For more than 100 years the University of Idaho has offered hands-on education and professional training in livestock management, animal husbandry, riparian and water quality management, species conservation and habitat enhancement, wildfire ecology and many other areas through internships, coursework, and research. Applying these education and research demonstrations at RRCR will enhance integration of working rangelands with conservation interests in the western United States, which may result in improved management of public and private rangelands.
The collective RRCR property and adjacent BLM grazing allotments encompasses nearly the entire watershed of Rock Creek, which offers a unique environment to test and demonstrate contemporary management practices in a landscape representative of the multiple uses and challenges faced by western rangelands. The ability to manage livestock in conjunction with riparian and sage-grouse habitat in the presence of invasive plants, frequent and severe wildfire, and recreation is increasingly challenging. Learning how to manage these uses within a shared landscape is important to Idaho producers and public users of rangelands, and is a fundamental skillset needed of future workers.
Reconstructing the historic barn for contemporary use will provide a central hub for a variety of activities. The new classroom space will facilitate K-12 and community education, professional development, as well as research demonstrations for student training in postsecondary rangeland management and animal science. Funding associated classroom technology will enhance hands-on learning experiences for target audiences, provide scientific equipment and laboratory space for research, and upgrade telecommunications systems to facilitate classroom connectivity and research training for purposes of workforce development.