The JRA: Bridging the Gap Between Science and Management
The Challenge:
Land managers need reliable information to make wise land management decisions. Not only does good information make for good management decisions, but management plans supported by strong published research are more defensible in this litigious age. The challenge is that thousands of journals, books, and websites provide information that varies widely in quality and reliability. Out of all available sources, how can land managers find the most reliable ones?
Our Response:
The Journal of Rangeland Applications (JRA) is devoted to bridging the gap between scientific research and the application of science needed to make wise land management decisions. This journal provides syntheses of published research on the biophysical, ecological, social, and economic aspects of rangeland management and conservation. The JRA is a source of reliable information for people interested in the results of scientific research focusing on rangeland management issues. The primary goal of these syntheses is to identify important scientific work that can be used to make, or evaluate, land and grazing management decisions. For example, articles highlight what is known about the effects of grazing on sage-grouse habitat and the ecological impacts of rest from grazing.
This open-access, peer-reviewed, and refereed journal provides decision makers and managers of rangeland and related resources free access to high-quality research summaries on a broad range of topics with clear relevance to rangeland management. This is not a journal for original research; it is a journal for useful information that has been carefully distilled from the results of published findings from original research. Articles are relevant to both scholars and practitioners.
Output & Outcomes:
Articles published in the JRA are available for free download at: the Journal of Rangeland Applications. In its first year of access, more than 6,600 copies of articles have been downloaded from the JRA website.
Rangeland Center Members Involved:
- Karen Launchbaugh – Forest, Rangeland, and Fire Sciences (contact Karen for more information)
- Jeremy Kenyon – University of Idaho Library