February 8-11 event in Denver to focus on our nation’s
“working landscapes”
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is expected to address the upcoming joint annual meeting of two leading scientific societies – the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) and the Society for Range Management (SRM).
Scheduled for February 8 through 11 in Denver, the event is expected to draw hundreds of scientists, students, educators and professionals interested in sustainable weed management practices and the conservation of our natural resources.
Scheduled keynote speakers include:
- John Fielder, a nationally renowned nature photographer, publisher, teacher and preservationist who will present “A Tour of Sustainable Landscapes in Colorado.”
- Dr. Richard N. Mack, professor in the School of Biological Sciences at Washington State University who will speak on “Weeds in the Western Landscape.”
- Dr. Elliott West, alumni distinguished professor of history at the University of Arkansas, who will speak on “History of the Development of the West.”
Joint conference symposia will focus on topics that impact the nation’s “working landscapes” used to raise crops and livestock – from biocontrol agents and weed physiology to GPS technology for the precision application of herbicides. A special fullday joint program will focus on invasive weed biology, ecology and globally integrated systems, while a complementary session will explore management of open spaces in both urban and suburban environments.
In addition to the joint sessions, WSSA is organizing a wide variety of symposia led by some of the world’s leading weed scientists. Topics include:
- Impact of herbicide-resistant weeds on agroecosystems
- Advances in regulations and methods for measuring herbicide soil residues
- A global perspective on site-specific weed management
- Technology for minimizing spray drift
- Case studies involving the biology of weedy and invasive species in agrosystems
- Advances in automation and machine-guided technologies for precision weed control
- Dicamba-resistant soybean
- Weed management in organic agriculture
SRM symposia will feature:
- Pastoralists and property rights
- Community-based conservation on rangelands
- Targeted grazing and applying research to the land
- Climate change and potential natural vegetation
- Management of lekking bird habitat
- Applying state and transition models across diverse ecoregions
- Conservation management on private rangelands
- Wind energy and wildlife
- Biodiversity and plant material development
- Sustainable rangelands through low-input, grass-fed production
- Sustainable rangelands: planning, monitoring and managing for economic, ecological and social benefits
- Energy production infrastructure and development
- Larkspur: 100 years of research, perspectives and future directions
- Working landscapes
- Reclaiming formerly irrigated farmland
Joint technical sessions will cover topics such as ecosystem services, fire ecology, climate change, inventory monitoring assessment, land use planning, landscape ecology, rangeland and livestock management, plant materials, rangeland ecology, rangeland economics, human dimensions, restoration and reclamation, wildlife management, and watershed, soils and hydrology.
This is the 50th Annual Meeting for WSSA and the 63rd Annual Meeting for SRM. For further information or to register, visit http://www.wssa.net.
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About the Society of Range Management:
The Society for Range Management (SRM) is a professional and scientific society whose membership is involved in studying, conserving, managing and sustaining the varied resources of rangelands. SRM has more than 3,500 professional and scientific members in 38 countries, including land managers, ecologists, ranchers, erosion control specialists, educators and scientists, and decision makers in state and federal governmental agencies responsible for public land management. For more information, visit http://www.rangelands.org.
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About the Weed Science Society of America:
The Weed Science Society of America, a nonprofit professional society, was founded in 1956 to encourage and promote the development of knowledge concerning weeds and their impact on the environment. The Weed Science Society of America promotes research, education and extension outreach activities related to weeds, provides science-based information to the public and policy makers, and fosters awareness of weeds and their impacts on managed and natural ecosystems. For more information, visit http://www.wssa.net.
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