Grasslands Seminar: The History and Future of Nebraska Ranching
Nine speakers and activities will explore the history, culture, economics, and future of ranching in Nebraska. Topics range from the story of Great Plains cattle and raising a prize-winning herding dog, to the future of Nebraska’s rangelands and cattle industry… with some music and food along the way.
Register for 1 credit under either NRES or GRAS. The catalog lists Junior standing as a prereq, but we welcome ALL undergrads.
GRAS/NRES 495 (1 er)
Fall 2024
School of Natural Resources
Time: Mondays 3:30-5:00
Location: East Campus Union Arbor room unless specified
Questions? Contact: David Wedin, dwedin1@unl.edu
About the CGS Fall Seminar Series
Since 1995 the Center for Grassland Studies has offered a seminar series during the first semester of the school year. The CGS Fall Seminar Series features guest lecturers from on and off campus who speak on topics related to the Center's mission such as:
- Future challenges in grassland stewardship
- Reclaiming rangeland using prescribed burns
- The impact of different grazing systems on grassland wildlife populations
Each series features a Frank and Margaret Leu Distinguished Lecturer; this is generally a person who is nationally recognized for his/her expertise in some aspect of grassland management.
Seminars will take place on Mondays during the fall semester from 3:30 to 4:30pm CT at the Hardin Hall Auditorium, on East Campus and will be streamed live to the public via Zoom. Seminar lectures are also recorded and available for viewing for those who were unable to attend a particular session. Click on the links below to watch past lectures (lectures will be uploaded within two days of the original presentation). For more information on this option, please contact the Center for Grassland Studies at 402-472-4101.
Attend a Live Seminar via Zoom
Seminars will be streamed live on Mondays from 3:30-4:30pm CT starting on September 22, 2025 and ending on December 1st, 2025. These livestreams can be accessed by clicking the button below on Mondays at 3:30pm, and recordings of the seminars will be made available within two days of the original presentations under the speaker names in the schedule. If you have any questions about accessing the virtual seminars, please email Center for Grassland Studies.
Upcoming Livestream
Nine speakers and activities will explore the history, culture, economics, and future of ranching in Nebraska. Topics range from the story of Great Plains cattle and raising a prize-winning herding dog, to the future of Nebraska’s rangelands and cattle industry… with some music and food along the way.
Fall 2025
Center for Grassland Studies - Fall 2025 Seminar Schedule
The History and Future of Nebraska Ranching. We will also debut our first ever outdoor event "Leu Ranchfest" on September 22, 2025 at the East Campus Union Legacy Plaza Amphitheater. The seminar series will also be available via Zoom. The Society for Range Management has approved 1 continuing education credit (CEU) for presentations marked, “CEU Approved."
All Sessions Monday afternoons, 3:30pm, East Campus Union unless noted
Aug 25 – First day of class, class meeting for registered students only.
Sept 1 – Labor Day, No seminar
Sept 8 – No seminar
Sept 15 – No seminar, class meeting for registered students
Sept 22 – Leu Ranchfest - Outdoor program with music, cowboy poet RP Smith, and
student clubs. 3:30 – 5:00pm, Legacy Plaza Amphitheater (East Campus Union).
Sept 29 - Introduction to Ranching Livestock - Meet animals, students and staK at the
Warren Arena (Animal Science Dept).
Oct 6 – NCTA Stock Dog Team - Coach Leighlynn Obermiller, dogs, & students (Legacy
Plaza, East Campus Union)
Oct 13 -Open date, seminar TBD
Oct 20 – Fall Break, No seminar
Oct 27 - The History of Rodeo – Coach Wyatt Clark (UNL Rodeo Team, Animal Science
Dept).
Nov 3 – Diamond Bar Ranch: 2025 Nebraska Leopold Recipient – Natalie Jones (IANR
Communications).
Nov 10 – The Evolution of Cattle (Bos taurus & B. indicus): A Macro View - Ronnie Green
(Chancellor Emeritus & Emeritus Professor, Animal Science Dept).
Nov 17 – The Future of Nebraska Ranching - Greg Ibach (USDA Under Secretary in
Residence at UNL).
Nov 24 – Returning to the Ranch - Jessica Groskopf (UNL Extension Agricultural
Economist).
Dec 1 – Celebrate Grasslands In 2026: IYRP and a Nebraska Grassland Vision - Laura
Nelson (Statewide Grasslands Coordinator, Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition).
Past Seminar Series
Fall 2024
The lectures in 2024 will address a variety of topics like rangelands, wildlife, grasslands, and related topics. The series will feature Dr. Scott Stephens as this year's Frank and Margaret Leu Distinguished Lecturer. The seminar series will also be available via Zoom. The Society for Range Management has approved 1 continuing education credit (CEU) for presentations marked, “CEU Approved."
August 26 – Emma Balunek, MAS Student, Platte Basin Timelapse, UNL
“You Go Over, I Go Under: a study of the coyote-badger hunting relationship”
https://unl.yuja.com/v/Aug2024CGSEmmaBalunek
5min video in recording missing sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKUIsNzis0I
September 9 – John Carroll, Professor, School of Natural Resources, UNL
“Grass Acts: Prairie Grouse in a Changing Landscape”
https://unl.yuja.com/v/sept2024johncarroll
September 16 – Josh Wiese, Crane Trust
"Bison History and a Modern Conservation Strategy in Nebraska"
https://unl.yuja.com/v/sept2024cgsjoshwiese
September 23 – Carlton Shield Chief Gover, Anthropology, University of Kansas
“Voices from the Past: Pawnee Oral Traditions and the Arrival of Horses”
https://unl.yuja.com/v/Sept2024CGSGover
September 30 – Field Activity OUTDOORS!
“The ecology and nutrition of grazers: an outdoor activity at Hardin Hall!”
https://news.unl.edu/article/east-campus-returns-to-its-roots-with-grazing-demonstration
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYV0DK_l_oA
October 7 – Katie Lamke, Conservation Biologist, Xerces Society
“Nebraska Bumble Bee Atlas: Community Scientists Take Action to Conserve Pollinators”
https://unl.yuja.com/v/oct2024katielamke
October 14 – Ann Dvorak, Sustainable Ranching initiative, World Wildlife Fund
“From Local Roots to Global Impact – Community Led Conservation”
https://unl.yuja.com/v/Oct2024CGSAnnDvorak
October 28 – Scott Stephens, Prairie & Boreal Conservation, Ducks Unlimited
“Ducks, Dickcissels, and Dowitchers: grassland and bird conservation in the Prairie Pothole Region – challenges and opportunities”
https://unl.yuja.com/v/Oct2024ScottStephens
November 4 – Travis Livieri, Prairie Wildlife Research
“Restoring endangered black-footed ferrets and the importance of prairie dogs”
https://unl.yuja.com/v/Nov2024TravisLivieri
November 11 – John Benson, School of Natural Resources, UNL
“Spatial ecology and predator-prey interactions of ungulates in grasslands of the Great Plains”
https://unl.yuja.com/v/Nov2024CGSJohnBenson
PBT short video shown before lecture: https://vimeo.com/444914408
November 18 – Michael Forsberg, Platte Basin Timelapse, UNL
“Into Whooperland - A photographer's journey with the rarest crane in the world”
Seminar Video is not available. An interactive website for his new book: https://whoopingcranechronicles.com
November 25– Ross Secord, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, Nebraska State Museum, UNL
“The Evolution of Grasslands and Mammalian Herbivores in the Central Great Plains: A Deep-Time Perspective.”
https://unl.yuja.com/v/Nov2024CGSRossSecord
December 2 – Katie Nieland, Center for Great Plains Studies, UNL
“Great Plains Art: Creating art from the landscape”
Seminar Video is not available.
Fall 2023
August 28, 2023
How Groundwater feeds the unique and steady streams in the Nebraska Sandhills
Troy Gilmore, Professor, School of Natural Resources
Video – https://unl.yuja.com/v/Aug2023TroyGilmore
September 11, 2023
Grassland Conservation in Nebraska
TJ Walker, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
Video – https://unl.yuja.com/v/2023NGPCconservationTJWalker
September 18, 2023
A plea for scale, why it matters for invasive species management, biodiversity, and conservation
Nic McMillian, Assistant Professor Agronomy & Horticulture
Video- https://unl.yuja.com/v/2023NicMcMillan
September 25, 2023
Social-Ecological Rangeland
Gwendwr Meredith, Assistant Professor, School of Natural Resources
Video – https://unl.yuja.com/v/2023GwendwrMeredith
October 2, 2023
Distinguished Leu Speaker: Protecting and Sustaining South Dakota Grasslands
Alexander Smart, SDSU Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Senior Program Leader / Professor of Department of Natural Resource Management
Video - https://unl.yuja.com/v/2023LeuLectureSandySmart
October 9, 2023
Resilience Spatial Scientist and Grasslands
Dan Uden, Assistant Professor, Range and Forage Sciences
Video - https://unl.yuja.com/v/2023bartadanuden
October 23, 2023
Introducing Network of Integrated Agricultural Resilience Research
Craig Allen, Director of Center for Resilience in Agricultural Working Landscapes (CRAWL)
Video - https://unl.yuja.com/v/2023resiliencecraigallen
October 30, 2023
Prescribed Fire and Grassland Conservation
Brian Teeter, Prescribed Fire Coordinator, Nebraska Pheasants Forever
Video - https://unl.yuja.com/v/Oct2023BrianTeeter
November 6, 2023
Ranch and rangeland production systems
Jay Parsons, Biosystems and Agricultural Economist Extension Specialist, UNL
Video - https://unl.yuja.com/v/2023jayparsons
November 27, 2023
An Ever-Changing Landscape: How Do We Find the Balance Between Production Ag and Conservation in the 21st Century?
Andrew Little, Extension Specialist, School of Natural Resources, UNL
Video - https://unl.yuja.com/v/Nov2023AndyLittle
December 4, 2023
Keeping Grasslands Grass
Julie Bain, Bessey District Ranger, USDA
Video – https://unl.yuja.com/v/Dec2023JulieBainUSForestService
Website - https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/27dfb6b1e6eb47a8aaf7ae1290e4a396/
Fall 2021
August 30, 2021
Dave Wedin, UNL School of Natural Resources,
Nebraska’s Grasslands & Global Change: Key Questions for the Next Decade
Video – https://unl.yuja.com/v/2021GrasslandsGlobalChangeDaveWedin
September 13, 2021
Greg Ibach, USDA Under Secretary of Agriculture
Carbon Sequestration: Government Policy
vs Reality – Is There Common Ground?
Video – https://unl.yuja.com/v/2021CarbonSequesterationGregIbach
September 20, 2021
Martha Shulski, Nebraska State Climatologist
Climate Change & Grassland Ecosystem Services
Video - https://unl.yuja.com/v/2021GrasslandsClimateMarthaShulski
September 27, 2021
Rob Mitchell, USDA Agricultural Research Service
Seeded Perennial Grasslands: Opportunities for Marginal Cropland in the Great Plains & Midwest
Video - https://unl.yuja.com/v/2021SeededGrasslandsRobMitchell
October 4, 2021
Dave Aiken, UNL Agricultural Economics
Carbon Markets & Carbon Banks: What Do They Mean for Nebraska Agriculture?
Seminar Video Unavailable
October 11, 2021
Leu Lecture – M. Francesca Cotrufo, Colorado State University
Advancing Understanding of Soil Organic Matter to Address XXI Century Wicked Challenges
Seminar Video Unavailable
October 25, 2021
Judy Wu Smart
Roadsides, Pivot Corners, & Prairie Corridors: Pollinator Responses to Restoration Efforts in Public and Private Spaces
Video - https://unl.yuja.com/v/2021JudyWuSmart
November 1, 2021
STEVE MERKEL
ArborLinks: Collaboration from Start to Finish & Beyond
Seminar Video Unavailable
November 8, 2021
TALA AWADA
Juniperus virginiana Ecology and Impact on Ecosystem Services in the Nebraska Sandhills
Video - https://unl.yuja.com/v/2021JuniperusTalaAwada
November 1, 2021
HAILEY WILMER
Hope on the Hardgrass: Social-ecological Lessons from the Collaborative Adaptive Rangeland Management Project in Colorado
Video - https://unl.yuja.com/v/HopeHardgrassHaileyWilmer
November 22, 2021
MARK A. LIEBIG
Climate Mitigation Services from Northern Plains Grasslands
Video - https://unl.yuja.com/v/2021ClimateMitigationMarkLiebig
November 29, 2021
MARTHA MAMO
Soil Carbon & Nitrogen Dynamics on Sandhills Wet Meadows
Video - https://unl.yuja.com/v/2021SoilCNMarthaMamo
December 6, 2021
DAREN REDFEARN
Grassland Management in a Changing Climate
Video - https://unl.yuja.com/v/2021GrasslandManagementClimateDarenRedfearn
Fall 2020
A Watershed in Motion, Ethan Freese, Platte Basin Timelapse, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. https://unl.yuja.com/v/aug2020ethanfreese
Why Plant a Prairie? Restoration Versus Conservation, Dave Wedin, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. https://unl.yuja.com/v/wedinplantingprairies2020lecture
Keeping Prairie Grouse on the Prairie, Danielle Berger, Wildland Resources, Utah State University. https://unl.yuja.com/v/2020DanielleBerger
Hidden Prairie: A Year Photographing a ingle Square Meter of Prairie, Chris Helzer, The Nature Conservancy. https://unl.yuja.com/v/2020ChrisHelzerHiddenPrairie
Precision Conservation: Increase Farm Profitability While Conserving Soil, Water, and Wildlife, Andrew Little, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. https://unl.yuja.com/v/2020AndrewLittle
Prairie Corridor on Haines Branch, Nicole Fleck-Tooze, Solidago Conservancy. https://unl.yuja.com/v/2020nicoleflecktooze
Rangeland Analysis Platform: A Web-based Monitoring Tool for Rangelands, Nadine Bishop, NOWCC / Nebraska NRCS. https://unl.yuja.com/v/2020NadineBishopRAPhttps://unl.yuja.com/v/2020NadineBishopRAP
Tracking Cattle Grazing: GPS and Diet Selection, Mitchell Stephenson, Panhandle Research & Extension Center, University of Nebraska. https://unl.yuja.com/v/2020MitchStephenson
Evaluating Soil Responses to Mob Grazing System on Sandhills Sub-irrigated Meadow, Elnaz Hosseiniaghdam, Agronomy & Horticulture, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. https://unl.yuja.com/v/2020ElnazHosseiniaghdam
Using New Technology on the Ranch (CEU Approved), Travis Mulliniks, Nebraska Extension. https://unl.yuja.com/v/2020TravisMulliniks
Putting Monitoring into Practice: Strategies for Large-Scale Conservation, Dirac Twidwell, Agronomy & Horticulture, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. https://unl.yuja.com/v/2020DiracTwidwell
LEU LECTURE. Anthropocene: Should we look to Aldo Leopold or George Jetson? (CEU Approved), Sam Fuhlendorf, Natural Resource Ecology & Management, Oklahoma State University. https://unl.yuja.com/v/2020LeuLectureSamFuhlendorf
Down the RaBET Hole: The Journey to Develop the Rangeland Brush Estimation Toolbox (CEU Approved), Chandra Holifield Collins, USDA ARS Southwest Watershed Research Center. https://unl.yuja.com/v/2020chandraholifieldcollins
Rancher Decision-Making and Climate Risk Management (CEU Approved), Tonya Haigh, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. https://unl.yuja.com/v/2020TonyaHaigh
Forage Production Models and Predictions for Semi-arid Grasslands, Markéta Podebradská, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. https://unl.yuja.com/v/2020marketapodebradska
Legislation in Invasive Species Management, Conor Barnes, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. https://unl.yuja.com/v/2020ConorBarnes