Life on the Range

is an educational project showcasing real stories about the ever-changing landscape of ranching, multiple-use management, entrepreneurial spirit, family and stewardship on Idaho’s rangelands.

The heart-warming stories provide a rare glimpse of how our neighbors in rural Idaho work every day to improve the earth and touch people’s lives in positive ways.

Brought to you by the Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission. If you have a story idea, please email us. Please support this project with your donation today.

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Range Stories by Region

Choose a region to explore and learn about Idaho Rangeland
BOSH Project Restores Sagebrush Sea at a Grand Scale +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Conservation

In the spring of 2023, Bureau of Land Management fire crews burned juniper trees – cut in 2021 – to…

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Research prescribed burn project in Reynolds Creek goes smooth +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Rangeland Management

Research Professionals have been planning a prescribed burn in the Upper Reynolds Creek area in Owhyhee County, Idaho, with local…

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Drones accelerate noxious weed control in E. Idaho +
Eastern Idaho   | 
Invasive Weed Management

The South Fork of the Snake River, near Idaho Falls, is a treasured, native Yellowstone cutthroat trout fishing stream and…

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Greater Sage Grouse 101 +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Education

Greater sage grouse are a popular topic in Idaho and the West these days. Idaho is one of 11 western…

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Robin Brown loves training stock dogs for ranch use +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Cattle

Robin and Rocky Brown live in their own slice of paradise in Indian Valley, Idaho, where they raise and train…

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Human-caused Moose Fire has widespread impacts +
Central Idaho   | 
Wildfire

The Moose Fire was ignited on July 17, 2022 by sparks from an unattended campfire burning next to the Salmon…

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Carbon Sequestration in Rangelands: An Introduction +
Eastern Idaho   | 
Conservation

Blackfoot rancher Mark Pratt digs a hole in a mountain meadow to check on the soil and look at the…

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RFPA’s Celebrate 10 years of Success +
Southern Idaho   | 
Rangeland Management

When black storm clouds gather on a hot summer night, Mountain Home rancher Charlie Lyons drives up to a high-point…

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Cheatgrass Challenge defends native core habitat in Idaho +
Eastern Idaho   | 
Invasive Weed Management

There comes a point, where enough is enough. That’s how Curtis Elke felt, thinking about the gigantic swaths of cheatgrass…

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Targeted grazing at Sterling WMA +
Eastern Idaho   | 
Cattle

It’s a chilly winter day at the Sterling Wildlife Management Area near Aberdeen, Idaho. Dallin and Chase Carter, and ranch-hand…

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Know where to go before you go! +
South Central Idaho   | 
Recreation

By all accounts, the number of people playing outdoors in Idaho has been growing rapidly in recent years as record…

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Recreation tips for the popular South Fork Boise River +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Recreation

The South Fork of the Boise River is a scenic and popular place to go fishing, camping, and whitewater rafting….

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Anglers, Cattle co-exist on the South Fork Boise River +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Recreation

In the spring, local ranchers graze cattle along the South Fork of the Boise River, while early-bird anglers fish and…

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Range Tips for Recreationists +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Cattle

Many parts of the Boise National Forest are managed for multiple use. Near Cow Creek summit, west of Mountain Home,…

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Livestock guardian dogs have a job to do – please leave them in the field +
Central Idaho   | 
Recreation

Everyone loves dogs. But some dogs aren’t pets. Idaho sheep ranchers use special dog breeds to protect their flocks from…

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Raising sheep in the midst of the 2020 Covid pandemic in Idaho +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Education

Emmett sheep rancher John Peterson is an eternal optimist. He loves being a sheep rancher. He’s done it for 30…

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Restoring beaver to Birch Creek +
Southeast Idaho   | 
Conservation

Preston Rancher Jay Wilde had a dream – to restore beavers to Birch Creek. His goal was to make Birch…

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Lemhi Ranchers enhance fish habitat via harmonious 25-year partnership +
Eastern Idaho   | 
Cattle

The Lemhi River meanders for 60 miles through a big valley in this quiet corner of Eastern Idaho before it…

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Mink Creek water quality – An E. coli mystery solved with DNA +
Southeast Idaho   | 
Cattle

The Mink Creek watershed supports a wide variety of recreation uses with many quality trails and camping spots close to…

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What are Idaho Rangelands? +
Central Idaho   | 
Education

We hope you enjoy this 1-minute educational video about Idaho Rangelands. Learn about the different types of Rangelands that exist…

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Targeted grazing in the Owyhee Front +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Invasive Weed Management

Big wildfires are burning up crucial wildlife habitat in Idaho and the Great Basin. In 2015, the Soda Fire burned…

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Restoring Rangelands in the Danskin Mountains of Idaho +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Cattle

Like many ranchers, Mayfield rancher Jeff Lord watches for opportunities to improve the public range where his cattle graze. Following…

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BLM creates Forage Reserve in Eastern Idaho +
Central Idaho, Eastern Idaho   | 
Cattle

When a range fire occurs in Idaho, ranchers often have to wait two years before they can take their livestock…

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IDWR issues new permitting guidance on primitive woody structures +
Central Idaho, Eastern Idaho, Southwest Idaho   | 
Conservation

A stream-restoration project on Fish Creek near Carey, including the installation of about 35 woody  structures and 14 beaver dam…

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Deep roots prepare Marty Gill for leadership in Idaho livestock industry +
North Central Idaho   | 
Cattle

At the top of Cold Springs summit, nearly 7,000 feet above sea level, Lucile rancher Marty Gill gets a charge…

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The Owyhee Initiative – An Idaho Success Story +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Cattle

South of the Treasure Valley, fly like an eagle cross the Snake River, and over the snow-streaked Owyhee Mountains, rising…

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Beaver Dam Analogs catching on in Idaho +
Eastern Idaho, Southwest Idaho   | 
Conservation

Landowners and conservation professionals are excited about a new type of woody structure that mimics beaver dams. The benefits are…

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Wendy Pratt – Grazing to Heal the Earth +
Central Idaho, Eastern Idaho, South Central Idaho, Southeast Idaho, Southwest Idaho   | 
Cattle

My family has been in the ranching business for over a hundred years. I was born on a ranch and…

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Wolves Part 5: Wolf Management in Idaho +
Central Idaho, Eastern Idaho, North Central Idaho, South Central Idaho, Southwest Idaho   | 
Wolves

Nearly 25 years after Rocky Mountain gray wolves were reintroduced to Central Idaho, wolves have had a negative impact on…

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Wolves Part 4: Unforeseen impacts caused by wolves in Idaho +
Central Idaho, Eastern Idaho, North Central Idaho, South Central Idaho, Southwest Idaho   | 
Wolves

More than 20 years after wolves were reintroduced in Idaho, Idaho ranchers have been surprised to experience a host of…

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Wolves Part 3: Meet Jay and Chyenne Smith, Raising Livestock in Idaho +
Central Idaho, Eastern Idaho   | 
Cattle

Jay Smith always wanted to be a cattle rancher, and Chyenne Smith had a lifelong passion for riding horses. Over…

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Wolves Part 2: Wolf Reintroduction in Idaho (1995-2011) +
Central Idaho, Eastern Idaho, North Central Idaho, North Idaho, South Central Idaho, Southeast Idaho, Southwest Idaho   | 
Wolves

Following the reintroduction of 15 wolves into the Central Idaho wilderness in 1995, an additional 20 wolves were transplanted into…

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Wolves Part 1: Early History of Wolves in Idaho +
Central Idaho, Eastern Idaho, North Central Idaho, North Idaho, South Central Idaho, Southeast Idaho, Southwest Idaho   | 
Wolves

Wolves are a mysterious, highly intelligent creature. Living at the top of the food chain, they are effective predators, hunting…

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Wolves in Idaho +
Articles, Central Idaho, Eastern Idaho, North Central Idaho, North Idaho, South Central Idaho, Southwest Idaho   | 
Wolves

IRRC 5-part Educational Wolf Series Each of these videos leads into the next one.  Understanding the history, the perspectives of…

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IRRC expands reach with multi-pronged education programs +
Central Idaho, Eastern Idaho, North Central Idaho, North Idaho, South Central Idaho, Southeast Idaho, Southwest Idaho   | 
Education

Many people enjoy the wide open spaces in Idaho, where you might see livestock grazing in pretty pastures with tall…

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Phil Soulen leaves a legacy of success with extensive sheep operation +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Sheep

The Soulen family name is well-known in Idaho – it’s synonymous with sheep ranching. The Soulens have been raising sheep…

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Collaboration thrives at Rock Creek Ranch +
Central Idaho   | 
Conservation

Rock Creek Ranch embraces 10,400 acres of land in a series of succulent meadows surrounded by miles upon miles of…

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Davis family raises Japanese Akaushi cattle in Cascade, Idaho +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Cattle

On a cool August morning, Rancher Phil Davis and several friends on horseback herded yearling cattle from a private pasture…

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Emmett students learn about natural resources at Sagehen Reservoir +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Education

About 100 5th graders from Emmett Middle School went to Sagehen Reservoir in May to learn about natural resources in…

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New fire prevention policy works to preserve sage grouse habitat – Large-scale initiatives in Idaho and the Great Basin +
South Central Idaho   | 
Invasive Weed Management

BLM, Forest Service to follow new fire prevention strategy to preserve best sage grouse habitat in five Great Basin states,…

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Tyler family inks conservation easement – Partnering with Lemhi Land Trust to enhance salmon and steelhead habitat +
Central Idaho   | 
Cattle

Tyler family inks $11 million conservation easement on Lemhi River to protect salmon spawning habitat Karl Tyler always wanted to…

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Owyhee County ranchers create wetlands for wildlife – (spotted frogs), livestock and water conservation +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Cattle

Ranchers create ponds, wetlands in Owyhee County in partnership with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service In the arid West, water…

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Multiple use in the Boise Foothills – Ridge to Rivers cooperative land management +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Rangeland Management

Ridge to Rivers Partnership leads to cooperative management of Boise Foothills The Boise Foothills, a large open space area right…

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Restoring the land after the Pony and Elk wildfires – Focus on BLM and USFS rehab techniques +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Wildfire

Range plants respond with vigor following post-fire rehabilitation efforts by the BLM, Forest Service The Pony and Elk complex wildfires…

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Upper Salmon Basin Watershed Program – Enhancing salmon and steelhead habitat on private ranchlands +
Central Idaho   | 
Cattle

Salmon River ranchers restore salmon streams in Upper Salmon Basin to provide homes for fish Jan Phillips and her late…

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Joseph Black & Sons – Holistic management on private and public lands +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Cattle

Chris Black embraces Holistic Management to enhance biodiversity, range productivity Bruneau Rancher Chris Black’s family has been ranching in Owyhee…

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Bar H Bar Guest Ranch – Urbanites learn about Ag on working ranch +
Southeast Idaho   | 
Cattle

Guest riders learn about ranch life, improve stewardship at Bar H Bar Ranch On a frosty September morning in the…

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Lava Lake Ranch – Marketing lamb directly to restaurants and grocery stores +
Central Idaho   | 
Sheep

Lava Lake Ranch taps into local markets, restaurants for sales of certified organic and natural lamb products Lava Lake Ranch…

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Noh Sheep Company – Ranching in the South Hills +
South Central Idaho   | 
Sheep

John Noh enjoys rebound of sheep prices & wool prices, practices rest-rotation grazing in the South Hills Kimberly sheep rancher…

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SS Cattle Company – Creating fish and wildlife habitat on private lands +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Cattle

SS Cattle Co. creates wildlife habitat on ranch, finds sweet spot for sustainable future Royce and Pam Schwenkfelder run the…

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Ray Holes – The Goat King – Using goats to combat noxious weeds +
North Central Idaho   | 
Invasive Weed Management

The use of goats to control noxious weeds is increasingly being embraced as an effective, non-toxic method of weed control…

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Borah High students learn about sage grouse in the Owyhee Mountains +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Education

Borah High students learn about sage-grouse, juniper invasion on field trip in the Owyhees Over 75 Borah High School juniors…

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Care & Share Program – Trailhead signage gives recreation tips on co-existing with livestock +
Press Release   | 
Education

Care & Share program gives recreationists a head’s up about co-existing with sheep, cattle grazing on public lands The Care…

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Eastern Idaho Grazing Association – Raising cattle and sheep on common range +
Eastern Idaho   | 
Rangeland Management

Range stewardship leads to thrifty grasslands, improved weight gains for livestock in E. Idaho In the broad, sweeping valleys under…

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Pahsimeroi Valley – Restoring streams to benefit salmon and steelhead +
Central Idaho   | 
Conservation

Ranchers restore fish habitat in Pahsimeroi Valley with help from multiple agencies Rancher Jim Martiny remembers his grandmother talking about…

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Grazing Permits – Process for renewing BLM grazing permits is extensive; lawsuits and appeals raise the bar, add time for review +
Central Idaho   | 
Rangeland Management

Process for renewing BLM grazing permits is extensive; lawsuits and appeals raise the bar, add time for review Many ranchers…

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Bud Purdy – a progressive Idaho rancher and a legend +
Central Idaho   | 
Cattle

There’s a man in Picabo, Idaho, who’s been a true leader in the ranching and business industry, who also hunted…

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Reducing juniper for cattle and sage grouse +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Conservation

Juniper tree removal re-opens meadow areas for native plants, sage-grouse, wildlife and cattle Western juniper trees have been steadily encroaching…

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Mountain Home ranchers form first Rangeland Fire Protection District in Idaho +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Rangeland Management

Mountain Home ranchers form Idaho’s first Rangeland Fire Protection Assoc. with Idaho Dept. of Lands, BLM Over the years, ranchers…

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Butch Klaveano – Cooperative land management in heavy recreation area on USFS land +
North Central Idaho   | 
Cattle

Butch Klaveano – A Master of Multiple Use Management Butch Klaveano is a master of managing for multiple use. He…

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Ranching in Bonner’s Ferry – Ranching next to the Kootenai River +
North Idaho   | 
Cattle

Ranching in the Kootenai River Valley is much different than in S. Idaho; plus, all about cattle brands The Kootenai…

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Mount Borah Ranch – Competing with frosty weather next to Idaho’s tallest peak +
Central Idaho   | 
Cattle

Smith family uses creativity, Yankee ingenuity to run Mt. Borah Ranch There’s never a dull moment at the Mount Borah…

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Frank Shirts – A year in the life of raising sheep +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Sheep

A Year in the Life of Raising Sheep From lambing to spring turnout, shipping to shearing Sheep ranching is an…

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Sheep in the Foothills – Annual spring education event for kids and adults in Boise +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Education

Kids, families learn all about wool, lamb and herding at Sheep in the Foothills event Several hundred kids and adults…

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Huge fires impact ranchers – Coping with large-scale fires +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Invasive Weed Management

Idaho ranchers hit hard by Pony/Elk wildfires; How do we avoid such huge fires in the future? On a hot,…

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Range Monitoring catches on with ranchers +
Central Idaho   | 
Rangeland Management

Range monitoring catches on with ranchers to document ecological conditions on public lands Seth McFarland grew up on his family’s…

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Henry Etcheverry – Savvy Basque sheepman finds niche in competitive market +
Southeast Idaho   | 
Sheep

Henry Etcheverry – A savvy 21st century businessman and Basque sheep rancher Henry Etcheverry is a busy guy in early…

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Jared Brackett: Ranching in a Fish Bowl – Improving sage grouse habitat on BLM rangelands on China Mountain +
South Central Idaho   | 
Cattle

Jared Brackett – Ranching in a Fish Bowl Jared Brackett raises black angus cattle in a  very remote area known…

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Idaho County Creative Weed Control – Targeting noxious weeds with strategic approach +
North Central Idaho   | 
Invasive Weed Management

Idaho County uses multi-pronged approach, computer-modeling to hold the line on noxious weeds Idaho County is the largest county in…

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Investing in Hells Canyon – Running a ranch to optimize range health for cattle and wildlife +
North Central Idaho   | 
Cattle

Investor Robert Stoll enjoys growing the value of High Range Ranch in Hells Canyon via land stewardship Robert Stoll is…

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Adaptive Management benefits sage grouse +
Central Idaho   | 
Conservation

Rancher Tom Page works to improve sage grouse habitat on multiple ranch properties in the Pahsimeroi Valley Each spring, about…

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Lemhi Ranchers: Welcome home Chinook – Enhancing salmon and steelhead habitat on private lands +
Central Idaho   | 
Cattle

Lemhi Ranchers: Welcome home Chinook salmon! Largest Chinook run since 1960 coincides with tour of fish habitat improvement projects Salmon…

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John and Diane Peavey – Founders of Trailing of the Sheep Festival +
Central Idaho   | 
Sheep

John and Diane Peavey – an Idaho power couple who have enhanced education, natural resources policy Many miles north of…

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Spring Turnout – Trailing cattle on U.S. 95 to reach spring pastures +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Rangeland Management

Ranchers cope with vehicular traffic on U.S. 95, ATVs in Owyhee County as they turnout cattle to public lands Spring…

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BLM Paradigm Project seeks to break fire cycle +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Invasive Weed Management

BLM Paradigm project seeks to break repeated fire cycle in SW Idaho with aggressive fire breaks plan Dozens of range…

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Targeted grazing with cattle to create fire breaks +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Cattle

BLM experiments with targeted grazing, using cattle to “mow” fire breaks in the Owyhee Front The Bureau of Land Management…

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Idaho Envirothon – Nature Resources competition prepares high school students for college and careers +
Central Idaho   | 
Education

Idaho Envirothon challenges students to engage in critical thinking, craft solutions to natural resources issues More than 80 kids from…

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Pole Creek Conservation Success Story +
Central Idaho   | 
Conservation

Finding water for endangered salmon and cattle in the Sawtooth Valley – A conservation success story It’s mid-September, and endangered…

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Range Monitoring Part 2 – Joint BLM-ISDA initiative to expand photo monitoring on rangelands +
Southwest Idaho   | 
Rangeland Management

Training, multi-agency partnership inspire over 100 Idaho ranchers to engage in range monitoring More Idaho ranchers are getting involved in…

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Grazing in Harriman State Park +
Eastern Idaho   | 
Cattle

Striking a careful balance between grazing, wildlife, history and fishing at Harriman State Park A big group of cowboys came…

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