Boyd Honored by Society for Range Management with Fellow Award

MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA – Dr. Chad Boyd received the 2026 Society for Range Management Fellow Award at the Society’s 79th Annual Meeting in Monterey, California last month. The title of Fellow is conferred upon members of the Society for Range Management (SRM) in recognition of exceptional service to the Society and its programs in advancing the science and art of range-related resource management. This high honor is granted in the belief that special recognition should be given for exceptional and dedicated service to the Society. 

Dr. Boyd works for the USDA-Agricultural Research Service as a Rangeland Scientist and Research Leader in Burns, OR at the Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center (EOARC). As Research Leader, Dr. Boyd supervises seven rangeland research scientists in addition to maintaining his research program. Dr. Boyd has an impressive research record that includes 200 publications (peer-reviewed and industry) and more than $2 million in research grants. He has been instrumental in applying rigorous science to conserving and managing habitat for greater sage-grouse and other wildlife species in sagebrush rangelands. His consistent engagement as a science liaison to many federal, state, and local working groups has resulted in important policy and management decisions for sage grouse and sage steppe conservation. 

Dr. Boyd’s leadership has created a collaborative and unique research culture at the EOARC that has produced internationally recognized science and elegant outreach tools and frameworks for managing semi-arid rangelands. He has also given his expertise to SRM by participating in numerous committees such as Watershed and Riparian, and the Wildlife Habitat, and serves as a consistent reviewer for Rangeland Ecology and Management, as well as having served as both an Associate Editor for REM and as a Guest Editor for several REM and Rangelands special issues. 

Dr. Boyd cares about educating the next generation of rangeland scientists, managers, and practitioners through the creation of Science in the Sage Steppe, a college student range camp that integrates the latest scientific knowledge of rangeland ecology with land management decision-making and practices. Dr. Boyd has organized curriculum for Science in the Sage Steppe since its inception in 2014, benefitting hundreds of undergraduate students from western US universities learning the art and science of range management.

For the tremendous contributions to the science and management of rangeland ecosystems he has made, it is with great honor the Society of Range Management recognized Dr. Boyd with the 2026 SRM Fellow Award.