February Science Seminar: Grassland Management and Sustainable Agriculture in a Changing Climate

Grasslands provide important ecosystem services in our region and beyond, such as critical habitat, erosion control, and carbon sequestration. However, by some estimates grasslands are the most imperiled and least protected natural ecosystem in the world, which is predominantly due to widespread conversion of grasslands into agricultural land. Increasingly, climate change acts as an additional stressor which complicates efforts to restore and conserve these key ecosystems.
On Monday, February 26, the Midwest Climate Adaptation Center held a discussion around climate-smart strategies for grassland management. This Science Seminar featured a discussion between Melinda Smith of Colorado State University, a plant community ecologist, and Brent Rudolph of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, who develops collaborative grassland and farmland conservation programs.