林克岩溪牧场在网格上

改进增强沉浸式牧场研究体验

Located 在 Wood River Valley of central Idaho, University of Idaho’s 10,400-acre Rinker Rock Creek牧场 (RRCR)将获得1美元.34 million grant, which was appropriated by Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson. The congressional funding will expand educational opportunities in rangeland management, 动物科学及保育.

这项资助旨在加强伊利诺伊大学学生的实践学习, 教师, 公众, 以及高等教育和K-12组, 同时保持保护区的规模和生态多样性.

The funding will give us a much-needed infusion to take our research capacity to the next level and continue to improve our ability to grow education and outreach programs.Cameron Weskamp, Rinker Rock Creek牧场的运营经理

“The funding will give us a much-needed infusion to take our research capacity to the next level and continue to improve our ability to grow education and outreach programs,卡梅伦·韦斯坎普说, RRCR的运营经理.

Improvements include the purchase of scientific equipment to facilitate research for cattle management, 牲畜放牧, 节水保质, 加强鼠尾草管理, 以及对抗入侵的一年生草和相关野火的技术.

“我们将投资设备，包括一辆新卡车, and new ATVs [all-terrain vehicles] to help us meet the needs of the researchers and students as they come to the property to work and learn,韦斯坎普说.

另外, essential facility improvements will provide space for research demonstrations, 包括加固现有的谷仓，以创建一个室内, 作为教室使用的动力空间, 办公及会议空间. Telecommunications systems and satellite internet will be installed to further facilitate classroom connectivity and research training.

“A lack of infrastructure and service poses challenges when you need to house researchers,” said 特蕾西约翰逊他是大学的助理教授 鱼类和野生动物科学系 也是RRCR的研究主管.

发电场研究, 例如, 需要至少三名研究人员在RRCR上呆上几个月.

“Having researchers living in tents in late summer with no indoor place to shelter is dangerous when wildfire creates smokey conditions,约翰逊说. “这笔资金将提供一个安全的空间来停留和做实验室工作, 研究人员将从随时拥有数字资源中受益.”

创建大本营

乔治亚·哈里森，一名来自 植物科学系 在 农业与生命科学学院, will benefit from the improvements as she continues to assess resiliency of the native sagebrush plant community. Harrison also researches wildfire risk and behavior in sagebrush ecosystems at RRCR.

“It’s been great to have this large, pristine place with intact systems to work in,哈里森说. “My study area is about 80 acres, half of which we treat with herbicide, and the other half we don’t. 植物群落和地形有很大的多样性.”

哈里森也喜欢在夏天呆在RRCR.

“It’s important to have a home base and a sense of community with the other researchers and managers,”她说。.

By working with others at RRCR, Harrison is undertaking interdisciplinary research.

“We have a research center so it’s easy to extend and add other people to a project,哈里森说. “例如, 我在我的项目中加入了无人机采样, which I wouldn’t be able to do without the collaborative nature of the Ranch.”

Harrison enjoys field work, especially with field technicians and undergraduates.

“There are many different research opportunities for fellow students to experience, which is powerful because there’s a lot of diversity 在 paths we want to explore,哈里森说.

Harrison believes facility improvements will support easier access and living conditions while preserving the culture and experience of RRCR.

“现在，营地的生活很好，但有点崎岖. 任何改善都会有很长的路要走.

国会拨款也将支持学生和他们的工作, 特别是在建立长期研究和教育项目方面, 为多代研究提供了更多的实地机会.

“It is always good to have more than one or two years of data,哈里森说.

欢迎所有学生

哈德利·多茨，大三学生 牧场的保护 major对RRCR即将到来的投资感到兴奋. Dotts was a cattle production and range management environmental intern there in Summer 2021.

“I was interested in animal sciences and the production side of the rangeland, 但我没有足够的经验独自完成,多茨说. “Instead of it taking several years to get that experience, I got to do it all in one summer.”

It was great to have a welcoming place where I could not be afraid to ask questions and learn.哈德利·多茨，牧场保护专业大三学生

多茨与公共土地机构合作，并与研究人员合作, 他们都有不同类型的职业.

“My favorite part was seeing every aspect of the whole operation,多茨说. 我开始敞开心扉, so it was great to have a welcoming place where I could not be afraid to ask questions and learn.”

美丽的远程学习传统

Anastasie埃切维里亚, a senior majoring in 牧场的保护 and forestry who interned at RRCR in Summer 2020, 还对她的经历赞不绝口.

“我和肯尼·兰德尔一起工作, 鱼类和野生动物科学系的硕士生, 研究放牧对鼠尾草生境的影响,埃切维里亚说.

“我帮助监控放牧前后的牧场, 维护临时围栏，搬运牲畜.”

Echeverria also checked and recorded information from public recreation access logs, 河岸工程包括建造类似海狸的水坝吗, 跟着牧牛主管怀亚特·普雷斯科特学习灌溉技术.

“我绘制、识别并喷洒了杂草. I managed equipment including a boom sprayer, an ATV, four-wheelers and trailers,埃切维里亚说. “I helped manage the Ranch as a whole, including the tents and property around ‘Cow Camp.’”

通过升级历史悠久的谷仓, 它位于RRCR的中心, the congressional funding will create a central and established home base for RRCR.

“Ranch life is sometimes harder for others because our camp doesn’t have electricity, 供水或自来水,多茨说. “The development is awesome to hear about because it will make the Ranch even more welcoming.”

Johnson advocates for Harrison, Dotts, Echeverria and countless other students.

约翰逊说:“这是一个美丽的地方，只是我们没有太多的建筑。. “This funding will propel us into a future where we can leverage resources and preserve the Ranch.”

I love the area; it’s beautiful. I’m happy that the University of Idaho will continue to protect and not subdivide the land.Anastasie埃切维里亚, senior majoring in 牧场的保护 and forestry

保护是改善资金的首要任务.

“I love the area; it’s beautiful,埃切维里亚说. “我很高兴，我将继续保护，而不是细分土地. You either love it or hate it, but either way, people can continue to learn a lot.”