Section Awards
Section Awards
The Texas Section is proud to recognize its members with the following awards.
A list of past winners is available by clicking here.
TSSRM HONOR AWARDS
Presently, Texas Section Honor Awards are given in the following categories:
Outstanding Contribution to Rangeland Management
The title of Outstanding Contribution to Rangeland Management is presented to a member who is actively engaged in ranching or livestock farming or in the professional fields dealing with range management; a recognized leader in rangeland management, accepted over a large segment of the State, if not statewide; interested in the promotion and advancement of the art and science of range management; and display an unselfish interest and activity towards the advancement and improvement of range management and actively engaged in and giving support to the various programs and organizations dedicated to range management. Finally, the candidate must have made a contribution to the advancement of the art and science of range management that is worthy of special recognition.
- 2016 Recipient: Jenny Pluhar
- 2015 Recipient: Steve Hartman
- 2014 Recipient: Larry Butler
- 2013 Recipient: Dan Caudle
- 2012 Recipient: Dale Rollins
- 2011 Recipient: Brad Wilcox
- 2010 Recipient: Mark Mosely
- 2009 Recipient: Mike McMurry
- 2008 Recipient: J. R. Bell
Fellow
The title of Fellow is conferred upon members of the Texas Section in recognition of exceptional service to the Section and its programs in advancing the science and art of range-related resource management. This high honor is granted in belief that special recognition should be given for exceptional and dedicated service to the Texas Section.
- 2016 Recipient: Charles Hart
- 2015 Recipient: Jeff Goodwin
- 2014 Recipient: Bob Lyons
- 2013 Recipient: Royce Siebman
- 2012 Recipient: Reggie Quiett
- 2011 Recipient: Hoyt Seidensticker
- 2010 Recipient: Paul Leoffler
- 2008 Recipient: Ray Schmicek
Outstanding Achievement
The purpose of this award is to recognize members and other qualified individuals and groups for their outstanding achievement in working with rangelands. Among those to be considered are ranchers, technicians and administrators in land management agencies who have conducted superior rangeland management practices; scientists who have developed and conducted research leading to the solution of major problems in range and related resource management; university professors who have been especially effective in training range management students; extension specialists who have motivated ranchers and others on a wide scale to adapt superior resource management practices; and persons who have shown outstanding perception and legislative ability in contributing significantly to resource management at a state, national, or international level
- 2016 Recipient: Barron Rector
- 2015 Recipient: Jim Ansley
- 2014 Recipient: Billy Kniffen
- 2013 Recipient: Dr. Bob Knight
- 2012 Recipient: Jay Whiteside
- 2009 Recipient: Coastal Prairie Conservation Initiative
- 2009 Recipient: Paula Maywald
- 2009 Recipient: Philip Wright
- 2008 Recipient: Paul Loeffler
- 2008 Recipient: Dr. J. Alphonso Ortega-Santos
Outstanding Young Range Professional
The Outstanding Young Range Professional Award is presented by the TSSRM to an individual member who has demonstrated extraordinary potential and promise as a range management professional. This award is presented as an encouragement for outstanding performance by young men and women entering the profession of range management.
- 2016 Recipient: Alfonso Ortega-Sanchez
- 2015 Recipient: Kason Haby
- 2014 Recipient: Dandy Kothman
- 2013 Recipient: Corey Owens
- 2012 Recipient: Dr. Megan Clayton
- 2011 Recipient: Forrest Smith
- 2010 Recipient: Chad Ellis
- 2009 Recipient: Dusty Crowe
- 2008 Recipient: Jeff Goodwin
Special Recognition
The purpose of Special Recognition Awards is to provide the Texas Section an opportunity to occasionally recognize certain individuals for the outstanding contributions they have made to the general field of range management. This is not an annual award nor is it limited to a set number of awards in any one year. Any individual is eligible fornomination.
- 2013 Recipient: Jamie Tankersly
- 2012 Recipient: Jason Runyen, John Metz, and the Fire Weather Forecast Staff
- 2010 Recipient: Alice Westmoreland
- 2008 Recipient: Mark Mitchell
- 2007 Recipient: Clint Rollins
Honor Award Criteria and Application Form (pdf)
OUTSTANDING RANGELAND MANAGEMENT
The purpose of this award is to recognize those who have demonstrated outstanding skill and knowledge in practicing sound management and care of rangeland resources. This is a competitive award and only one will be given each year. This award is linked to the ranch. Once a ranch has received the award, it is not eligible to receive it again. If more than one ranch is owned and/or operated by the same person, each ranch is eligible. Mail completed nominations by June 1st, to the ORM Committee Chair.
- 2016 Recipient: Bar H Ranch
- 2015 Recipient: City of Austin Water Quality Protection Lands
- 2014 Recipient: Ohlrich Ranch
- 2013 Recipient: Diaz Murray
- 2012 Recipient: Werner Ranch
- 2011 Recipient: Running V Ranch – Suzanne & Pat Schuchart
- 2010 Recipient: 77 Ranch
- 2009 Recipient: Charlie and Peggy Winfield
- 2008 Recipient: Graves T-Bar Ranch
OUTSTANDING RANGELAND STEWARDSHIP
The purpose of this award is to recognize those cattle producers who have demonstrated outstanding skill and knowledge in practicing sound management and care of rangeland resources. This is a competitive award and only one will be given each year. This award is linked to the ranch. Once a ranch has received the award, it is not eligible to receive it again. If more than one ranch is owned and/or operated by the same person, each ranch is eligible.
Nominations shall be made by persons who are well acquainted with the ranching and range management practices of the nominee. Nominations may be made by anyone, although all nominations must be concurred by two members of TSSRM who agree the nominee is truly deserving of this recognition.
The ORS Committee will appraise the nominations and select those that meet the standards for outstanding rangeland management. The committee will select the most qualified and coordinate field visits to the ranches.
- 2016 Recipient: Sterling Cattle Company
- 2015 Recipient: Turkey Track Ranch
- 2014 Recipient: 6666 Ranch
- 2013 Recipient: Bruce Berg
- 2012 Recipients: Frank and Sims Price
- 2011 Recipient: 77 Ranch – Gary & Sue Price
- 2010 Recipient: Matador Ranch
- 2009 Recipient: J. K. “Rooter” Brite, JA Ranch
- 2008 Recipient: Taylor Yeates, Leeray Ranch
Mail completed nominations by June 1,
to the ORM Committee Chair
SCHOLARSHIPS
TSSRM Memorial Scholarship – presently, the TSSRM Memorial Scholarship is awarded through the Texas State 4-H Foundation. Please contact the State 4-H Foundation for application information.
- 2016 Recipient: Jamie Henderson
- 2014 Recipient: Cayde Christie
- 2013 Recipient: Dillan Drabek
- 2011 Recipient: Ryan McCarty
Bill Wyche Jr. Memorial Scholarship – offering $2,500 college scholarships from the Bill Wyche, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund to deserving high school seniors who are interested in range management studies. The application deadline is April 30th.
- 2016 Recipient: Alejandro Treviño
- 2016 Recipient: Bailey Anne Scogin
- 2014 Recipient: Karl Woelfel
- 2013 Recipient: Chance Chapman
- 2011 Recipient: Dillon O’Dell
Bill Wyche Jr. Memorial Scholarship Notice
Bill Wyche Jr. Memorial Scholarship Application Form
GRASS ROOTS AWARDS (formerly County Level Awards)
Awards may be presented in four categories:
- Extension Agent
- Ag Science Teacher
- Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Friend of TSSRM (other agencies, ag business, news reporters, etc)
- 2012 Ag Teacher Recipient: Terry Baize
- 2012 NRCS Recipient: Mandi Ligon
- 2012 Extension Agent Recipient: Robert Pritz
- 2011 Ag Teacher Recipient: Don Harris, Kerr County
- 2011 NRCS Recipient: Kevin Wright, Scurry County, et al
- 2011 Extension Agent Recipient: Jamie Osbourn, LLano County
- 2010 NRCS Recipient: John Paclik, Graham
- 2010 Extension Agent Recipient: Pascual Hernandez, Sutton County
- 2009 NRCS Recipient: Vaden Aldridge, Eldorado
- 2009 Extension Agent Recipient: Steve Zoeller, Kendall County
Grass Roots Awards Application Form
COLLEGE ACTIVITIES AWARDS
Additional recognition is provided to college students in the following categories:
Outstanding Junior and Senior College Students (selected by each university) – list of past recipients available in Appendix K of Administrative Handbook.
Plant Identification Contest (held annually during the Section’s Annual Meeting)
- 2016 Winning Individuals and Teams
- 2015 Winning Individuals and Teams
- 2014 Winning Individuals and Teams
- 2013 Winning Individuals and Teams
- 2008 Winning Individuals and Teams
Undergraduate Range Management Exam (URME) (held annually during the Section’s Annual Meeting)
- 2016 Winning Individuals and Teams
- 2015 Winning Individuals and Teams
- 2014 Winning Individuals and Teams
Don Pendleton Memorial College Awards for Poster presentations (held annual during the Section’s Annual Meeting)
PUBLICATION AWARDS
The Texas Section-SRM annually recognizes literary and scholarly efforts in publicizing range management practices, philosophies, and research activities. Therefore, the TSSRM Publications Awards Committee is soliciting nominations for the following categories:
1. Technical Writing: articles directed primarily towards fellow scientists which advance the knowledge of range management/science in Texas;
- 2016 Recipients: M.L. Russell, L.T. Vermeire, A.C. Ganguli, and J.R. Hendrickson. 2015. “Season of fire manipulates bud bank dynamics in northern mixed grass prairie”. Plant Ecology 216:835-846
- 2015 Recipients: R. James Ansley, Betty A. Kramp and David L. Jones, “Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) Seedling Responses to Seasonal Timing of Fire and Fireline Intensity”
- 2014 Recipients: Taylor, C.A., D. Twidwell, N.E. Garza, C. Rosser, J.K. Hoffman, and T.D. Brooks “Long-term effects of fire, livestock herbivory removal, and weather variability in Texas Semiarid Savanna”
- 2013 Recipients: Richard Teague, Fred Provenza, Urs Kreuter, Tim Steffens and Matt Barnes Teague
Provenza, Kreuter, Steffens & Barnes. 2012. Multi-paddock grazing on rangelands: Why the perceptual dichotomy between research and rancher experience? Journal of Environmental Management, Volume 128, 15 October 2013, Pages 699-717 - 2011 Recipient: R.J. Ansley; W.E. Pinchak; W.R. Teague; B.A. Kramp, D.L. Jones & K. Barnett
Ansley, Pinchak, Teague, Kramp, Jones & Barnett. 2010. Integrating Grazing and Prescribed Fire Restoration Strategies in a Mesquite Savannah, Part I, Part II, Part III. Rangeland Ecology and Management 63:275-285; 63:286-294; 63:298-307. - 2008 Recipient: Bradford P. Wilcox
Wilcox, Bradford. P., Yun Huang and John W. Walker. 2008. Long-term trends in streamflow from semiarid rangelands: uncovering drivers of change. Global Change Biology 14: 1676-1689
2. Popular Article: articles directed primarily towards range managers, landowners, or the general public;
- 2016 Recipient: M.L. Russell, C.L. Wonkka, W.E. Rogers, and U.P. Kreuter. 2016. “Legal Barriers to Prescribed Burning”. Texas Agrilife Extension Publication ERM-022
- 2015 Recipient: Linex, Ricky, “Range Plants of North Central Texas”
- 2014 Recipient: Marshall, M., B. Hays, R. Reitz, J. Goodwin, M. Machacek, and J.C. Cathey “Grazing, Hunting, and Endangered Species Management are Compatible Practices: Diversifying Income Through a Multi-species Approach”
- 2008 Recipient: Nick Garza
Garza, Nick, and Charles Taylor. 2007. How to build cost-effective skid-sprayers for prescribed burning. Rangelands 29 (2): 41-44
3. Special Category: contributions that do not fit in either (1) or (2) (e.g., book chapter, poetry, editorials).
- 2016 Recipient: R. Valdez and J.A.Ortega-S. 2014. Ecologia Y Manejo De Faunta Silvestre en Mexico. Bba Colegio de Postraduados de Chapingo 557pp
- 2016 Recipient: M.K. Clayton, F.S. Smith, K.A. Pawelek, and A.D. Flak. 2014. “Reseeding Natives in South Texas:1-6. Texas Agrilife Extension Publications ERM 003-008
- 2008 Recipient: Timothy E. Fulbright
Fulbright, Timothy E., and J. Alfonzo Ortega-S. 2006. White-tailed deer habitat – ecology and management on rangelands. Texas A&M Univ. Press, College Station
All nominations must have been published in the last two years prior to the award. Membership of at least one author is required for both the Technical Writing and Popular Article categories, but not for the Special Category. Please send one copy of each publication (pdf file preferred) you with to nominate along with a one paragraph description of its importance by September 8th to the Publication Awards Chair.
Publication Nomination Form 2016
Publication Awards Description (pdf)