IALC Land Management Workshop: A 10th Anniversary Celebration of USFS, CSREES, Israel, and IALC Partnerships

4 - 5 November 1999

The International Arid Lands Consortium hosted a workshop entitled IALC Land Management Workshop: A 10th Anniversary Celebration of USFS, CSREES, Israel, and IALC Partnerships, 4-5 November 1999 in Reno, Nevada. The purpose of this workshop was to inform government land managers and other interested persons about the work of the IALC.

The four focus areas of the Workshop were:

Water/Watersheds
Seed Banks and Crusts
Wildlife/Grazing/Ecology
Decision Support Systems

Each focus area was explored by a panel of scientists presenting IALC-funded research. The presentations were followed by a group discussion.

In addition to the scientific discussions, there was also an evening reception hosted by the IALC and the Jewish National Fund (JNF). The Executive Vice President of JNF, Russell Robinson, spoke to the Workshop participants and members of Reno's Jewish community regarding Israel's water crisis.

Over 70 participants from Israel and the U.S. attended the Workshop. Most participants were researchers from the following IALC member institutions:

The University of Arizona,
Desert Research Institute Nevada,
The University of Illinois,
Jewish National Fund,
New Mexico State University,
South Dakota State University, and
Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

In addition, there were representatives from the USDA Forest Service and the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES).

The IALC is pleased with the success of the Land Management Workshop. This event brought together researchers and land management professionals from across the United States and Israel to share their individual expertise in an effort to build a global community of educated land managers. In the future, the IALC will continue to work to bring cutting-edge research to arid land managers and other professionals.

Program

4 NOVEMBER 1999

8:00 am Introductions and Welcome

Dr. Kennith E. Foster - The University of Arizona, Tucson
Dr. Jeffrey O. Dawson - The University of Illinois, Urbana
Ms. Carmela A. Bailey - USDA CSREES, Washington, DC
Dr. Valdis E. Mezainis - USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC

8:15 am Session I: Water/Watersheds
Moderator: Dr. Donald A. Hegwood, Texas A&M University-Kingsville

Panel Members:

Water Use by Dryland Oaks
Dr. Gerald J. Gottfried - USDA Forest Service, Phoenix AZ
Climate-Driven Changes in Biomass Allocation Compromise the Ability of Pines to Store Atmospheric Carbon
Dr. Evan H. DeLucia - The University of Illinois, Urbana
Spectral Reflectance & Biological Integrity of the Land-Water Interface
Dr. Nels H. Troelstrup, Jr. - South Dakota State University, Brookings
Effluent and Water Harvesting for Irrigation in Agroforestry Production
Dr. Martin M. Karpiscak - The University of Arizona, Tucson

10:15 am BREAK

10:30 am Session II: Seed Banks and Crusts
Moderator: Dr. Moshe Shachak - Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel

Panel Members:

Microbiotic Crusts - Their Nature & Establishment in Israel and New Mexico
Dr. H. Curtis Monger - New Mexico State University, Las Cruces
Predicting Seed Bank Germination in Semiarid Rangelands Under Grazing
Dr. Phil S. Allen - Brigham Young University, Provo UT
Effects of Polyacrylanide on Seedling Emergence
Dr. Duane T. Gardiner - Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Patchiness and Nutrient Cycling in Arid Lands
Dr. Moshe Shachak - Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
Dust Emissions from Drylands: Implications for Desertification
Dr. John A. Gillies - Desert Research Institute, Reno NV

12:30 pm LUNCH
Hosted by the IALC

2:30 pm Session III: Wildlife/Grazing/Ecology
Moderator: Dr. Uriel N. Safriel - Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel

Panel Members:

Detecting the Effects of Wildlife Herbivory on Arid Dryland Vegetation - Ground Survey vs Remote Sensing
Dr. Uriel N. Safriel - Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
Banner-Tailed Kangaroo Rats and Shrub Invasion in Desert Grasslands
Dr. Mark C. Anderson - New Mexico State University, Las Cruces
Improved Management of Public Land Grazing Allotments: An Information Resource
Dr. George B. Ruyle & Ms. Barbara S. Hutchinson - The University of Arizona, Tucson
Threatened and Endangered Species in Arid Environments
Dr. James R. Lloyd - USDA Forest Service, Albuquerque NM

4:30 pm End of Day's Sessions

6:30 pm RECEPTION WITH CASH BAR
Hosted by the IALC and the Jewish National Fund

Dr. Kennith E. Foster - The University of Arizona
Seminar: Israel's Water Crisis
Mr. Russell F. Robinson, Executive Vice President, JNF

5 NOVEMBER 1999

8:30 am Session IV: Decision Support Systems
Moderator: Dr. John Tracy - Desert Research Institute, Reno

Panel Members

Adaptive Management: Key Elements & Considerations
Dr. Patricia Manley - USDA Forest Service, South Lake Tahoe CA
An Integrated Management and Decision Support System for Arid Lands
Dr. Gil A. Mendoza - The University of Illinois, Urbana
Decision Support System for Arid Wetlands and Riparian Zones
Dr. Kevin E. Lansey - The University of Arizona, Tucson
Information Visualization for the Management of Arid Lands Vegetation
Dr. Dean Hayes - Gerald Thomas Emeritus, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces

10:30 am BREAK

11:00 am Session V: Where Do We Go from Here?

Rapporteurs