ISE-NIFA Project Launch Workshop
September 8, 2010
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UA’s AgNIC “Managing Rangelands” Site
(1995 - 2001): customized resources &
evaluated content
◦ Issue: political vs. ecosystem approach
◦ Issue: sustainability (human and financial resources to
maintain & expand)
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Led to Western Rangelands Partnership; 19
LGUs (2001+)
The Western Rangelands
Partnership!
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Good Idea: Database-driven
Poor Implementation:
◦ Attempted browse hierarchy
◦ Complications with metadata process
◦ Difficulties with content development group
engagement
◦ Distracted from state site development
Loss of two key IT positions
at the UA
◦ Incomplete system
Changes in UA R.W.
staffing (2006-07)
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New eXtension Initiative
◦ “Objective. Research-based. Credible.
Information and tools you can use every day to
improve your life. This is the most reliable
information you'll find on the Internet brought to
you by the nation's largest and oldest network
of universities”
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AgNIC Strategic Planning
◦ New Goals and Objectives
 Improve Content and Services/Increase Funding
 Include a wide range of e-content
Rangelands West: Archival
Repository for SRM Journals

Applied for Strategic Development Funds
from UA Libraries
◦ Approved to conduct needs assessments and
develop business plan
◦ Purpose: to guide development of a technical
requirements for total redesign
◦ 2008-09 focus: groundwork for future
 UA Eller Business College graduate students prepared
“Business Plan”
 UA R.W. Team organized needs assessments (online &
focus groups
◦ Update content frequently
◦ Fast and relevant searches
◦ Libraries of documents & images
◦ Location-specific information
◦ Tools to foster interaction/networking
◦ Searchable directory of experts
◦ Revenue generation
 Grants
 Partner contributions
 Sponsorships

Open source, self managed content
management systems (Drupal)

Social networking to directly engage ranchers
and other stakeholders

Interest of Range Scientists at 2009 SRM
meeting
◦ Back files of South African and Australian range journals

More funding options with global partners
◦ Possibility of partnering with FAO & others
◦ AgriDrupal community of practice
◦ USDA ISE grant application; submitted & approved 2010
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University of Arizona
University of California, Davis
University of Idaho
Rangelands Australia
Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations
Other
Signatories
• eXtension
• GSSA
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Redesign Rangelands West portal to host repository
of global rangelands materials
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Establish partnerships with key
organizations/associations around the world
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Upload and create applications to provide greater
accessibility to content
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Develop two multi-media learning modules
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Create synthesis documents on aspects of
international rangeland management outreach
practices for Extension

Create customized search interface and implement
Web 2.0 networking applications
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Lucene/Solr search indexing engine
◦ Prototype developed
◦ May help with data mining later on
Harvesting questions
◦ Multiple data sets in different formats
Metadata issues
◦ Controlled vocabulary – which one?
◦ Keywords/tags
◦ Multiple curators; multiple formats
◦ Record IDs
State site support
Interoperability, Sustainability, Ease-of-use
Mock up: Global Rangelands Online Knowledge System
Browse topics
Featured Sites
(rotating images)
Browse collections
Search Global Rangelands
Search
Advanced Search
Hot topics
• climate change
• food security
• monitoring
Rangelands West
About
Browse media
Sign up for updates
Get Involved!
• suggest resources
Video
• contribute to discussions Clip
Tools & Resources
•
•
•
•
Teaching Clearinghouse
eXtension Rangelands
Outreach Practice
Organizations & Agencies
News
•Lorem ipsum
•Lorem ipsum
•Lorem ipsum
Calendar of Events
•Event
•Event
(links to partner sites)
Collaborators
Rangelands of the World
(links to resources)
Contact us (logos for external collaborators)

Participate as member of interdisciplinary and multi-institutional /
multi-national Global Rangelands project team
◦ planning, decision-making re: portal design, search interface, metadata,
etc.
◦ facilitate identification and addition of repository content including South
African & Australian journals
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Work with University Libraries stakeholders, including RSS CMCG
and DLIST staff, to facilitate Libraries awareness, understanding,
support and participation/contributions to the Global Rangelands
project.
◦ Migration of UAiR Society for Range Management (SRM) journal
archives to ??
◦ Implementation of DOIs for articles
◦ Adding updated SRM content to UAiR archives
““Carla attended a presentation on the
launching of Global Rangelands. This project
has now taken on world-wide status and the
library will need to move ahead in providing
more support, and figure out the
who/where/how to accomplish this great
venture.”