Day 1: Field Day- Monitoring and Data Collection

8:00 – 9:00      Introductions, adaptive management, field activity overview – Jane Mangold 

9:00 – 9:15      Break, prepare to depart for field, grab sack lunches 

9:15 – 10:15    Travel to field site

10:15 – 4:00    Field activity (lunch break from 12:00-12:30) – Jane Mangold & Noelle Orloff

For most of the day, participants will learn and implement methods for monitoring and comparing effectiveness of weed management tactics, e.g. does a herbicide treatment (or other weed management tactic) reduce weed abundance and increase desired vegetation compared to non-treated areas; does one herbicide treatment work better than another? Data collected by the participants will be explored and analyzed during Day 2. While in the field, we will also spend time improving and honing our plant identification skills, especially grasses. 

 4:00– 5:00      Travel back to Bozeman; adjourn 

Day 2: Data Day – Analyzing, Interpreting, and Applying Data

8:30 – 10:00    Interpreting scientific data, Part 1 – Jane Mangold 

We will discuss common approaches to presenting research results, covering basic terms that will help participants better understand, interpret, and apply research-based information to your local program. This exercise will equip weed management professionals with the skills to assess efficacy of weed control tactics, including various herbicide treatments. 

10:00 – 10:15  Break  

10:15 – 11:30 Interpreting scientific data, Part 2 – Jane Mangold 

11:30 – 12:30  Lunch 

12:30 – 2:00   Analyzing and applying data, Part 1 – Noelle Orloff and Jane Mangold 

Using Microsoft Excel, we will work with data collected during Day 1. We will explore basic functions helpful for organizing data and running simple statistics to determine effectiveness of weed management tactics. Prior experience with Excel is not necessary. 

2:00 – 2:15      Break 

2:15 – 3:30      Analyzing and applying data, Part 2 – Noelle Orloff and Jane Mangold 

3:30 – 4:30      Small group discussions

Small groups will brainstorm about and discuss how the monitoring protocol learned this week could be used in your local programs.

5:00                 Adjourn