Thank you for your interest in the 2012 Ecologically-based Invasive Plant

Management (EBIPM) Field School. We are excited to show you the ins and outs of

implementing EBIPM on your land for sustained successful management of invasive

plants, especially annual grasses such

as cheatgrass and medusahead.

This registration packet should

answer questions you may have about

the field school, agenda, logistics and

exactly how to prepare for a great

learning experience.

Signs will be posted to direct you to

our meeting site in Reno, look for

them as you arrive. We’re looking

forward to your participation.

Learning Effective Invasive Weed Management in the Field!

Field School Objectives

EBIPM is a step-by-step systems approach to

managing invasive species using ecological

principles and strategies to stop treating

the symptoms and start repairing the

underlying causes of invasive plant

infestations. Adopting EBIPM promotes

a more complete understanding of

sustainable weed management, a

more efficient use of funds, and the

solutions for reducing invasive plant

infestations.

The EBIPM Field School experience is

designed to provide you with all the

necessary information to begin applying

EBIPM in a ‘learn-by-doing’ in-the-field setting.

This education format is geared to providing

you a complete understanding of EBIPM to

begin using the process when you return

home.

August 28-29, 2012 Ecologically-based Invasive Plant Management

2012 Field School & Learning Fair

Inside this packet:

Field School Location & Maps

2

Lodging Information

3

How to Prepare, Food, Handbook & Materials & Continuing Ed Credits

4

About the Instructors

5

Expanded Agenda

6-7

The Area-wide Project & Park History

8

Need More Info? 8

Invasion by

cheatgrass and

medusahead is having

a multi-dimensional,

catastrophic effect

on the Great Basin

and surrounding

ecosystems. So far,

our efforts of

control have merely

been treating the

symptoms. This

pattern must be

reversed. This is

among the primary

goals of EBIPM.

Rancho San Rafael Park Reno, Nevada

Page 2 EBIPM Field School Registration Packet

The 2012 EBIPM Field

School and Learning

Fair is at the Rancho

San Rafael Park in

Reno, Nevada. We

really put the “field”

into field school and

to provide the best

field experience, we’ll

be spending much of

our time in the field.

Several of the

presentations and the

majority of activities

will take place at

various field sites

around the park. Most

of the presentations

will be indoors at the

May Museum and in

the Peavine Pavilion.

“Home Base” will be

set up for checking in,

getting the course

materials and meeting

each day to begin our

activities. To help you

find our field school

Field School Location and Maps

After the field school and learning fair, you will have:

knowledge of how to apply EBIPM in a step-by-step process,

methods to assess ecological processes in need of repair,

knowledge of how to use ecological principles to formulate,

management strategies for more effective weed management,

a technique that allows you to adjust strategies and identify best

management practices as management progresses, and

helpful user guidelines and a resource book to enhance EBIPM

adoption.

“I really enjoyed the materials,

presentations, thought-

provoking discussions...best

training workshop I’ve been to

in several years.”

-2011 participant

What you’ll gain by attending

Page 3 Ecologically-based Invasive Plant Management 2011 Field School

“Everyone involved in putting on this workshop did an outstanding

job. An amazing amount of information and hands-on experiences

were presented in the 4 days and I heard many participants talk

about how valuable it had been for them to attend….we left with

new enthusiasm and energy for not just treating the weed symptom,

but for working to recognize and resolve the bigger picture

problems that favor noxious weeds.”

- 2010 field school participant

home base, we have provided a number of links. Clicking on any of

the “Miles from…” links below will take you to our directions page

on ebipm.org where you can enter the location you’ll be traveling

from and get directions to Reno. Clicking on the map at left will take

you to our map page on ebipm.org which will allow you to zoom in

or out, print directions and get a better idea of how to get to Reno.

Miles from…

Elko, Nevada to Reno

(approximately 289 miles & 4 hours 35 minutes)

Sacramento, California to Reno

(approximately 132 miles & 2 hours 23 minutes)

Salt Lake City, Utah to Reno

(approximately 519 miles & 8 hours 2 minutes)

A number of hotels are available in the Reno area

and because the Rancho San Rafael Park is less than

2 miles from downtown Reno, travel time from the

field school site to your hotel can be minimal. We’ve

listed a few recommended options below and

www.travelnevada.com provides a complete list of

hotels in Reno.

John Ascuaga’s Nugget

(800) 648-1177 or (775) 356-3300

1100 Nugget Avenue, Sparks, NV 89431

5 miles & 11 minutes from Rancho San Rafael

free wireless internet

shuttle to and from Reno Tahoe Int’l Airport

atrium pool & fitness center

*JA’s Nugget has offered a special rate for Field

School attendees *And August 29-September 3, 2012: Best in the

West Nugget Rib Cook-Off, free rib festival!

Lodging Information Peppermill Resort Casino

(866) 821-9996 or (775) 689-7270 2707 South Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89502

4.5 miles & 12 minutes from Rancho San

Rafael

Atlantis Casino, Resort & Spa

(800) 723-6500 or (775) 825-4700 3800 S. Virginia St., Reno, NV 89502

5 miles & 12 minutes from Rancho San

Rafael

El Dorado Hotel & Casino

(800) 879-8879 or (775) 786-5700

345 North Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89501 2 miles & 7 minutes from Rancho San Rafael

Silver Legacy Resort & Casino

(800) 687-8733 or (775) 325-7401

407 N Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89501

2 miles & 7 minutes from Rancho San Rafael

“The hands-on environment

was great. Much better than

sitting in a room looking at

slides. It provided a better real-

world application.”

-2009 participant

Continuing Education Credits:

The EBIPM Field School has been approved for 13 hours of continuing

education hours for Certified Professional in Rangeland Management.

Recertification Credits for pesticide applicators have also been applied for

from the Nevada Department of Agriculture and the California DPR.

Food

The $75 registration fee provides 3 meals,

plus snacks and drinks during the course of

the field school. The meals included are a

boxed lunch both days (Tuesday and

Wednesday, August 28th and 29th) and a

BBQ dinner Tuesday evening that will take

place in conjunction with the Learning Fair and Reception in the Peavine Picnic Pavilion.

Participants will need to take care of their own

breakfast each day before arriving at the field school

and any other meals during their stay in Reno.

It’s a good idea to bring a water bottle or other

container for keeping liquids with you. Water and

other beverages will be available throughout the two

days and snacks will be offered during breaks in the

schedule (outlined on pages 6 and 7 of this registration

packet).

How to Prepare

We expect hot weather with daily high temperatures in

the upper 80’s to low 90’s with lots of sun, a slight

possibility of rain, and overnight lows around 50. Please

dress for hot weather and be prepared to spend several

hours in areas with little to no shade.

Also, please prepare for the possibility of changing conditions...hot and dry to cool and rainy or windy.

Since most of our activities will be in the field, expect to

do some hiking and field work activities as well.

We will not have seating prepared at our field site

locations so prepare to stand or sit on the ground. Many

participants in the past have carried camping chairs for

sitting during presentations.

Page 4 EBIPM Field School Registration Packet

Handbook & Materials

Each participant will receive

an EBIPM Resource

Handbook which includes all

of the EBIPM guidelines,

bulletins, videos and other

materials, as well as a CD of

related scientific journal

articles.

“Applying the principles of EBIPM out in the

field was the most useful. The handbook and

materials are great to have as references. I will

rely on them a lot. Thanks, a great course.”

-2011 participant

A list of publications of interest is also available online at

www.ebipm.org/scientific-literature and we recommend, you take the

time, prior to the field school and learning fair,

to read through at least the following guidelines:

Applying Ecologically-based Invasive Plant

Management: An introduction and overview

and

Principles of Ecologically-based Invasive

Plant Management.

“[I] loved being in the

field and having the

opportunity to apply

ideas on-site.”

-2009 participant

Page 5 Ecologically-based Invasive Plant Management 2011 Field School

About your field school instructors

Roger Sheley-As a Rangeland Ecologist at

USDA-ARS in Burns, OR, Dr.

Sheley’s research focus is on the

development of EBIPM principles.

He has extensive research and

practical experience in managing

invasive species.

Tom Monaco-Tom has been an Ecologist with

the USDA-ARS, Forage and Range

Research Lab. in Logan, UT since

2000. He works closely with Utah

State University and rangeland

users and managers to improve the

productivity and sustainability of agriculture in the semi-arid Intermountain West.

His research emphasizes plant-soil relationships

on rangelands, invasive plant physiology &

ecology, and developing management strategies

to improve rangeland productivity in salt desert

and sagebrush ecosystems invaded by invasive

annual grasses.

Stuart Hardegree- Stuart Hardegree is a Plant

Physiologist at the USDA-ARS

Northwest Watershed Research

Center in Boise, ID. His research

objectives are to develop weather,

climate and microclimatic decision-

support tools that will enhance

successful rehabilitation and restoration of

rangelands that have been degraded by introduced

annual weeds.

Jeremy James- Dr. James is a Plant Physiologist

with USDA-ARS in Burns, OR. The

central focus of his research is on

understanding the physiological and

demographic mechanisms central to

the restoration and conservation of

rangeland.

Ed Vasquez- Ed is currently a rangeland

ecologist for Wyoming Wildlife

Consultants (WWC), working

primarily on sage grouse habitat

requirements and will be

instructing range science courses at

Humboldt State University

beginning this fall 2012. Prior to joining WWC,

he worked for USDA-ARS in Burns, OR

researching and demonstrating EBIPM for

invasive annual grasses. His experiences in the

field and in research give him important

perspectives on the management challenges of

invasive species.

Chad Boyd- Dr. Boyd is a Rangeland Scientist

with USDA-ARS in Burns, OR. His

current research interests are focused

on sage grouse, riparian and meadow

grazing ecology, stream temperature

and willow monitoring.

Joe DiTomaso- Dr. DiTomaso earned his PhD

from UC Davis and now is on the

faculty in the Department of Plant

Sciences there. He is also the Director

of the Weed Research and Information

Center. His primary focus is on

understanding various biological and

ecological aspects of non-crop weeds, and to use

this information to develop effective control

strategies. His major emphasis is on invasive

species of wildlands and rangelands.

Alex Boehm- Alex is a Bioscience Technician at

the USDA-ARS Northwest Watershed

Research Center (NWRC) in Boise,

ID. His primary focus is to facilitate

scientific field research and data

collection for the scientists at NWRC.

In addition, he is working to develop

linkages between ecologic site descriptions and

microclimate models for practical utilization by

land managers for restoration objectives.

Brenda Smith– A weed scientist by training,

Dr. Smith is currently the

outreach and education

coordinator for the EBIPM Area-

wide project. She has farmed for a

number of years and has also

taught weed science courses and

recognizes the importance of developing

educational opportunities that provide land

managers with useful take home information.

2012 EBIPM Field School Agenda

Day One: Tuesday, August 28, 2012 Schedule | 8 am–4 pm/ Learning Fair 4:30-7:30 pm

Morning

Sessions

Meet at the May Museum

Successfully Managing Invasive Annual Grasses:

What is EBIPM? How can you use it for better management of invasive plants? Recognizing Plant Community Change and how succession is important to managing invasive

plants.

Morning Break

Morning

Sessions

EBIPM Step 1: How to conduct a Rangeland Health Assessment and why this information will

help guide how to determine the best tools and strategies to employ for managing invasives.

EBIPM Step 2: Identifying Causes of Invasion and Ecological Processes in Disrepair Using the

EBIPM Assessment Worksheet— Recognizing what is creating weed invasions—the symptom

of underlying ecological processes breaking down.

EBIPM Step 3: Linking Processes to Principles to Practices The nuts and bolts of applying EBIPM, an introduction on how to use ecological principles to

determine the best practices to meet your land management goals.

Lunch @ Peavine Picnic Pavilion

EBIPM Step 4: How to decide on Tools and strategies based on the ecological principles

Afternoon

Session

Process: Disturbance Principles and practices to

favor desired species with

disturbance.

Practices will focus on

seedbed preparation

techniques.

Principles and practices

to create safe sites for

desired species. Practices will focus on

creating patchwork

disturbances to

encourage establishment

of desired plants.

Processes:

Dispersal & Reproduction Principles and practices to

prevent dispersal of invasives. Practices will focus on

preventing weed invasion and

expansion.

Principles and practices to

increase establishment of desired

plants. Practices will focus on timing of

seeding and seeding rates in

restoration.

Principles and practices to

Control Seed production of

undesired species. Practices will focus on

integrating herbicides in

management.

Processes: Resource Availability &

Response to Environment Principles and practices to manage

environments for low resource

availability to favor desired plants.

Practices will focus on litter and soil C

management and choosing species to

maximize growth traits.

Process – Stress Principles and practices to stress

invasives and favor desired plants.

Practices will focus on using grazing and

bio-control to impact invasives.

Process- Interference Principles and practices associated with

plant competition. Practices will focus on choosing seeding

mixes and plant selections.

Early Evening Learning Fair and BBQ @ Peavine Picnic Pavilion

Learn the latest and greatest from folks in the region who are researching and

working to manage invasive annual grasses. See what they’re doing and what’s

working for them and learn more about the current research in:

Cultivation History, Economics, Curriculum, Weed

Prevention Areas, Successful Demonstrations of

EBIPM, and more!

All in a relaxed setting.

Morning

Sessions

The “How-To Session” for Finishing an EBIPM Management Plan—Prioritizing your

management

EBIPM Step 5: Adaptive Management and Landscape Goals - What does this mean and how

to incorporate adaptive management for the most successful EBIPM Plan. Making sure you

know how to take EBIPM concepts and apply them for your situation.

Morning Break

Morning

Sessions Finalize developing an EBIPM plan using the 5-step process

Lunch Peavine Pavilion

Final Afternoon

session

Group Management Plan Presentations: groups will present their plans for their field sites at

Rancho San Rafael

2012 EBIPM Field School Agenda

Day Two: Wednesday, August 29, 2012 Schedule 8 am-4:30 pm

Tuesday, August 28th 4:30-7:30 @ the Peavine Picnic Pavilion

Rancho San Rafael was originally a working ranch, a cattle

operation initiated in the 1890’s by the Pincolini brothers.

The brothers used the land only for grazing and sold the

property in 1920 to Russel C. Jensen and his wife. The

Jensens built the first buildings on the ranch, one of which

was referred to as the ranch manager’s house and is now

the building used by the park as the Ranger offices.

The Jensens operated a sheep ranch until 1935 when it

was sold to Dr. Raphael Herman, his brother Norman,

and sister-in-law Marianna Herman. The Hermans

developed much of what many people remember about

the ranch and it’s current name includes a variation of Dr.

Herman’s name, Rafael. The Hermans built the main ranch

house as well as many barns, sheds, corrals and other

outbuildings but all that remains is the main ranch house

and the original ranch house built by the Jensens.

After Raphael and Norman passed away, the property was

put up for sale and then became part of the Washoe

County park system in the late 1970’s. Rancho San Rafael

Regional Park is currently at 570 acres of parkland,

pastureland and natural open

spaces. Managing invasive plants is

a priority on a property such as

Rancho San Rafael. A number of

invasive species are challenging to

manage on the property and the

site offers an ideal educational

environment for learning how to

apply a systems approach such as

EBIPM.

The EBIPM Area-wide Project Rancho San Rafael Regional Park

Page 8 EBIPM Field School Registration Packet

A regional project funded by the USDA

Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in 2008,

this program is a collaborative effort in the 5-

state region of the Great Basin. The Area-

wide team is made up of ARS scientists,

university scientists, private producers and

public land managers. These folks have been

working to fully develop the EBIPM systematic

framework to improve management of

extensive infestations of annual grasses that

devastate high desert rangeland systems and

greatly increase threat of catastrophic wildfire.

What makes EBIPM unique from other models

is it pulls together ecological theories and

principles into a single unified framework that

managers can practically apply. Combined with

managers’ experience, the model provides a

road map they can use to develop effective

programs in a way that blends ecology and

integrated pest management strategies

together to manage invasive species. Even

though this model has been developed to help

manage invasive

species, it is

applicable in a wide

variety of range and

wildland situations.

We invite you to

join us for more

successful weed

management!

Need More Information?

Visit: www.ebipm.org/

Email: Brenda.smith@ars.usda.gov

Or call 541-573-4084