The Numbers Are In:
Range Education is Growing
As Sophie Westbrook told to Mikayla Hargis, Graduate Research Assistant
This summer, Rannells Ranch will continue expanding opportunities for applied learning through youth outreach, undergraduate collaboration, and hands-on educational programming focused on rangeland ecology and management.
In June, Sophie Westbrook, research assistant professor in the Department of Agronomy, will help host two sessions of "Out on the Range: Introduction to Rangeland Ecology and Management” during 4-H Discovery Days alongside Molly Reichenborn, assistant professor and range management extension specialist also in the Department of Agronomy.
Across both sessions, 68 students, ages 13-18, are registered for this workshop, where they will engage in hands-on activities designed to introduce them to rangeland ecology, management practices, and careers connected to agriculture and natural resources.
In addition to the youth outreach opportunities, Westbrook and Reichenborn are developing an online microcredential on integrated weed management in rangelands. Funded by the North Central Integrated Pest Management Center, the program is designed to provide practical, research-based training for producers, land managers and agricultural professionals across the north-central United States.
Recently approved by Kansas State University, the microcredential is expected to launch in spring 2027. Undergraduate collaborators are assisting with both K-12 outreach and preparation for the microcredential’s debut. Later this summer, they will also help monitor research projects established at the Rannells property last year.
Preparation and planning are underway for fall 2026 courses, including AGRON 251: Range Management and AGRON 462: Range Grasses, and how the Rannells property can be used to enhance hands-on learning. AGRON 251 has experienced significant growth in recent years and currently enrolls more than 100 students across in-person and online sections.
As educational programming continues to develop and expand, Rannells Ranch is increasingly serving as a space where students can connect classroom concepts with real-world rangeland management challenges and applied field experiences.
Read more about how Sophie Westbrook and Rannells Ranch are shaping the student learning experience.