grass roots - texas section society for range management€¦ · nov—dec 2014 volume 66, number 6...

PUBLISHED BY THE TEXAS SECTION SOCIETY

FOR RANGE MANAGEMENT

Providing Leadership for the Stewardship of Rangelands

Based on Sound Ecological Principles

NOV—DEC 2014 Volume 66, Number 6

Dr. John Walker—TSSRM Presi-

It is the time of the year to count our blessings and give thanks. In my role as president of the Texas Section SRM the thing that I am most thankful for is all of the work that the committees, and particularly the committee chairs, do to make this the best section in the society. I particularly want to thank the annual meeting co-chairs Michael Margo, Will Juett, and Santa McMullan, as well as all the members that got involved to make this year’s annual meeting a great success. Involvement is what makes

your membership in SRM worthwhile. Consider the fol-lowing that was written by nov-elist Zadie Smith about involve-ment in your kid’s school, which with apologies, I adapted to SRM: “It starts innocently. Casually. You turn up at the an-nual meeting full of beans, help with the raffle tickets (because Melissa Teague asks you to) and win an antelope hunt, and, before you know where you are, you're chairing a com-mittee, writing position state-ments, discussing plans to for a field trip, donating funds for Youth Range Workshop—you're implicated in TSSRM, you're involved in it. Sooner or later you’re not just paying dues. You are running this organization.” Get involved make a difference and make TSSRM the type of organization that you and your colleagues want to be a part of. Check out our website http://www.rangelands.org/texas/committees.shtml to see what committees interest you and

get involved. If you have a pas-sion that is not being addressed find others that are like-minded and make a proposal to the Board of Directors. Be thankful that you are involved in the management of the largest sin-gle land resource type in the world. I am also thankful for the rain that we received this year. Alt-hough much of Texas had be-low average rainfall, the rain that we did receive was timely and resulted in good produc-tion of rangeland vegetation. I am thankful for a successful annual meeting in the West Texas Highlands. Talk about timely rains, the monsoons came in August and September and this part of the state could not have looked better. The attendance was over 250, one of the best, if not the best, in several years. I am thankful for the outstanding work that the award recipients do for the conservation of rangelands. I am thankful for the strong sup-

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John W. Walker, President 7887 US Highway 87 N San Angelo, TX 76901 H: (325) 947-2886 O: (325) 653-4576 C: (325) 450-2440 E: jwalker@ag.tamu.edu Dr. Cody Scott, 1st Vice President Box #10888 ASU Station San Angelo, TX 76909 H: (325) 656-1851 E: cody.scott@angelo.edu William “Willy” Conrad, 2nd Vice President 2825 Frate Barker Rd Austin, TX 78748 P: (512) 826-4132 E: william.conrad@austin.gov Jeff Goodwin, Past President 3501 CR 356 Gatesville, TX 76528 C: (254) 977-2663 O: (254) 742-9951 E: jeff.goodwin@yahoo.com Natalie Bartek, Secrtry, Admin Handbook, Web 107 Wyoming Blvd Pleasanton, TX 78064-4401 C: (210) 288-6898 F: (830) 569-6140 E: tssrm_secretary@yahoo.com Robert Moen, Treasurer PO Box 43 Sonora, TX 76950-0043 H: (325) 387-2942 W: (325) 387-3168 E : rmoen@sonoratx.net Tyson Hart, Newsletter Editor 4613 NW Stallings Dr Nacogdoches, TX 75961 W: (936) 462-8185 H: (979) 571-5885 E: Tyson.Hart@tx.usda.gov Jeremy Hasty, Social Media 12821 Carillon Way Manor, TX 78653 H: (512) 382-9683 O: (512) 459-1623 E: Jeremy.Hasty@tx.usda.gov Lee A. Knox, Archivist 361 Foothill Rd Abilene, TX 79602 H: (325) 692-1026 E: leeaknox@yahoo.com Mandi M. Ligon, Director 2012-14 103 W Florida Ave Sweetwater, TX 79556 H: (325) 766-2029 O: (940) 733-0120 E: allsmiles2ya@yahoo.com Brian Hays, Director 2012-14 PO Box 1066 Gatesville, TX 76528 O: (254) 865-2061 H: (254) 865-8585 C: (254) 216-0774 E: bhays@tamu.edu Dr. Jim Ansley, 2013-15 PO Box 1066 Gatesville, TX 76528 O: (940) 552-9941 x 234 E: jansley@ag.tamu.edu Dandy Kothman, Director 2013-15 PO Box 243 Menard, TX 76859 C: (325) 212-8944 E: forked_lightning_ranch@yahoo.com Frank Price, Director 2014-16 PO Box 907 (mailing) 11100 SH 158 West (shipping) Sterling City, TX 76951 C: (325) 277-4680 H: (325) 378-4368 E: fspranch@msn.com Melissa Teague, Director 2014-16 912 Avenue G NW Childress, TX 79201 H: 940-937-0075 C: 940-674-5310 O: 580-688-3456 x 112 E: melissa_budd@yahoo.com

Nov—Dec 2014 Grass Roots 2

port and attendance at the annual meeting by our neighbors and friends south of the border. Finally, I am thankful that the meeting is over. This is my final president’s newsletter. I thank you for the privilege of

serving TSSRM, the wonderful experiences, and new and deeper friend-

ships that I have made this year as a result of working with many of the

members. God Bless and may your trails be full of adventures and may

you never lose your enthusiasm for discovering new wonders on the

range. It’s been a good ride, adiós.

- John Walker

Congratulations to our photo contest winners, pictured below!

Grand Champion—Michael Wilson

Reserve Grand Champion—Jacob Shaffer

Jan—Feb 2011 Grass Roots 2 Nov—Dec 2012 Grass Roots 3

Kaitlin O’Brien—TX A&M

Kyle Burris—Angelo State

Chris Miller—Angelo State

Jennifer Parton—Tarleton

Linda Stapper—Texas A&M Natalie Thunderbolt—UTSA

Anthony Jackson—TAMU-K

Cameron Goebel—Sul Ross

Kiddo Campbell—Sul Ross

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Nov—Dec 2013 Grass Roots 3

Kalin Skinner—TX A&M

Jan—Feb 2011 Grass Roots 2 Nov—Dec 2012 Grass Roots 4

URME Winners

Team—Angelo State Individual—Linda Stapper

1st Place—Kaitlin O’Brien

College Plant ID Contest

Team Plant ID Contest

1st Place—TX A&M 2nd Place—TX A&M Kingsville 3rd Place—UTSA

3rd Place—Anthony Jackson 1st Place—Linda Stapper

Nov—Dec 2014 Grass Roots 4

Jan—Feb 2011 Grass Roots 2 Nov—Dec 2012 Grass Roots 5

Popular Publication Mike Marshall

Karl Woelfel

Special Publication Fred S. Guthery

Popular Publication Brian Hays

Grass Roots Extension Logan Boswell

Grass Roots NRCS Dandy Kothmann - Alfredo Munoz

Technical Writing Nick E. Garza

Outstanding Range Stewardship 6666 Ranch

Awards

Nov—Dec 2014 Grass Roots 5

Jan—Feb 2011 Grass Roots 2 Nov—Dec 2012 Grass Roots 6

Outstanding Achievement Billy Kniffen

Outstanding Contribution Larry Butler

Outgoing Director Brian Hays

Young Professional Dandy Kothmann

Fellow Award Robert Lyons

Outgoing Director Mandi Ligon

Outstanding Rangeland Mgmt Ohlrich Ranch

Awards

Nov—Dec 2014 Grass Roots 6

Outgoing President John Walker

Jan—Feb 2011 Grass Roots 2 Nov—Dec 2012 Grass Roots 7

Photo Contest Winners

Theme — Ashely Wood

Texas Landscapes — Ed Rhodes

Plants — Ashley Wood Native Wildlife — Jodie Stockett

Ranching — Justin Boatright

People — Pancho Ortega

Nov—Dec 2014 Grass Roots 7