Project Overview

My project was based on attending the national Society of Range Management (SRM) conference and competing in the Plant I.D. competition. A list of 200 plants was handed out at the beginning of the school year. I was responsible for learning the scientific name, family, type of growth and native status of each plant before the national conference this February. The test consisted of 100 plants. Each student started at one station and had one minute to identify the plant in front of them. Everyone rotated through the entire contest until they reached the station they started at. This experience was a huge benefit to my future career as a Range Specialist. A large portion of my duties will include identifying plants quickly without relying on a book or a key. This skill will allow me to be an efficient employee, collect accurate data and therefore better serve the public.
I chose this project because I truly have a passion for range management and there is no better place to foster a passion for range management than the SRM conference. The meticulousness of this  project   pushed me to my mental and emotional limits. However, it also gave me the opportunity to interact with people in the industry and develop skills I will be using on the job.