A team of CSU Extension faculty and Eureka! Science Museum staff organized a educational program in honor of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists August 24th at the Science Museum.
Local rangeland ecologist Retta Bruegger, and rancher Janie VanWinkle (also, Executive Board member for the Ruth Powell Hutchins Water Center) talked about their relationships to these lands. Attendees toured the exhibit, completed a fun "Evaluation Quiz" for free rangeland stickers and posters, and mingled amid the engaging science exhibits at Eureka!
A few comments attendees made:
- "Excellent exhibit. It's hard to wrap my head brain around it all."
- "I didn't realize the scope of the importance of rangelands globally -- keep up the good work spreading these ranchers, pastoralists, and native people's stories."
- "Excellent, just wish we could get this word out to the general public."
A particularly salient comment was made by a local city councilmember: "I didn't know what aridification was, now I do." The awareness is particularly valuable as Grand Junction is weathering perhaps it's hottest summer ever on record, with record low rainfall. Mesa County is in the midst of a D3 (Extreme) D4 (Exceptional) drought, with areas over the winter registering 41% snowpack, and snowmelt 5-6 weeks early.
Folks left with a deeper appreciation of the wide open spaces in the Grand Valley and beyond; with increased knowledge of biodiversity, habitat for wildlife and plants, and livelihoods for people.
With help from Retta and the Eureka! team, the rangelands and wide open spaces of the region have become that much less overlooked.
