Location: Rangeland Resources & Systems Research
2023 Annual Report
Objectives
Objective 1: Enable climate-smart decision-making by developing science-based, region-specific information, tools and technologies for agricultural and natural resource managers, and provide assistance where possible to enhance adoption and implementation of the same. The work will be conducted as the Northern Plains USDA Climate Change Hub and will be coordinated with NRCS, FS, and other USDA and non-USDA organizations in accordance with guidance found in the USDA Climate Change Hubs Charter, and Terms of Reference.
Objective 2: Expand and enhance each Hub’s research and communication capacity and ensure integration of ARS research outcomes from across the region into Hub outreach assets.
Objective #3: Provide capacity to expand and enhance the hub’s climate-science, social-science, and economic-science resources and tools via enhanced collaboration with ARS research teams and other research partners to ensure impactful integration of ARS research outcomes from across the region into Hub outreach assets.
Approach
The climate hubs relate directly to the Sustainable Agricultural Systems Research National Program (NP216) Action Plan (2018-2022), Component 3. Achieving Agroecosystem Potential and these problem statements: Problem Statement 3a. Sustaining Intensified Production; Problem Statement 3b. Enhancing ecosystem services; and Problem Statement 3c. Enabling decision support for sustainability.
Progress Report
The USDA Northern Plains Climate Hub’s efforts are guided by its three project objectives, as well as its fiscal year (FY) 2023 Work Plan containing three themes and five sub-objectives. Progress is described below by objective, theme, and sub-objective.
Objective 1: Progress continued on enabling climate-smart decision-making among agricultural and natural resource managers in the Northern Plains via science synthesis (Theme A), tool support (Theme B), and outreach (Theme C). Theme A: Science syntheses to translate and deliver relevant information. Sub-objective A.1: Increase access to scientific literature about climate change vulnerability and adaptation for Forest Service grassland managers in the Northern Plains. Progress towards this sub-objective in FY 2023 includes on-going efforts to write a synthesis of literature on climate vulnerability of grasslands within Thunder Basin National Grassland. We presented a draft synthesis to 90 grassland managers and partners and incorporated their feedback. A revised draft synthesis was reviewed by subject experts, with revisions underway for future publication within a U.S. Forest Service general technical report. Sub-objective A.2: Increase public awareness of climate change impacts on U.S. agriculture, food systems, and rural communities by serving as co-author on a chapter of the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5). Progress towards this sub-objective includes a draft chapter that has undergone review by Federal agencies and the public for future public release. Theme B: Tool development and support for climate-informed decision-making. Sub-objective B.1: Provide grassland managers with productivity forecasts. Progress towards this sub-objective includes making grassland production forecasts (Grass-Cast, https://grasscast.unl.edu) available publicly during the growing season. Grass-Cast is a product of the USDA Northern Plains Climate Hub and many partners. Progress also includes adding historical production estimates from Grass-Cast to the website, giving invited presentations, and meeting with new partners about data needed to expand Grass-Cast to new regions. Theme C: Outreach to facilitate engagement, discovery, and exchange. Sub-objective C.1: Increase agricultural outreach and service professionals’ knowledge of weather and climate. Progress towards this sub-objective included hosting a two-day AgroClimate Workshop in Montana for 90 USDA agency staff and partners, including those serving Native land managers. Sub-objective C.2: Build climate literacy among USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) staff in the Northern Plains by co-hosting virtual Climate Conversations. Progress towards this sub-objective included an effort co-led by ARS climate hub researchers in Fort Collins, Colorado, and Las Cruces, New Mexico, with NRCS leadership, to co-organize a 90-minute virtual climate conversation for 170 NRCS employees in North Dakota, where we presented and discussed climate trends, impacts on agriculture, and climate-smart practices.
Objective 2: Progress on expanding the Hub’s research and communication capacity included selecting an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) science communication participant to join the Hub team in August 2023.
Objective 3: Progress on enhancing the Hub’s resources and tools in collaboration with research partners includes an on-going search for a Hub postdoctoral fellow to be co-located with an ARS research team in the Northern Plains.
Accomplishments
1. Strengthening agroclimate knowledge of agricultural outreach and service professionals. Strengthening agroclimate knowledge of agricultural outreach and service professionals. Montana recently experienced three consecutive years of drought, as well as severe flooding in the Greater Yellowstone Area. Impacts to working lands have included loss of property and infrastructure, wildfire damage, depleted stock water, and grasshopper infestation. In response, the Northern Plains Climate Hub in Fort Collins, Colorado, organized a 2-day AgroClimate Workshop in partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Montana State University Extension, Intertribal Agriculture Council, and Montana Association of Conservation Districts. The event convened 90 agricultural and forestry professionals, who increased their knowledge about weather and climate resources, as well as climate-smart practices. Their network of colleagues and confidence also grew in using and effectively communicating these concepts.
Review Publications
Walsh, K.B., Rose, J. 2022. A review of restoration techniques and outcomes for rangelands affected by oil and gas production in North America. Ecological Restoration. 40(4):259-269. https://doi.org/10.3368/er.40.4.259.
Baldwin, T., Ritten, J.P., Derner, J.D., Augustine, D.J., Wilmer, H.N., Wahlert, J., Anderson, S., Arisarri, G., Peck, D.E. 2022. Stocking rate and marketing dates for yearling steers grazing rangelands: Can producers do things differently to increase economic net benefits? Rangelands. 44(4):251-257. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2022.04.002.
Elias, E.H., Tsegaye, T.D., Hapeman, C.J., Mankin, K.R., Kleinman, P.J., Cosh, M.H., Peck, D.E., Coffin, A.W., Archer, D.W., Alfieri, J.G., Anderson, M.C., Baffaut, C., Baker, J.M., Bingner, R.L., Bjorneberg, D.L., Bryant, R.B., Gao, F.N., Gao, S., Heilman, P., Knipper, K.R., Kustas, W.P., Leytem, A.B., Locke, M.A., McCarty, G.W., McElrone, A.J., Moglen, G.E., Moriasi, D.N., O'Shaughnessy, S.A., Reba, M.L., Rice, P.J., Silber-Coats, N., Wang, D., White, M.J., Dobrowolski, J.P. 2023. A vision for integrated, collaborative solutions to critical water and food challenges. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 78(3):63A-68A. https://doi.org/10.2489/jswc.2023.1220A.
Subhashree, S.N., Igathinathane, C., Hendrickson, J.R., Archer, D.W., Liebig, M.A., Halvorson, J.J., Kronberg, S.L., Toledo, D.N., Sedivec, K., Peck, D. 2023. Forage economics calculator web tool: A decision support system for forage management. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture. 208. Article 107775. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2023.107775.
Wulfhorst, J., Bruno, J., Toledo, D.N., Wilmer, H.N., Archer, D.W., Peck, D.E., Huggins, D.R. 2022. Infusing ‘long-term’ into social science rangelands research. Rangelands. 44(5):299–305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2022.06.001.
