Dirac Twidwell, associate professor and rangeland ecologist in agronomy and horticulture, was presented with the Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation’s Nebraska Range and Conservation Endowment award and grant during the virtual 2020 Nebraska Cattlemen Annual Convention Dec. 3.
The Nebraska Range and Conservation Endowment was established in December 2011 and provides grants to range management and conservation research and/or teaching positions at Nebraska post-secondary educational institutions. This award honors professors or instructors that provide cutting edge research and/or student instruction in a range management and conservation-related area.
Twidwell is an ecologist focused on the sustainability of rangeland, forest and agricultural systems. His program at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln is known for its modern integration of the land-grant mission and innovation across teaching, research and extension. He is one of the leading global experts on the causes, consequences and solutions of woody encroachment into rangelands and he was most recently appointed as the Science Advisor for the USDA NRCS Central Region to tackle woody expansion and better conserve rangeland resources.
His research has brought to light new changes occurring in Great Plains systems that impact the quality of life of current and future generations. This has led to a creative and innovative program on large-scale resilience science and planning, which has sparked diverse partnerships spanning university, agency, and landowner experts that work together to reevaluate existing policies and programs and halt key sources of environmental degradation. This award specifically recognizes those efforts and its specific importance to Nebraska’s cattle industry and the membership of Nebraska Cattlemen.
Established in 1968, the Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation’s mission is to advance the future of Nebraska’s Beef industry by investing in research and education programs. The Foundation’s success and its ability to endow scholarships, to sponsor leadership and education programs, assist with research and infrastructure projects has been possible only because of the support from the Nebraska cattle producers and allied industries.
