Journal of Range Management, Volume 8, Number 1 (January 1955) Item Type Journal; text Publisher Society for Range Management Journal Journal of Range Management Rights Copyright © Society for Range Management. Download date 11/10/2021 12:31:27 Item License http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ Version Final published version Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/650311 Volume 8 Number 1 Journal of .Jamraq/ 1955 RANGE MANAGEMENT Editorials tion or of unduly hampering the freedom of the sections. Incidents The Local Section which have occurred are more annoying than serious but they may serve as object lessons t,o point HE following remarks of a tion. The natural tendency is to out ways to take and those to be retiring member of the Edi- centralize nod voluntary effort to T avoided. The case of the local torial Board are not, meant as a counteract the trend is necessary, if group whose proposed name wits complaint that local scct,ions of t,he such is to be avoided. A completely rejected by headquarters comes to American Society of Range Manage- centralized organization with poli- mind. The members live in Montana ment have been ncglccted or mal- ries originat,ing at headquarters and and Alberta and proposed to call treated, either by the parent orgaui- emanating outward and downward themselves the International Sec- zation or the members. They merely to the members, loses vitality and tion. Objections were raised by the r&erate that sections occupy a either dies or becomes an automa- Counril and new proposals were plaw of great importance in RC- ton. With decentralization the indi- made. In t,he end, a name which complishing our exprcsscd objectives vidual members are important and nobody liked was tacked on: The and will attempt to call to mind their ideas make the program of the r?ome basic concepts couceroing the local section and these eventually Northern International Mountain relationship of sections to t,he rest consolidate into the policies and Section. Just try to say it and see if of the organization. ideals of the parent body. This anyone is still listening when you When the Societ,y came into being latter situation encourages healthy finish. Sot that the central body at the first mrcting in Salt Lake growth and vitality from the should not integrate activities and City t,he attendance and enthusiasm bottom up. keep the sections in line with agreed t,hwe bespoke big things for its Our Society rannot be accused of policies but sections need plenty of future. Such anticipation has been leaning seriously toward ccntralioa- frerdom to thrive and grow new justified in a cont,inued expansion. So rapid was the growth and spread of membership that local sections were rcqnired almost immediately to properly serve thr members. It is fortunate that the need for a division into smaller and more intimately- associated groups was recognized at such an early stage of development. Few organizations recognize this need until stagnation sets in and the local-section idea is then adopted as a means of revitalization. It can he said vith impunity that the ran- tinued healthy growth, beyond the initial spurt, and the high dcgrec of activity of our Society can be attributed, at least in part, to t,he fact that the ideals and purposes werr brought, &se to the pcoplc of a wide area by the formation of active sections. One danger which thratrns every large organization is owr-rrntralioa- 2 EDITORIALS wood. They should have freedom in The members of each section freedom on the part of local sections things like the name they choose, should have common interests and to meet their special conditions and their boundaries, their constitutions problems. To ensure this they the value of flexibility in boundaries and their activity programs. If locals should be regionally located rather to allow members with common are ever subjected to dictation by than be limited to political bound- interests to get together. the parent body stagnation will aries. The Northern Great Plains It may not be out of place at this begin. On the other hand our whole Section is a good example. The point to congratulate those who society will remain vital and members of this group felt that the formed the new section in the growthy as long as policies and range problems of their region Middle East; both those of our ideals originate with the membership needed special attention and they members from this continent, who in the locals and work upward to be were determined to have a section undoubtedly sparked the organiza- sorted and consolidated into the with that purpose at heart. In spite tion, and also our friends in those policies and principles of the parent of pressure to the contrary they lands who know even better than body. persevered and organized their we do the need for range conserva- With optimum freedom allowed section to include parts of Montana, tion. We might add our best wishes local sections, great responsibility North Dakota, southern Saskatch- and encouragement to the members is placed upon them and their ewan and southeastern Alberta. of the Middle East whose responsi- members. To function most ef- The broad base of this Society bility it will be to keep this section ficiently a section must be closely and its opportunity for world going in the years to come and to knit in organization and member- influence is attested by the an- form new sections as they are ship. Groups that are too large and nouncement that a Middle East needed. too widespread may fail to keep the Section has been formed and ap- Let each of us see that his local unanimity and close contact needed. proved. At the organization meeting section is a strong one and the For this reason some of our sections influence of its good work is felt in may be too large. Some members are it was the expressed intent that the finding it difficult ‘to travel the word “American” in the Society’s the range country where it functions distance required to attend the name was “Continental” rather and is reflected in the strength of functions of the section. True, we than “National” in concept. And the American Society of Range have machinery whereby sub- now our influence is spreading Management .- Wallace R. Hanson, sections can be formed but, in beyond the seas. The formation of Assistant Chief Forester, Eastern some cases, local sections may be this section accentuates the points Rockies Forest Conservation Board, more appropriate. expressed above; the need for Calgary, Alberta. What About Our Range Management In order to make constructive remedial suggestions it is important Technical Assistance Frogram;? to investigate the weakness of our agricultural advisory programs. It ANY people have emphasized in their range management pro- has been suggested that we have M the importance of our tech- grams. been guilty of harping on over- nical assistance programs in main- Our failure to render our best grazing and reducing numbers of taining the strength of the free service is reflected in the opinion of livestock. Another philosophy of world. If this be true, then it be- Dr. Harlan and others who criticize pooh-poohing the effectiveness of hooves us to carefully ,Fonsider the our actions abroad. I don’t want to grazing management has led us into recent article by Di. %&rlan $g the insinuate that ours is the only pro- concentrating on glamour problems Journal about our rep&setitation fession under attack. No doubt, even such as brush control, poisonous in overseas technical assistance Dr. Harlan would agree that some plants and reseeding. At the same programs. Perhaps it is time for us technicians in all fields (geneticists time we have largely overlooked to wake up to the fact that our not excluded) have been guilty of the importance of integrating use of Society has a responsibility to in- not providing the best possible improved and unimproved pastures, sure the best possible help for others assistance. pin-pointing the critical seasons for 2 EDITORIALS wood. They should have freedom in The members of each section freedom on the part of local sections things like the name they choose, should have common interests and to meet their special conditions and their boundaries, their constitutions problems. To ensure this they the value of flexibility in boundaries and their activity programs. If locals should be regionally located rather to allow members with common are ever subjected to dictation by than be limited to political bound- interests to get together. the parent body stagnation will aries. The Northern Great Plains It may not be out of place at this begin. On the other hand our whole Section is a good example. The point to congratulate those who society will remain vital and members of this group felt that the formed the new section in the growthy as long as policies and range problems of their region Middle East; both those of our ideals originate with the membership needed special attention and they members from this continent, who in the locals and work upward to be were determined to have a section undoubtedly sparked the organiza- sorted and consolidated into the with that purpose at heart. In spite tion, and also our friends in those policies and principles of the parent of pressure to the contrary they lands who know even better than body. persevered and organized their we do the need for range conserva- With optimum freedom allowed section to include parts of Montana, tion. We might add our best wishes local sections, great responsibility North Dakota, southern Saskatch- and encouragement to the members is placed upon them and their ewan and southeastern Alberta.