The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is set to host a webinar on November 7th, titled „Drones and Technology for Rangelands.“ This webinar will delve into the integration of drones and technology into land management practices, offering valuable insights for those involved in stewardship of rangelands. The event is part of the Stewardship Series organized by the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Rangeland, Wildlife, and Fisheries Management.
To participate in the webinar, interested individuals are required to pay a fee of $35 and register in advance at https://tx.ag/RangelandTech. Once payment is received, participants will receive an email with instructions on how to access the webinar, which is scheduled to take place from noon to 1 p.m. on the specified date.
The featured speaker for the webinar will be Humberto Perotto, Ph.D., an associate professor and the Joan Negley Kelleher Endowed Professor in Ranch Management within the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife, and Fisheries Management. Dr. Perotto emphasizes the significance of technological advancements in aiding land managers to better comprehend and enhance the relationships between spatial patterns and ecological processes within the environment.
According to Dr. Perotto, the progression of technology has opened up new tools and approaches that can assist in understanding the spatial and temporal dynamics of vegetation, livestock, wildlife movement, and resource allocation across rangelands. By utilizing technology, land managers can gain insights into the fine and broad-scale dynamics of change and how these dynamics impact landscape productivity.
Dr. Perotto and his team frequently utilize drones to assess vegetation cover, estimate forage mass, and conduct wildlife surveys. Their work has demonstrated the substantial contributions of drones to wildlife management, as well as the assessment and control of woody encroachment on rangelands. This highlights the practical applications of drones and technology in enhancing land management practices and conservation efforts.
For any inquiries about the webinar, individuals can reach out to Casey Matzke, AgriLife Extension program manager in Bryan-College Station, at [email protected], or Brittany Chesser, AgriLife Extension aquatic vegetation management program specialist and lead diagnostic scientist at AgriLife Extension’s Aquatic Diagnostics Laboratory in Bryan-College Station, at [email protected].
Overall, the upcoming webinar on „Drones and Technology for Rangelands“ promises to be an informative and insightful event, shedding light on the innovative ways in which technology can be leveraged to advance rangeland stewardship and conservation efforts.