Society for Range Management

Yesterday an effort I have been honored to be involved in peripherally crossed the finish line! When I was Society for Range Management President in 2014, my dear friend Bob Ross, who was retiring from a formal career in range science just as I was embarking on one, came to me and said "We have to do something about Yellowstone, Jenny. We have to take one more shot at educating the NPS and the public." I agreed. Few know YNP better than Bob. Jess Peterson of SRM agreed and rounded up some funding. Our goal: An Assessment of the Ecological Conditions of YNP and the Northern Range. A special issue of Rangelands, SRM's publication, dedicated to YNP.

A group equally as passionate about YNP as Bob and I coalesced, led by Jeff Mosley. Scientists with years of experience, knowledge and not beholden to the National Park Service, Dept of Interior, politicians or even the public. Scientists who are willing to tell the truth. And document it with science. I was honored to be on the outskirts, too far away and fighting melanoma to be able to be involved in field visits, etc. A great deal of historical information was tapped and evaluated. You will see an overview, ungulates, willows & aspens, grasslands & sagebrush and human influences as well as a call to action all addressed in a very comprehensive fashion.

The Rangelands issue went "live" yesterday. Open access was supported in our funding. (For my non science pals, sometimes electronic access to articles is restricted to scientific journal subscribers.) My actual writing part was minute, just a forward, inviting folks to read and consider this information with an open mind. There is conflicting information out there, mostly based on pretty pictures and the outcome someone wanted, whether that was selling a documentary for TV or just making a bunch of people happy. I am proud of this team and this effort, immensely proud. I have such respect for this group. Thank you Jess, Jeff, Joe, Charles, Ryan, John and Peter. Bob Ross, this one's for you, pal. RIP Hal Hunter, we wouldn't have gotten started without you.

Apologies for the long post, this is a big deal to me.