By Mia Costales

Cal Poly Humboldt has made history as it becomes the first university in the state of California to earn an accreditation from the Society for Range Management (SRM) for the rangeland resource science (RRS) program. The program is now one of only 15 schools globally to earn this accreditation.  

The rangeland resource science program at Cal Poly Humboldt is a science-based major with an emphasis on botany, soil science and rangeland management of natural resources. The program offers a hands-on approach to local land management and grants students the opportunity to work with ranchers, conservationists, tribes, government agencies and Arcata’s local community at large. 

Justin Luong, an assistant professor in rangeland science and management at Cal Poly Humboldt, provided insight into some of the activities the program provides.

“Every year, the RRS program students have the opportunity to travel to the Society for Range Management where we compete in competitions related to plant identification and rangeland management,” Luong said. “The Range and Soils Club is a great student community that also further showcases career opportunities, resume workshops and relevant guest speakers. We are a great major for anyone who loves to be outdoors and work with plants, soils or animals.”

Earning the SRM accreditation elevates Cal Poly Humboldt’s status and credibility. It also gives the program graduates an advantage when entering the job market. 

According to the SRM website, “Granting of the status of ‘Certified Professionals in Rangeland Management’ by the Society for Range Management signifies that the individual so designated has met the basic qualifications to do professional work in this field and has not been found to engage in unprofessional conduct.” 

If a university desires this accreditation, they must first contact the SRM Executive Vice President for evaluation. The evaluation consists of meeting specific criteria, as well as an on-site visit by the SRM Program Accreditation Committee. There are seven accreditation standards that a university must meet in order to earn this title. Some of these standards include having a required curriculum, assigned academic advisors, faculty adept at teaching rangeland courses and suitable field instruction facilities. 

“During our accreditation specifically, I organized a community dinner which included our local ranchers, land managers, university officials and Range and Soils Club Officers,” Luong said. 

Luong noted that many local community businesses such as Jersey Scoops, Cattlewomen’s Association, Sigma Xi, Moonstone Crossing Winery, Septentrio, Eel River Brewery and Humboldt Distillery offered donations to the program. 

The accreditation took effect with the beginning of this fall semester. As for the future of the RRS program, faculty and students anticipate further support from the university.

“The accreditation bestows greater credence to our rangeland degree,” Luong said. “Often employers may prioritize people with degrees from accredited programs compared to the same degree from another university without accreditation. In addition, this helps further connect Cal Poly Humboldt with 14 other accredited programs across North America to provide additional opportunities and connections for students.”

Many RRS students also recognize the benefits of an accreditation and the competitive edge it will give their degree. Sage Brislen, a senior RRS major, stressed the importance of rangeland sciences and how RRS can be applied to many different types of environmentalism. 

“I think a range and soils B.S. is really practical,” Brislen said. “It can be applied to almost all environmental work, but having a niche makes you a more desirable or interesting candidate. Rangelands are some of the broadest yet most degraded environments in the world; we need more people studying them.”

Mia is a journalism major and the Editor in Chief of The Lumberjack. She hopes to give a platform to underrepresented communities through her writing and provide the public with thoughtful and informed stories. In her free time she enjoys cooking, reading and playing her violin. Contact Mia at mdc140@humboldt.edu