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Society for Range Management to hold annual meeting, trade showOklahoma Rangelands occupy more than 23 million acres of land in Oklahoma and nearly half of the earth's land area. The Society for Range Management is doing its part to ensure this land is properly managed. Range managers, producers, companies, agency personnel, students, higher education professionals and anyone interested can learn about current issues affecting rangeland management, receive training associated with rangeland management and network with others interested at the 66th annual meeting, Technical Training and Trade Show in Oklahoma City slated Feb. 2 to 8. As a gold sponsor for the event, the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at Oklahoma State University will have a strong showing with many faculty members giving presentations. "OSU is a leader in rangeland research and we are honored to help host this international meeting of producers and scientists," said Mike Woods, DASNR interim vice president of OSU agricultural programs. "Rangeland is the dominant land type in our state and is critical to our thriving livestock industry and represents unique landscapes for Oklahoma's vibrant wildlife populations." The week-long event will feature multiple presentations, tours, roundtable discussions, trade shows, workshops and forums. Nearly 900 have preregistered to attend and Karen Hickman, NREM professor and meeting co-chair, said the producers' forums are always a popular section. "The forums are a great opportunity for producers to learn about successful management techniques they can implement in their own operations," Hickman said. "We have two forums scheduled Tuesday (Feb. 5) and a Native American forum for managers on tribal lands Thursday (Feb. 7)." The morning producers' forum will focus on livestock, wildlife, fire and fence, while the afternoon session will discuss how to cope with the energy industry. The Native American Forum will present effective tools for equipping rangeland managers on tribal lands. "The theme for this year's meeting of 'Native America - Native Rangelands' aptly describes the history and management of Oklahoma's rangelands," said Keith Owens, NREM department head and Oklahoma section president of SRM. "There are 38 federally recognized tribal nations in Oklahoma that provide a rich cultural heritage." The event will take place at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City. Preregistration has been completed, but those interested in attending may register on-site at the meeting. Visit the Society for Range Management website at rangelands.org for more information. Date: 2/4/2013
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