Classes to focus on grassland burning; registration deadline July 18

The Kansas Grazing Lands Coalition (KGLC) is hosting two range schools in August -- one for eastern Kansas at White Memorial Camp in Morris County and one for western Kansas at Camp Aldrich in Barton County. The eastern school is set for August 12-14 and the western school for August 19-21. “Principles of Rangeland Management and Grass and Animal Ecology in Kansas" is this year's theme.

"We'll have a major emphasis on 'firing up' grassland management using prescribed burning as a focal point,” says Tim Christian, KGLC coordinator. "These schools are directed at landowners, operators, outdoor enthusiasts, hired hands, agency and natural resource organization staff, and others interested in learning rangeland ecology, wildlife, and livestock management. The focus is on understanding the basic ecology of Kansas rangelands and the interconnection between a healthy landscape and a healthy, profitable livestock or wildlife enterprise.

"With a growing interest of ranchers and others in prescribed fire and patch burning as a grassland management tool, we hope to provide useful tools for attendees to incorporate into their operations," Christian explains. "Much of the study is hands-on in the field, and participants will learn from their counterparts."

Along with ranchers, instructors include USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) staff, Kansas State University (KSU) range and grazing lands specialists, and KGLC staff.

Registration includes two nights lodging, meals, and materials for $250, and if a second or third person from the same group attends, the fee is reduced to $200. Deadline for registration is August 1 for the eastern school and August 8 for the western school. Space is limited to 30 participants in each school. Scholarships are available to virtually anyone interested in attending, reducing the fee to $100 per person (and $50 for multiple attendees). Anyone interested should go to the KGLC website, www.kglc.org, fill out a scholarship form, and submit it by July 18. More detailed information about the schools may also be found on the website.

For more information, phone Christian at 620-241-3636, email him at tchristian@kglc.org, or phone Ken Sherraden at 785-922-7061 or email him at ksherraden@kglc.org,

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