SC Range Club explores California rangelands at international meeting

Five members of the Sheridan College (SC) Range Club traded Wyoming’s wide-open spaces for the Pacific coastline last month as they attended the Society for Range Management’s annual meeting in Monterey, California.

The international gathering brought together scientists, ranchers, land managers, students, educators and policymakers committed to sustainable rangeland stewardship. Founded in 1948, the Society for Range Management promotes the health and productivity of rangelands worldwide through research, education and collaboration.

For Sheridan College students, the conference offered both professional development and hands-on exploration of California’s diverse ecosystems. “The annual meeting is an incredible opportunity for our students to connect what they learn in the classroom to rangelands across the country,” said Mae Smith, Sheridan College Agriculture Program Director and faculty advisor for the SC Range Club. “Experiencing California’s ecosystems firsthand while networking with professionals from around the world makes a lasting impact.”

Between sessions, the group embraced the setting along the Pacific Ocean by heading outdoors. Students participated in a fun run along the Monterey Coastal Trail and took a guided tour of Point Lobos State reserve, exploring the region’s coastal ecology. They also attended a student award ceremony and spent a day enjoying the “Feather, Flames and Fields” tour, visiting Pinnacles National Park and the San Benito Agricultural Land Trust property. During the tour, students observed California chaparral and annual grassland rangeland ecosystems – landscapes distinctly different from those in Wyoming.

The experience offered more than scenery. 2026 is the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists as designated by the United Nations General Assembly. In honor of this designation, educational programming throughout the conference highlighted current research, land management strategies and emerging challenges facing rangelands and pastoralists worldwide. Students said they learned about using global connections to raise awareness and overcome these challenges.

With its engaging blend of programming and field experiences, the 2026 annual meeting left a strong impression on the student delegation and reinforced the hands-on foundation of Sheridan College’s Rangeland Management program. The participants said they returned to Sheridan with new knowledge, professional connections and lasting memories of Monterey and the surrounding coastline.