On Tuesday, Sept. 6, the University of Wyoming Sheridan Research and Extension Center will host an open panel discussion on invasive grass management led by the Institute for Managing Annual Grasses Invading Natural Ecosystems (IMAGINE).
A collaborative statewide effort that brings together a diverse group of partner organizations, IMAGINE’s purpose is to develop long-term strategies for invasive grass management on a landscape scale while empowering local decision makers.
The upcoming summit will provide a venue for these partners to share their work with one another and with the public. The focus will be on treatments, funding options, monitoring, and how landowners can get involved, says Jaycie Arndt, coordinator of IMAGINE.
“Our goal is to provide an open discussion around annual grasses so that we can learn from each other and have a stronger concerted effort towards controlling annual grasses,” she explains.
Panelists will include stakeholders from Wyoming weed and pest districts, the Natural Resource Conservation Society, the Wyoming Game & Fish Department, the Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Forest Service.
“We’ll talk about some research results, but this is more about facilitating peer-to-peer learning, creating an open environment where people can discuss,” comments Brian Mealor, director of IMAGINE and of the Sheridan R&E Center.
The event is free and open to the public. To RSVP, contact Jaycie Arndt at jarndt1@uwyo.edu or (307) 217-1985 or Tanner Hart at mhart12@uwyo.edu. Participants are asked to RSVP by Friday, Sept. 2 at 5:00 p.m.
Check-in starts at 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 6. For participants unable to attend in person, please visit uwyo.zoom.us/j/97784787501 to join remotely via Zoom at 12:00 p.m.
The event concludes at 5:30 p.m.
To learn more about the IMAGINE program, visit www.invasivegrasses.com or contact Brian Mealor at bamealor@uwyo.edu.
