
Susan Holtzman, Cindy Meays, Mike Borman, Larry Larson, Jimmy
Eisner, Sherman Swanson, Bob Welling, Joe Tulien, Derek Bailey, and
Craig Newman.
Executive Attendees: Bob Budd, SRM President, Marty Vavra, BOD
Representative
1. Introductions
2. Old Business
A. Coordination with American Fisheries Society (AFS). The SRM
Wetland/Riparian (W/R) committee sponsored a symposium titled
Livestock Grazing for Fishable Waters at the Western Division AFS
meeting in Spokane, WA April 2002. Western Division AFS is
trying to have another technical papers session titled Livestock
Grazing Strategies for Healthy Aquatic Ecosystems at their Salt
Lake City, UT meeting February 29-March 4, 2004. They have not
received enough abstracts, so they are combining topic into a
session on stream restoration. Contact donwiley@utah.gov for
more information. W/R Committee did not coordinate any further
with AFS in 2003.
B. Coordination with other Societies. Each committee member was to
work within their sphere of influence.
a) 2003 SRM PNW Section/Oregon Chapter AFS joint meeting. In
Prineville, OR April 2003, there was a joint Pacific Northwest
Section SRM/Oregon Chapter AFS workshop on Cattle 101 and
Fisheries 101 including management and current research.
b) 2004 Oregon AFS Chapter Meeting. Jim Eisner, Sandy Wyman,
Mike Borman, and Tim DelCurto are scheduled to do a
presentation at the Oregon AFS Chapter meeting February 19,
2004, about cattle management in riparian-wetland areas.
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c) American Water Resources Association is having a specialty
conference titled Riparian Ecosystems and Buffers: Multi-scale
Structure, Function, and Management, June 28-30, 2004,
Olympic Valley, CA. SRM is a co-sponsor. Jim Dobrowolski is
one of the organizers. Abstracts were due January 30, 2004
(www.awra.org).
d) American Society of Civil Engineers. We have been invited to
participate in ASCE 2005 conference in Williamsburg, VA.
Quentin Skinner will contact Richard Hawkins for follow-up.
Most W/R Committee members suggested saying “no” this time
because of time and travel constraints. In 2000 we sponsored a
session at their conference in Fort Collins, CO.
C. National Research Council report Riparian Areas: Functions and
Strategies for Management (2002). The W/R Committee wanted to
know about the effect, impact, and use of this report. Susan
Holtzman found out that there were no mandates or action items
that came from the report. The National Research Council has no
formal way to get feedback. The most they could say is that people
have cited it. Wayne Leininger led a review of the science for SRM
and that is on record if an issue comes up. Dave Wheeler had a
brief conversation with Dean Boe on this subject.
D. SRM Video Library. September 2003 was the deadline to review
the SRM library list (located on the SRM website). No one reported
giving input to the SRM office.
E. Youth Riparian Education Materials. There was a discussion of
known on-going efforts such as Ag in the Classroom, range camps,
SRM High School Youth Forum (HSYF), and continuing education
for high school teachers. Ideas that came up (but no one
volunteered to head up an action item so no further action was
taken): (1) Find out what is happening for continuing education
for high school teachers in the different states and see what the
needs are for riparian education, (2) Each of us work in our local
communities with teachers so they will want to work with the topic
in their classroom (3) involving students in actual stream and
water quality monitoring.
F. Rangelands West. Jim Dobrowolski told the group about the
Rangelands West websites (http://rangelandswest.org). This is an
effort by the Agriculture Network Information Center (AgNIC) to
bring a broad range of agriculture information, resources, and
tools on the web. He suggested that committee members review
what is there for watersheds and riparian areas, and someone
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else suggested that we should pursue having a hot link from the
SRM website to Rangelands West website. Jim will write an
article in member news calling attention to this site.
G. Publishing in journals other than range journals. No action taken
in 2003. Idea: Get information into fisheries journals. No
volunteer to lead effort, nothing specific planned.
H. SRM Video on Rangelands. PBS quality show listed on SRM
Strategic Plan, action item for 2003. Marty Vavra reported to us
that SRM does not have the money needed to do the video. SRM is
now looking for someone else who is doing a similar video that we
could participate with.
3. New Business
A. W/R Committee Management.
a) The Board of Directors is encouraging SRM Committees to
communicate more with each other and all SRM members.
Marty reminded the group that committees need to consult the
BOD only on matters of policy or finances. He also said the
BOD was revising the Strategic Plan for SRM.
b) How do we want committee activities to be handled? David
Wheeler suggested the Chair should not have to do everything.
W/R Committee members should volunteer to lead activities.
Each person has to take responsibility for what they can
realistically accomplish.
c) W/R Committee membership is open to everyone interested in
attending. Come one, come all!
d) The Radical Center idea from the Quivira Coalition is a good
guiding principle for this committee. See
http://www.quiviracoalition.org/documents/invitation.asp for
more information.
e) The W/R Committee continues to be interested in spending our
time developing watershed and riparian-wetland education
forums for SRM annual meetings. Activities should promote
the credibility of SRM, with themes, organization and some
spice. All forums should include continuing education credits
through Leonard Jolley.
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B. 2006 W/R Committee Chair: Jim Eisner, Fisheries Biologist,
Prineville, OR BLM. 2005 W/R Committee Chair: Tamzen
Stringham, Oregon State University, Professor Department of
Rangeland Resources.
C. 2004 Salt Lake City Invasive Species Symposium. 2003 W/R
Committee Chair Dave Wheeler planned the 2004 Salt Lake City
annual meeting symposium Invasive Species in Riparian
Ecosystems that is Thursday, January 29, 2004 1:00 – 5:00 pm in
the Grand America Imperial Ballroom D. Thanks Dave!
D. 2005 Ft Worth High School Youth Forum. A decision was made to
sponsor a riparian education session with the SRM High School
Youth Forum. We want to leave them with something that they
could use to go back to their local areas and teach others. Get
feedback from them about what information interested them the
most. Carol Engle volunteered to lead this effort.
E. 2005 Fort Worth Symposium. Watershed/Riparian management
starting with potential, setting objectives, management,
monitoring, results. Agency Rangeland Specialists level issues,
problems, and solutions. Start with presentation on the themes,
and then have case studies presented where they used objectives
and monitoring for adaptive management. Clear connection
between objectives and management, objectives and monitoring.
Trend. Case studies could show lessons learned from not doing it
the right way. Final presentation about the take home messages.
Q&As for audience participation. Organized thought process
instead of random papers presented. Complimentary talks take
more effort, but are worth it. Agency Range Conservationists plus
a community team, with one doing the actual presentation. Once
you’ve got the science, what is happening with application on the
ground? Effective and efficient monitoring so it actually gets done
and used. Task group will continue planning: Sherm Swanson
(lead), Dave Wheeler, Red Baker, Carol Engle, Tamzen Stringham,
Craig Newman. Ideas for speakers: Richard Keigley (browse
evaluation), PACFISH/INFISH implementers. If you know of a
potential speaker or case study, let Sherm Swanson know.
F. 2006 Vancouver Symposium. Tamzen Stringham would like to
lead an effort for the 2006 annual meeting in Vancouver, BC –
symposium on TMDLs (Total Maximum Daily Loads).
G. Future topics and issues for educational forums from each meeting
participant: Monitoring cover and life form, monitoring trend,
volunteer monitoring, water quality monitoring put into perspective
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with watershed function, historical water development, and
instream flow issues, analysis and interpretation of data, bank
alteration monitoring – how do you do it, how do you interpret it,
when do you do it, what is the science, has anything changed on
the ground because of bank alteration monitoring, permittee
monitoring, application of monitoring, appropriate sampling for
nonpoint source pollution – E. coli, fecal coliform, nutrients,
validity of monitoring protocols - interpretation of monitoring data,
monitoring protocol developers clarify where and when their
protocols are appropriate, monitoring for adaptive management,
how to reduce variability in monitoring methods, typical grazing
management improvement practices, application of grazing
management which blends science and social dimensions, grazing
in wetlands, state and transition models, watersheds – looking
broader about crossing ecological thresholds, competition of
wildlife, wild horses, and livestock, E Coli and fecal coliform – short
duration high counts, sediment, invasive species, demand for
water from rangelands – quality and quantity, application of
stubble height standards, effect of fire on hillslope erosion
processes – changes that are taking place in watersheds with or
without fire, fire in riparian-wetland areas, function of fire in
watersheds, keeping water on the land longer theme that is lacking
in water policy – improvement of storage of water in the soil, what
we really know and do not know, and get that information to
regulatory agency folks so they are dealing with that and not
opinions, Endangered Species Act – understand the rules,
determining potential, short term monitoring OK but don’t forsake
effectiveness monitoring, interpreting validity of monitoring
protocols, economics – you can make money if you do the thing the
right way, plus helps manage conflict and animosity, riparianwetland area definition and delineation – people get stuck because
we don’t have common definitions and methods, coalbed methane
development water quality and quantity, invasive species and
watershed/riparian functionality, below ground – soil, infiltration,
water tables.
H. SRM website page for each committee. The Board of Directors
would like each SRM committee to have a committee website for
improved communication of what we are doing to increase
involvement and integration. The BOD suggested starting with
meeting minutes, goals, list of members, and question & answer
fact sheet. Can link to SRM website or house it somewhere else.
Committee agreed to contact Ann Tanaka about establishing the
web page. It was decided that it would be housed on the SRM
website and initially include meeting minutes, W/R Committee
mission statement from handbook, list of members, and an
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invitation to join the committee. Quentin Skinner will seek
funding for initial set-up. There will be a need to determine
maintenance once it is established. Sandy Wyman and Carol
Engle to follow-up.
I. Idea: Technical paper in Rangelands or JRM on steps to
successful management & monitoring. This would include short,
mid and long-term monitoring and the tie to adaptive management.
No one volunteered to lead the effort, nothing specific planned.
J. Grazing Management in Riparian-Wetland Areas Train-the-Trainer
Course, March 2-3, 2004, BLM National Training Center, Phoenix,
AZ. An interagency effort led by the National Riparian Service
Team teaches a course titled Grazing Management for RiparianWetland Areas. More people are needed to help teach the course.
If you are interested and can commit to helping teach at least one
course per year, contact Sandy Wyman for more information (541416-6886, Sandra_Wyman@or.blm.gov).
K. Thank-you from SRM President. Bob Budd commended the W/R
Committee on all the work and information sharing we have done.
Thank you! Keep up the good work!
L. 2005 Ft Worth Research Symposium. The Science and Education
Division is charged with handling research affairs of SRM. The
BOD requests input from the W/R Committee on the update of the
Rangeland Research Document, first published in 1995. It is a
document for use in Washington, DC. There will be a symposium
at the 2005 annual meeting in Fort Worth, TX. Need input on
speakers and topics. Speakers will write papers which will be used
by a SRM task group to update the research document. Carol
Engle and Tamzen Stringham will attend a meeting on
Thursday, January 29, 2004 where a draft agenda will be
initiated.
M. Idea: Vision statement about riparian-wetland areas for submittal
to Washington, DC agencies to support concept of need for a
common vision. We already have SRM policy statements. Is there
some way of using those in a larger context? Posted on website?
The idea is to send a series of letters on SRM letterhead. We
should work with Dean Boe to have riparian-wetland information
in the packet he uses in Washington, DC. Ronnee Helzner will
pull together what the SRM policy statements are so this can
be talked about at the next W/R Committee Meeting and find
out what Dean Boe already has on riparian-wetland issues in
his current packet of information. Carol Engle will send this
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out to committee members for review and it will be brought
up as “old business” in 2005.
4. W/R Committee 2003 Accomplishments
A. 2004 Salt Lake City annual meeting symposium Invasive Species
in Riparian Ecosystems, Thursday, January 29, 2004 1:00 – 5:00
pm.
5. Action Items
a. W/R Committee Handbook. Sandy Wyman will send the
current committee handbook to Carol Engle, and Carol will
send to all committee members.
b. American Society of Civil Engineers 2005 conference. Quentin
Skinner will contact Richard Hawkins.
c. SRM Library. When anyone on the W/R committee finds out
about a new video of interest, send a note to the SRM office.
d. SRM High School Youth Forum. Carol Engle and Tamzen
Stringham will follow-up with High School Youth Forum leaders
(Hoyt Seidenstiker, Barron Rector) about W/R committee doing
riparian education for the students at 2005 annual meeting in
Fort Worth, TX.
e. Rangelands West article in SRM newsletter. Jim Dobrowolski
will write an article for SRM newsletter about Rangelands West
websites. He will also follow-up on a hotlink on the SRM site.
f. 2005 Ft Worth symposium development task group: Sherm
Swanson (lead), Dave Wheeler, Red Baker, Carol Engle, Tamzen
Stringham, Craig Newman. Continue planning. Committee
members provide any possible case studies.
g. W/R Committee website. Sandy Wyman and Carol Engle lead
on taking steps to get website developed. Quentin Skinner will
pursue funding.
h. Science and Education Division Research Symposium input.
Carol Engle and Tamzen Stringham will attend the Thursday,
January 29 meeting on the draft agenda.
i. SRM Policy Statements. Ronnee Helzner will pull together the
SRM policy statements on riparian-wetland areas to see how
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they might fit in a vision statement. Ronnee will follow-up on
what Dean Boe already has relative to watershed/riparian in his
DC briefing packets.
Carol Engle
2004 Wetland/Riparian Committee Co-Chair
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