The 2012 IMS summer meeting and tour will be an opportunity to hear from local Alberta ranchers and Range Managers on a suite of opportunities and challenges they are currently faced with. On Thursday evening (July 12th) we will hear about fire’s role, both natural and prescribed, over the past 20 years in shaping Range Management Decisions in Southern Alberta. On Friday (July 13th) we will tour the Foothills Fescue Natural Subregion, where we will visit a couple different ranches and learn about their current management strategies and challenges. 

Additionally, the 100th Anniversary of the Calgary Stampede is scheduled from July 6th to 15th.  This should be a great year for the Stampede so you may want to work the IMS summer tour into Stampede activities.

Thursday (July 12) - Sheppard Park, High River, AB
4:00 - 5:00pm             IMS Business Meeting

5:00– 6:00pm             Registration and social

6:00 – 7:00pm            Supper

7:00 – 9:00pm            “A conversation about fire” – Darren Bevans (Deseret
                                       Ranch), John Buckley (Quarter Circle X Ranch), Callum
                                       Sears (Flying E Ranch) and Barry Adams (ESRD,
                                       Remembering the Granum Fire)

Friday (July 13) - Meet at High River Recreation Centre (Bob Snodgrass)
Breakfast is not provided but muffins and coffee will be available at Registration. Other options include: Tim Horton's, Smitty's and McDonalds

8:00 – 8:30am           Coffee and Registration

8:30am                        Load Busses and Depart for Foothills Natural Subregion

9:15 – 11:00am         Stop 1: Bar S Ranch – Chattaways
                                      Topics: Bar S history, current management strategies and
                                      challenges. Tree and shrub encroachment –implications
                                      for Range Management (ESRD and Dr. Carr (MSU))
                                   

11:30 – 1:00pm         Stop 2: Mt. Sentinel Ranch – Gardners
                                      Topics: Mount Sentinel Ranch history, current
                                      management strategies and challenges. Natural Spring
                                      (bring your babies!), Pipeline research (Foothills
                                      Restoration Forum, Express Pipeline Results), Noxious
                                      weed management (Ron McKay), variability in moisture
                                      regimes and Rough Fescue Management (ESRD)
                                   
Lunch – Will be provided at this stop

1:30 – 2:25pm           Stop 3: Rocky Flats Exclosure
                                      Topics: Local history, range management in the Foothills
                                      Fescue Natural Subregion (Gordon Cartwright, Varge Craig
                                      and John Carscallen)

3:00 – 3:30pm           Stop 4: Bar U Ranch – National Historic Site (Parks
                                      Canada)

Refreshment break and washrooms available

4:00 – 5:00pm           Stop 5: Highwood Valley Ranch - Nelsons
                                      Riparian Management stop and travel back to High River
                                      Topics: Riparian Management in the foothills, best
                                      management practices (TENTATIVE)

5:00pm                        Arrive back to High River and meeting adjourned

For those who might be staying Friday evening, there are a number of places to eat in High River and I can make arrangements if we have a large request. 

"Directions and Accommodations"