Speakers Announced for March 5th Pipeline Reclamation Workshop

Rangeland reclamation is no easy task, and the need for more information on how to do it effectively is growing as the number of pipelines criss-crossing the open prairies of eastern Montana and western North Dakota continues to increase.

To meet that need, a one-day workshop bringing together reclamation researchers, energy company representatives and ranchers and land managers to discuss the best methods for managing pipeline reclamation will be held Tuesday, March 5th in Sidney, MT.

The workshop begins with scientific presentations in the morning, with a chance for informal discussions with researchers over lunch, followed by insights from pipeline industry officials and ranchers and land managers in the afternoon. The day’s activities conclude with a general question and answer session with all participants at 4 pm. In addition to the scheduled presentations, workshop attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in informal discussions with presenters throughout the day.

The all-day workshop runs from 8 am to 4:30 pm – with registration til 8:15 - and is being held at the new Montana State University Richland County (MT) Extension Office and research complex located at 1499 N. Central Avenue in Sidney. Lunch is included, so interested persons are asked to register by March 1st if possible. There is a $10 registration fee. To register or for more information, contact: Beth Redlin at 406-433-9427 or [email protected] or visit http://www.ars.usda.gov/npa/nparl

Workshop speakers and topics include:

Session I: Reclamation Science (8:30 am – Noon)

Reclamation Planning - Peter Stahl, Director, Wyoming Reclamation and Restoration Center, Univ. of WY

Soil Management and Erosion - Brenda Schladweiler, President, Reclamation Specialist with BKS Environmental

Seed Mixes / Selecting Plant Materials - Susan Winslow, Agronomist/Range Management with the NRCS Plant Materials Center in Bridger, MT and

Planting Methods - Calvin Strom, Asst. Director, Wyoming Reclamation and Restoration Center, Univ. of WY

Weed and Grazing Management - Erin Espeland, Plant Ecologist, USDA-ARS Northern Plains Agricultural Research Lab, Sidney, MT

Session II: Industry Insights and Experiences (1-2:00 pm)

Presentations by Dick Vande Bossche, Director of Operations, and Jake Pennington, Manager of Construction, both with Oneok Rockies Midstream LLC, and William McCarthy with E3 Environmental LLC.

Session III: Rancher / Land Manager Insights and Experiences (2:15- 4:00 pm)

This is a panel discussion featuring: Wayne Berry, and Dick and Connie Iverson, area ranchers; Dennis Trudell, president of the NE MT Land and Mineral Owners Association; Mike Brand, Director of the Surface Management Division of the ND Dept. of Trust Lands, and Robert Baker, Wildlife Biologist with the Bureau of Land Management, Miles City, MT office.

The day concludes with a general Question and Answer Session from 4-4:30 pm with all speakers. In addition attendees will also receive a later mailing of a best practices publication to be developed from the workshop.

This event is sponsored by the USDA-ARS Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory, the Richland County (MT) Extension Office, the Northern Great Plains Section of the Society for Range Management, and the Richland and Sheridan Co. (MT) Conservation Districts.

 

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