Texas A&M AgriLife and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences employees and students were among those recognized by the Texas Section–Society for Range Management, TSSRM, at their annual meeting recently.
“I am so proud of what TSSRM members have accomplished this year and of everyone we honored,” said Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service rangeland specialist Morgan Treadwell, Ph.D., San Angelo, and outgoing TSSRM president. “All the amazing work our AgriLife researchers and Extension range specialists accomplish are only made possible and stronger by the relationships we have with our producers and the landowners we work with.
“It is an honor to recognize Mr. Bob McCan for his contributions to Texas rangeland and even more humbling to celebrate the evening at the historic Diebel Cattle Company Ranch Headquarters in Victoria. Partnering with Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and Texas Grazing Land Coalition to recognize our rangeland stewards makes the role of AgriLife Extension and AgriLife Research truly unique.”
Incoming leadership
New TSSRM leadership was also elected at the year-end meeting. Incoming president is Bill Fox, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Research rangeland ecologist and associate professor, Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management, Temple.
The Texas Section’s first vice president is Doug Tolleson, Ph.D., AgriLife Research associate professor, Sonora. The second vice president is Humberto Perotto-Baldivieso, Ph.D., associate professor in landscape ecology in the Department of Range and Wildlife Sciences and research scientist at Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
Serving on the TSSRM Board of Directors 2022-2025 are Steven Evans, lecturer in Texas A&M’s Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management, Bryan-College Station, and Katy Hoskins, rancher, Sweetwater.
Publication awards
Publication award winner in the popular category was John Walker, Ph.D., AgriLife Research range specialist, San Angelo, for “Remote Monitoring of Stock Water Reservoirs.”
In the special publication category, Treadwell shared honors with Tim Steffens, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension range specialist and West Texas A&M University associate professor, Canyon, for their “Factors Affecting Magnitude of Grazing Effects on Plants and Forage Quality.”
Winning the technical publication category was “Herbaceous Production and Soil Nitrogen after Mesquite Mortality in Southern Great Plains (US) Grassland,” by James Ansley, Ph.D., department head, Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater; Steffens; Caitlyn Cooper-Norris, Ph.D., Department of Natural Resources Management, Texas Tech University, Lubbock; and Tian Zhang, research associate, AgriLife Research, Vernon.
Grass roots, collegiate and achievement awards
The Grass Roots Awards went to Michael Hiller, AgriLife Extension agent for Jackson County, and Wynne Whitworth, rangeland management specialist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, Jacksboro.
Rangeland Ecology and Management 3-Minute Talk: Dakota Moberg, Texas A&M University – Kingsville.
Collegiate Plant Identification 3-Minute Talk: Deann Burson, Angelo State University, San Angelo.
Outstanding Young Range Professional: Matthew Coffman, USDA-NRCS rangeland management specialist at Texas Grazing Lands Coalition, Snyder.
Outstanding Achievement: Charles Kneuper, USDA-NRCS state resource conservationist, Temple.
Outstanding Rangeland Stewardship – Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association: Rocking Chair Ranch, San Angelo.
Fellow: James Demoin, USDA-NRCS state resource conservationist, George West.
Outstanding Rangeland Management: Dunn-O’Connor Ranch, Victoria.
Texas and Southwest Cattle Raisers Association, Texas Grazing Land Coalition Outstanding Rangeland Stewardship: Parks Ranch, Victoria.
Outstanding Contribution to Rangeland Management: Bob McCan, general manager of McFaddin Enterprises in Victoria.
A complete list of awards is available online, including Outstanding Range Students, and the student team winners for Plant Identification and Undergraduate Range Management Exam categories.
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