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Western National Rangeland Career Development EventContest Set Up

Prior to contest Select site (and a potential alternative). Site should be accessible by school bus and have appropriate

parking and turn around area. (Buses can drop students at locations, but must be able to turn around). Also consider all parts of the contest (e.g., need diversity of plants for Plant ID, adequate desirable forage for Section 3, adequate sage brush for Section 4).

Get climate data before the day of the event; will need average annual precipitation for Section 1B and average snow depth for Section 3C (can also fabricate this).

Ask land managers to give overview of site at the beginning of event (Ranchers or BLM managers) Items needed for the field: Walkie Talkies, accordion files or large envelopes for score sheets, staplers,

and rubber bands to keep score sheets on clipboards for students (and plastic bags if raining) Each of the 5 “Sections” of the contest are essentially stand-alone stations and should be set up

accordingly using a clockwise rotation to ensure easy movement of students among stations. Placards should be placed in plastic sleeves and sleeves can be written on with a dry erase marker. Assign agency reps/volunteers to specific parts of the contest well in advance so they have adequate

time to orient themselves prior to the day of the event. A brief volunteer training should take place in the field prior to the arrival of students.

A walk-through of the actual contest must be conducted prior to commencement of the contest with instructors of the top 3 teams from the year prior.

Part 1 – Plant Identification and Ecological Site Description

Part 1A: Plant IdentificationSupplies:

Placard for 1A Plant Identification Landscape flags (all one color) numbered 1-15 1 step in electric fence post to hold placard Plant mounts, potted plants

Flag 15 different species for identification. Each specimen will be clearly numbered and could be a dried and mounted specimen, potted plant, or flagged plant growing on the site. Remove all surrounding vegetation for 8-12 inches away from flagged plant. The marked plants should be located nearby the site for Part 1B.

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Part 1B: Site DescriptionSupplies:

Placard for 1B Site Description 3 step-in electric fence posts, 2 for slope and aspect designation, 1 for placard 100 ft tape to measure (does not stay) Flagging tape (tie to the tops of 2 posts for slope and aspect, especially important in heavy brush) 3 water bottles (empty dish or syrup bottles are great) Paper towels for cleaning hands afterward Garbage bag to collect dirty paper towels Soil spade or shovel Clinometers Compasses 5 gallon bucket for topsoil

Participants will view the evaluation area and determine the precipitation zone, soil depth and rockiness, soil texture, soil salinity, slope, and aspect. Along one side of the evaluation area, dig a soil pit at least 20 inches (64 cm) deep or to a restrictive layer if present (if less than 20 inches deep). Precipitation Zone: The average annual precipitation for the contest site will be provided on a placard located in the evaluation area.Soil Texture: Need to have some water set up next to the soil pit for students to complete the “Soil Texture by Feel Analysis” in the field. Topsoil will placed in a bucket to avoid ambiguity about the texture. Also have paper towels and a garbage bag for cleaning hands.Slope & Aspect: Lay out step-in electric fence posts (with flagging tape tied on top) that are spaced 100 feet apart (Tape does not stay). Participants will be required to estimate slope between the two endpoints using a clinometer provided. Aspect will be determined along the same transect as slope with a provided compass.

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Part 2 – Rangeland Management

Part 2A: Similarity to Desired StateSupplies:

Placard 4 step-in electric fence posts for marking reference area Brightly colored stringline (25 m) 3 landscape flags all the same color labeled: Plot 1, Plot 2, Plot 3 3 50 cm x 50 cm quadrat frames Calculators (for 2B Habitat Improvement) Habitat Improvement problems

Mark off a reference area (5x5 m) that is largely representative of the general area with 4 step-in electric fence posts and brightly colored stringline. At this location, participants will estimate the current plant community and determine the presence of noxious weeds and poisonous plants that need management attention. Within the reference area, place 3 square plot or quadrat frames (50x50 cm) marked with numbered flags (Plots 1-3) where participants will estimate proportions of biomass in each frame. The values for the desired state will be written on the placard posted at this rotation.

Part 2B: Habitat ImprovementDevelop a habitat improvement scenario prior to the event. Make copies for the event and assign an agency rep/volunteer to hand out the scenario and collect it as the participants rotate through. This may include installing a fence, planting species to improve forage or cover value, installing or improving a water source, etc.

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Part 3 – Habitat Evaluation for Domestic GrazersContestants will evaluate the habitat for one of the following species of domestic livestock: cattle, sheep, or horses. A placard located on the contest site will indicate which class of livestock participants will base their evaluation on. Flag off an area about ½ acre to designate the area of observation for the forage diversity in Part 3B.Provide a map of the broader landscape that depicts the boundaries of the site used for the grazing evaluation. Contestants will use this map to answer the questions related to grazing and water accessibility Part 3D. The map must depict water source (if available), have topographic lines (to determine terrain), and a legend (in miles).

Part 3A: Total Biomass Estimate Supplies:

Placard 1 step-in electric fence post 4.8 ft² hoop (available from NRCS or make it) Clippers Bags Pen scales

Use one 4.8 ft² hoop (available from NRCS) or 2.2 ft x 2.2 ft frame to designate where participants will estimate annual production biomass (herbaceous AND current year’s growth on shrubs). When all participants have completed the event, the plot will be clipped by an event organizer and separated into herbaceous and woody shrub components in the field. Percent dry matter will be estimated based on published guidelines. 4.8 ft² = 93.2 inch circumference, multiply by 20 to covert grams of biomass to pounds per acre.

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Part 3B: Forage DiversitySupplies:

Placard Approximately 50 landscape flags (all same color) 1 step-in electric fence post (to hold placard)

Flag off an area 0.25 -0.5 acres in size with landscape flags spaced approximated 5 m apart of the same color (need about 50 flags). Participants must examine the forage plants on the site and determine how many growth forms are represented.

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Part 3C: Forage Utilization Estimate Supplies:

Placard 4 step-in electric fence posts 50 landscape flags (all same color, different color from 3B) numbered in 2 sets of 1-25 4.8 ft² hoop Clippers (to create utilization if site is not utilized)

Nearby the location for 3A, participants will estimate forage utilization using the Landscape Appearance method to define herbaceous utilization classes based on observations of utilization on the landscape. Use 2 step-in electric fence posts to designate the start of the utilization transect. Place a 4.8 ft² hoop next to the two step in posts. Number 2 sets of landscape flags 1-25. Begin with the 2 Number 1 landscape flags and place them on opposite apexes of the hoop to create a transect or alley. Flip the hoop down the transect and place the set of number 2 flags at the apexes of the hoop. Continue until all sets flags have been used. At the end of the transect, place 2 more step-in fence posts to designate the end of the transect. If no utilization has occurred on the site, use clippers to remove portions of desirable vegetation within the transect. Leave the hoop as a size reference between the set of flags labeled 1.

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Part 3D: Distribution Factors; Part 3E: Habitat Ranking Based on Species of Grazing LivestockSupplies:

Placard (with both 3D and 3E on it) 1 step-in electric fence post Map of pasture

Part 3D: Create and print out a map of the pasture where the contest is being held. Be sure the map includes topographic lines, water sources (if using USGS topographic maps, be sure to label whether mapped springs and streams are ephemeral or perennial) and a scale or size reference so participants can determine the distance from the grazing site to the nearest water source. Participants will be asked to determine if the site is less than 1 mile, 1 to 2 miles, 2 to 3 miles, or greater than 3 miles from water or if water is not available in the pasture. There is no relation to slope in Part 1. Slope for grazing accessibility is determined by map provided which includes topographic lines. Slope in this case is specific to Part 3D and is for the overall, broader landscape.Part 3E: After considering the forage resources (which life forms are present, which species are desirable), landscape features, and requirements of grazing animal, participants will determine which species of livestock are best suited to the site (cattle, sheep, or goats) and rank them (best, second best, third best).

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Part 4 – Habitat Evaluation for Wildlife

Part 4A: Forage Factors for Browsing Wildlife, Part 4B: Cover and Disturbance Factors for Browsing Wildlife.Supplies:

Placards (4A Browse Abundance and Browse Species Diversity, 4A Browse Age Diversity) Approximately 50 landscape flags, all same color 5 step-in electric fence posts, 1 for Abundance and Species Diversity, 4 for Age Diversity) Brightly colored stringline (30 m)

Browse Abundance of Desirable Species & Browse Species Diversity: Flag off an area 0.25 -0.5 acres in size with landscape flags spaced approximated 5 m apart of the same color (need about 50 flags). Participants will be asked to examine the designated area for the proportion of shrubs that are desirable and how many species are desirable within the marked area.

Browse Age Diversity: Delineate a belt transect within the evaluation site. The belt transect will be 1 meter wide by about 10 meters long with the actual length dependent on the density of shrubs. Use 4 step-in posts to mark the corners and run the stringline string between the posts. This helps to keep the students out of the observation area. The participants will walk beside the belt transect and record the number of shrub plants based on age classes.

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Part 4B: Habitat for Sage-GrouseSupplies:

Placard (with average snow depth and transect length) 2 step-in electric fence posts 50 m measuring tape 2 pins to hold tape 2 sets of flags, different colors for each set, number 1-10 Yardsticks (for measuring height) Calculators

Cover Estimate: Use the measuring tape to lay out a transect in the habitat evaluation area. Transect length will vary based on how many shrubs are on the site. Remember to keep it short enough to assure students will complete it in the time allotted plus all the other parts of this section (20 minutes). Record transect length will be depicted on the placard. Each participant will examine the transect and measure the canopy cover of sagebrush that intercepts the transect. Measurements will be completed for sagebrush only; cover estimates for perennial grass, annual grass, forbs, and other shrubs will be estimated by event organizers and provided to the participants on site. Gaps of <2.5 inches (green to green) are disregarded.

Height Estimate: Flag 10 sagebrush plants (<36 inches) and 10 perennial grasses (<36 inches) along a line. Use one color of the numbered sets of flags to mark sagebrush and the other set for the corresponding perennial grasses. Event organizers need to have an adequate number of yard sticks available for participants to measure height of plants. This section needs to be monitored closely to make certain participants are not stepping on flagged vegetation.

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Part 4C: Habitat Ranking Based on Habitat Requirements for Sage-Grouse Supplies:

Placard (with herbaceous and forb cover) 1 step-in electric fence post to hold placard

The amount of herbaceous and forb cover and will be designated on the placard. If sagebrush is above the favorable conditions (e.g., >30 inches, >25% cover), the habitat shall be designated marginal. Participants examine the surrounding area for cover and disturbance factors. If the evidence is visible, it is marked visible on the scorecard, even if the disturbance would not influence the site.

Part 5 – Stocking Rate and Management RecommendationsAn event organizer will hand out the score sheet with a specific management scenario problem. The participants will work on the problem individually.

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