Dr. Jon Bates and Dr. Kirk Davies, scientists for the Agricultural Research Service at the Eastern Oregon Ag Research Center in Burns, were selected for major awards from the Society for Range Management. These awards were presented last week at the SRM Annual Meeting in Albuquerque, N.M.

Bates received the SRM Sustained Lifetime Achievement Award for “long-term contributions to the art and science of rangeland management.” This is an exceptionally prestigious award, and past recipients read like a who’s who in the field of Rangeland Ecology and Management. 

Over the past 30 years, Bates has made lasting science contributions through his research in the areas of juniper ecology and management, fire impacts (and management of those impacts) on sagebrush plant

communities, grazing management, sage-grouse habitat ecology and management, and plant community classification in the sagebrush-steppe. His body of work has resulted in more than 100 journal and technical publications, and it can be found as cited references in a litany of federal land management agency planning documents. This is a true testament to Bates’ impact.

Davies received the SRM Fellow Award for “…exceptional service to the Society and its programs in advancing the science and art of range-related resource management.” Davies’ broad-based research and outreach program includes work on seed enhancement technologies, managing fire risk and severity with cattle grazing, management of exotic annual grass communities, shrub restoration, sagebrush plant community potentials, and feral horse impacts on sagebrush and riparian plant communities. 

This work has generated more than 200 journal and extension articles as well as frequent requests for invited presentations from management, science, and producer groups. It has also garnered information requests from 19 countries spread across six continents.

Congratulations to Bates and Davies for a job well done!