Location: Oklahoma and Central Plains Agricultural Research Center
Project Number: 3070-12610-001-020-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: May 1, 2024
End Date: Jun 30, 2027
Objective:
The objectives of this proposed project are to: (1) synthesize the best available science on major existing and emerging NRCS mitigation practices, identify key knowledge gaps, and integrate this information into mitigation conversations and technical guides in collaboration with other members of the topical teams, the Climate Hubs and NRCS, (2) develop a summary of the synthesis of current science and key knowledge gaps for the Southern Plains region, (3) conduct research to fill identified key knowledge gaps relevant to the Southern Plains region, (4) synthesize the best available science on rangeland agrivoltaics and develop spatial models for suitability assessment of rangeland agrivoltaics in the Southern Plains region, and (5) develop extension and education outreach modules/programming based on synthesis and research findings and engage the stakeholders through associated extension/education outreach activities.
Approach:
A Climate Change Mitigation Fellow associated with Southern Plains Climate Hub and housed at Texas A&M University will be funded through this agreement. The Fellow will serve as an active member of the assigned topical teams to synthesize regional GHG mitigation information linked with NRCS conservation practice standards and evaluate practice potential by region in collaboration with USDA-ARS personnel. This Fellow will lead the efforts of developing syntheses and summaries of the information directly relevant to the Southern Plains region (Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas) to make it usable and actionable, conduct research to fill critical information gaps identified through the syntheses in collaboration with USDA ARS personnel, and collaborate in climate change mitigation outreach and education efforts.
We anticipate that the majority of this Fellow’s synthesis and research work will be aligned with NRCS conservation practice standards related to rangelands and especially the Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry (CSAF) Mitigation Activities 314 Brush Management, 338 Prescribed Burning, and/or 528 Prescribed Grazing.
In addition to the defined efforts mentioned above, the Fellow will collaborate with the PIs to synthesize the research and available data on the integration of agrivoltaics and rangeland management at ranch scales in the Southern Plains region. We will also develop spatial models for suitability assessment of rangeland agrivoltaics at regional scales, based on climatic, topographic and land use variables relevant to solar energy development as well as biophysical and socio-ecological variables for rangeland management and especially livestock production. We will explore ways to integrate information synthesized and these spatial models into existing platforms such as the NRCS Web Soil Survey to offer decision support tools for both ranch-scale management planning and regional-scale prioritization and planning.
