Gray wolf and cattle conflicts will be discussed Feb. 18 at the Rustici Rangeland Science Symposium. Photo courtesy of California Department of Fish and Wildlife

Rustici Rangeland Science Symposium to address California's changing landscapes

Ranchers, land managers, conservationists, policymakers and scientists will gather to discuss the evolving challenges and opportunities in managing the state's rangelands at the 2025 Rustici Rangeland Science Symposium on Feb. 18at UC Davis.

“The 2025 symposium will bring together a broad range of perspectives to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing California's working landscapes, which are crucial to both the state's economy and environmental health,” said Leslie Roche, professor of Cooperative Extension in rangeland management at UC Davis.

Key themes for the 2025 symposium, "California's Changing Landscapes," include:

1. Climate and Weather: Understanding the changing climate, impacts on rangelands and potential solutions for adaptation.
2. Wildfire Resilience: Expanding strategies to mitigate wildfire risks and post-fire recovery of rangelands.
3. Ranching with Wolves: Examining the scale of wolf-cattle conflicts on ranches and assessing the economic impacts of ranching with wolves.

“This symposium aims to spark meaningful conversations and cultivate new partnerships that will drive solutions to the critical challenges of sustainablerangeland management,” said Ken Tate, professor of Cooperative Extension inrangeland watershed sciences at UC Davis.

Cattle rounded up to evacuate from wildfire. Tracy Schohr will discuss ranching through wildfire. Photo by Tracy Schohr

Presentation and speakers include:

• “Building Climate Resilience across California's Rangelands: Approaches for Sustainable Ranching, Adaptive Management, and Collaborative Conservation,” by Roche
• “Climate-smart Agriculture: Rangeland Soil Health,” by Anthony T. O'Geen, professor & soil resource specialist in Cooperative Extension, Russell L. Rustici Endowed Chair in Rangeland Watershed Science, UC Davis Department of Land, Air and Water Resources
• “Increasing hydroclimate whiplash in California: Implications for California's grasslands and shrublands,” via Zoom by Daniel Swain, climate scientist, California Institute for Water Resources, UC ANR and Institute of the Environment & Sustainability, UCLA

• California Wildfire & Forest Resilience Task Force: Expanding the use of prescribed grazing as a landscape management tool, by Patrick Wright, director of the Governor's California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force
• “State-of-the-Art Strategies for Reducing Wildfire Risk on Forests and Rangelands,” by Dan Macon, UCCE livestock & natural resources advisor, Central Sierra; and Bianca Artadi Soares Shapero, targeted grazing practitioner and project manager at Star Creek Land Stewards Inc.
• Ranching through Wildfire, by Tracy Schohr, UCCE livestock & natural resources advisor, Plumas, Sierra and Butte counties

• Status of Gray Wolf Population and Conservation in California, by Axel Honeycutt, state wolf coordinator, California Department of Fish and Wildlife 
• Understanding the Scale and Scope of Wolf-Cattle Conflict on California's Ranches, by Tate
• Quantifying the Economic Impacts of Ranching with Wolves, by Tina Saitone, professor of Cooperative Extension, UC Davis Agricultural and Resource Economics

Closing comments will be made by Lynn Huntsinger, professor of rangeland ecology and management and Russell Rustici Chair in Rangeland Management, in the UC Berkeley Department of Environmental Science and Policy.

After the presentations, participants are invited to network and engage in informal discussions during a social and poster session.

Register at https://bit.ly/2025RusticiSymposium. For more information and updates, visit https://rangelands.ucdavis.edu/2025-rustici-rangeland-science-symposium.

Established in 2012, the Rustici Rangeland Science Symposium celebrates the work of Russell L. Rustici and his commitment to advancing sustainable rangeland management. The event serves as a vital forum for engaging conversations on rangeland management, conservation, and policy.

The symposium is funded in part by the UC Davis College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences' Russell L. Rustici Rangeland & Cattle Research, Education and Extension Endowment.