Extension-Led Collaboration for Multi-Use Rangeland Stewardship
ISSN 2158-9429
Volume 18, Issue 2 - December 2025
Editor: Bindu Poudel-Ward
Abstract
Public rangelands face increasing pressure from competing land uses, regulatory complexity, and ecological variability, requiring collaborative, science-based management approaches. The Arizona/Utah Range Livestock Workshop and Tour were established in 1978 as a neutral, Extension-led forum to address long-standing conflict among ranchers, agencies, and conservation interests on the Arizona Strip. This manuscript presents a hybrid Extension case study and cooperative model demonstration examining how sustained engagement over 47 years influenced education, behavior, and shared stewardship capacity. Long-term participation records (1978–2025) and standardized evaluations (2015–2025) were used to assess attendance, curriculum evolution, knowledge gain, and management adoption. Results show more than 12,500 total participants, consistent rancher engagement (40–50%), expanding interagency participation, strong knowledge gains across instructional eras, and that 68% of 2025 respondents adopted practices that improved profitability. Agency-reported outcomes indicate improved coordination, reduced conflict, and strengthened producer–agency communication. Collectively, these findings demonstrate the effectiveness and national transferability of this cooperative Extension model for multi-use rangeland stewardship.
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