Weaver Ranch Field Day – Reversing the Dust Bowl

Attend a field day!

Join us on Thursday September 29th to visit Weaver Ranch in Causey, NM. Learn about efforts to bring prairie life back to abandoned, blown out fields. We’ll learn about monitoring and evaluation techniques for soil health, organic amendments as a tool to build soil health, and hear from biologists and researchers who have focused on bird habitat in the southern great plains grassland. Speakers include Rancher Jim Weaver and Willard Heck, Quivira’s Eva Stricker, as well as special guest speakers from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 

This workshop is sponsored by a USDA-NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant to provide soil health to all six Soil and Water Conservation District regions in the state, and is a collaborative effort by all partners listed.

About the Ranch: Weaver Ranch was established in 1984 when James Weaver moved to eastern New Mexico and bought his first two sections of land. With an interest in prairie grouse since his teen years, the area’s population of Lesser Prairie-chickens was a major attraction. Over the years Jim acquired adjacent properties as they became available and today Weaver Ranch comprises about 26,000 contiguous acres. With a keen interest in wildlife, Jim has prioritized habitat management as the focus of the Ranch. Grassland restoration and the careful management of livestock to preserve Lesser Prairie-chicken habitat along with a ready willingness to cooperate in related activities with private, university and agency wildlife professionals has earned Weaver Ranch widespread recognition in the conservation arena. This workshop is free to all participants, although donations are gladly accepted to help organizers cover food costs. Light breakfast, snacks, lunch, and water will be provided. The day will be spent outside with field demonstrations, so please be prepared for variable weather

Contact Megan at megan@quiviracoalition.org with any questions.

This workshop is also a part of the 2022 REGENERATE conference. You can register here or though the REGENERATE website.

Agenda:

• 8:30-9:00 Registration
• 9:00-9:30am Welcome and Ranch Introduction 
• 9:30-9:45am Group Introductions
• 9:45am-12:30pm Ranch/Carbon Ranch Initiative Research Site Tour 
• 12:30-1:45pm Lunch (lunch being provided, donations encouraged)
• 1:45-2:45 Afternoon Agency Speakers (Angel Montoya USFWS Partners Program, Steven Decker USFWS Fire Program)
• 2:45-4:00pm Circle up, closing discussion, and networking

Also happening September 27 and 28 at the Weaver Ranch, two workshops from ATTRA/NCAT: