Will “Range Scientist” be Automated?

Core Skills & Abilities

• Study forage plants and their growth requirements to determine varieties best suited to particular range.

• Maintain soil stability and vegetation for non-grazing uses, such as wildlife habitats and outdoor recreation.

• Plan and implement revegetation of disturbed sites.

• Regulate grazing, such as by issuing permits and checking for compliance with standards, and help ranchers plan and organize grazing systems to manage, improve, protect, and maximize the use of rangelands.

• Coordinate with federal land managers and other agencies and organizations to manage and protect rangelands.

• Develop methods for protecting range from fire and rodent damage and for controlling poisonous plants.

• Measure and assess vegetation resources for biological assessment companies, environmental impact statements, and rangeland monitoring programs.

• Mediate agreements among rangeland users and preservationists as to appropriate land use and management.

• Develop new and improved instruments and techniques for activities, such as range reseeding.

• Study rangeland management practices and research range problems to provide sustained production of forage, livestock, and wildlife.

• Study grazing patterns to determine number and kind of livestock that can be most profitably grazed and to determine the best grazing seasons.

• Offer advice to rangeland users on water management, forage production methods, and control of brush.

• Tailor conservation plans to landowners' goals, such as livestock support, wildlife, or recreation.

• Develop technical standards and specifications used to manage, protect, and improve the natural resources of range lands and related grazing lands.

• Plan and direct construction and maintenance of range improvements, such as fencing, corrals, stock-watering reservoirs, and soil-erosion control structures.

• Manage forage resources through fire, herbicide use, or revegetation to maintain a sustainable yield from the land.