Conservation Conversations

Collaboration to Restoration in Sublette County, WY

Presented By: Shari Meeks- Previous Range Program Manager

See how Sublette County Conservation District has driven a collaborative process to get conservation on the ground resulting in the restoration of a degraded watershed. Our landscape is a patchwork of federal, state and private lands where multiple interests are at the table no matter what the project.  To leverage our ability to get conservation on the ground, collaboration is oftentimes necessary. This presentation offers an opportunity to see how we have navigated the human dimension of collaboration and how we were able to weave together several collaborative efforts, resulting in conservation on the ground. Click on the image to watch the webinar.

A look back at Catastrophic Wildfires: A Collaborative approach working in Southwest Wyoming

Presented By: Mike Henn- District Manager

Sublette County Conservation District (SCCD) along with many other partners have combined expertise and resources since the 2012 fire season to assist in the recovery and rehabilitation of the natural resources affected by large fires in SW Wyoming. Every fire has been different, but the Team has learned from each event and continues to get better and faster at their response. Let’s take a look back over the last 10 years of data, pictures and successful projects that show vegetation recovery and changes over time! Click on the image to watch the webinar.

Fungal Facilitation: The Symbiotic Relationship Between Mycorrhizal Fungi and Sagebrush

Presented By: Kristy Smith- Previous Natural Resource Technician

We tend to think of fungus in classic terms- the mushrooms you find off a trail in the forest, helping to decompose a dead tree. But there are millions of varieties of fungi in the world and some of those actually play an important role in helping plants to grow more successfully. I’ll be discussing that specific type of fungi—mycorrhizae—and how it helps plants in sagebrush ecosystems to thrive in the harsh climates of the sagebrush steppe. Click on the image to watch the webinar.

Snowpack and Drought: Navigating a Drying Future in Sublette County

Presented By: Jess Artz- Previous Range Specialist/Education & Outreach Coordinator

Sublette County relies on its winter snowpack. The melted snow feeds into our soil moisture, fills the state’s aquifers and reservoirs and sustains the state’s agriculture, animals and people. As the climate warms, less precipitation falls as snow, and more snow melts during the winter which means drying trends overall. It is important to manage well and make different choices in normal and above average years, so vegetation can respond better in drought years. The management choices we make today will impact nature’s response to stressors, such as drought. Click on the image to watch the webinar.

Response to Catastrophic Wildfires: A Collaborative Approach in Sublette County

Presented By: Mike Henn- District Manager

SCCD along with many other partners, have combined expertise and resources to assist in the recovery and rehabilitation of the natural resources affected by large fires in SW Wyoming. There have been three large fires since 2012 (Fontenelle 2012, Cliff Creek 2016, and Roosevelt 2018) that have occurred on the landscape affecting multiple resources and land ownerships. SCCD along with other partners have developed a great collaborative effort to combine resources to address concerns dealing with the effects of these fires. Click on the image to watch the webinar.

Adaptive Management on the Ryegrass Ranch: Stories of on the Ground Conservation Work

Presented By: Melanie Purcell- Wildlife and Habitat Program Manager

Natural resource management is both an art and a science. Conservation plans are a great way for you to document resources on your land and evaluate opportunities. Join us to learn more about what a conservation plan entails and how it helped one landowner implement on the ground projects to meet their goals. Click on the image to watch the webinar.

Secrets of the Sagebrush Sea

Presented By: Shari Meeks- Previous Range Program Manager

To the untrained eye, the rangelands of Sublette County can look like a monotonous sea of sagebrush. But did you know that there are over 20 different species of Sagebrush in Sublette County? And each species has a very specific need to thrive on the landscape. Join Shari Meeks as she takes us on a stroll through the diverse rangelands of Sublette County. You don't have to be an ecologist to appreciate diversity on the landscape, even when it all appears the same from the highway! Click on the image to watch the webinar.

Salts of Sublette County

Presented By: Gabe Fancher- Previous Natural Resource Technician, Sr.

Come listen to a brief overview of how natural resources are affected by salts found in the soils and waters of Sublette County. We'll cover the sources, transport, and fate of salts in and around the region. You'll learn how to identify areas affected by salinity and sodicity and how you can manage for it. Click on the image to watch the webinar.