BURN WORKSHOPS TO BE OFFERED IN SONORA

SONORA -– Two prescribed rangeland burn workshops are scheduled in January and February at the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station in Sonora.

The workshops, scheduled for Jan. 20-22 and Feb. 24-26, will help individuals develop a plan and conduct a burn on the ranch. Fire characteristics, dangers, benefits and equipment will be discussed, said Ray Hinnant, senior research associate with the Experiment Station and one of the workshop instructors.

“This will be a banner year for burning with as much forage as we have across the state,” he said.

Fire is an environmentally friendly and cost-effective way to manipulate rangeland habitat, Hinnant said.

All the workshops will be held at the Sonora Experiment Station.

Participants will observe a wide variety of rangelands either depleted or covered by unwanted brush, areas that are in the process of being restored, and rangeland that has been restored by fire and management. Most of the workshops will be spent in the field learning and observing in small groups.

The cost for each workshop is $395. Lodging and meals will be provided. Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Separate sleeping arrangements will be available for men and women, with limited space available for couples.

Other instructors for the Academy are Dr. Charles “Butch” Taylor, director of the Sonora Station; Dr. Mort Kothmann, professor at Texas A&M University; and Kent Mills, nutritionist, Hi-Pro Feeds.

For more information, go to the Web at http://rangeweb.tamu.edu/arm or phone (979) 845-5580.

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