The Nebraska Range Short Course is scheduled for June 21 to 24, 2021 on the campus of Chadron State College. The short course is sponsored by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Chadron State College, and the Nebraska Section of the Society for Range Management. It is designed to provide individuals who have a background in ranch, natural resource, or wildlife management an opportunity to increase their knowledge in many topics associated with the field of range management. 

The Nebraska Range Short Course began in 1979 in Scottsbluff, Nebraska and has been held every other year since 1980. The course was first coordinated by UNL Professor Dr. Lowell Moser and then by Dr. Walt Schacht. Following Dr. Schacht’s retirement in 2019, Dr. Mitch Stephenson will coordinate the 22^nd biennial Short Course in 2021 (postponed last year because of COVID-19). Since 1980, the short course has instructed over 800 participants including ranchers, state and federal agency employees, and rangeland ecology graduate students.

The week-long course is taught through a series of classroom and field sessions focused on the underlying principles of range management. The goal of the Short Course is to provide up-to-date, applicable information and training for the efficient, sustainable use of rangelands for multiple ecosystem services. The diversity of course topics include plant identification, plant growth and development, rangeland soils, range inventory and monitoring methods, prescribed burning, rangeland restoration, rangeland ecology and conservation, wildlife management, grazing management, and range livestock production.

The course provides opportunities for participants to interact and learn from skilled rangeland managers and university faculty. A recent participant commented, “The range short course was one of the most applicable and enjoyable courses that I have attended.  The course content and instructors were both great and I would highly recommend the course to anyone.”

The short course can be taken for credit through the University of Nebraska-Lincoln or Chadron State College. Sixteen Continuing Education credits are available for the SRM “Certified Professional in Rangeland Management” program.

Applications are due May 15, 2021 and enrollment is limited to 25 participants. The registration fee of $325 includes educational materials, transportation associated with field trips during the week, and lunches. Food and lodging can be arranged with Chadron State College or local hotels.

Contact Mitch Stephenson (mstephenson@unl.edu, 308-632-1355) if you have questions. The short course website is at https://agronomy.unl.edu/nebraskarangeshortcourse