By Emmy Powell
Communications Specialist

Understanding how to care for rangelands is vital for landowners and natural resource professionals, and a new course from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension aims to help.

The free, online course, Texas Rangeland Ecology and Management, provides foundational knowledge on rangeland ecosystems. It’s designed for individuals interested in learning more about how rangelands function and how to manage them effectively.

“Understanding how your rangeland system works, whether that’s for wildlife habitat objectives or livestock production, it’s crucial. Understanding how it all works, how it comes together and how larger processes, such as the water cycle or the nutrient cycle, dictate the overall health integrity and function of your rangeland is important,” Dr. Morgan Treadwell, AgriLife Extension range specialist and professor, said.

The course covers ecosystem processes, plant identification, brush management, drought management and grazing animal management.

“Before we start to introduce any management practices to fix any problems, we must understand fundamentally the system in itself as an entirety,” Treadwell said. “This course outlines the framework of what we know about rangeland management as a science, and it breaks the information into bite-size pieces that allow basic understanding of what it means for your rangeland pastures and how to make sure you’re managing those pastures to meet your goals and objectives.”

The course is self-paced, and takes about three hours to complete. Participants who view all course materials and pass all module quizzes with a score of 80% or higher will earn a certificate of completion.

“Whether you have a background in natural resource management or are just starting out, this course will provide a solid foundation in rangeland management principles,” she said.

Treadwell noted the course could be valuable to K-12 educators and anyone with a desire to learn more about natural resources.

Participants can sign up for the self-paced course at https://tx.ag/RangelandEcologyCourse.

For more information, contact Treadwell at Morgan.Treadwell@ag.tamu.edu.