Professor
Dustin.Johnson [at] oregonstate.edu Office: 541-573-2506
My Extension and applied research program centers on improving the efficiency and sustainability of the ranching industry in eastern Oregon. Ongoing efforts include 1) training and assisting ranchers and public land management agency partners in the development and maintenance of cooperative rangeland and grazing monitoring programs, 2) developing various electronic tools that aid ranchers in collecting, organizing, and evaluating cattle and grazing records, 3) engaging with diverse stakeholders to develop collaborative approaches to addressing complex natural resource and wildlife management issues, and 4) developing science-based tools and strategies for functional restoration of rangelands and wetlands that have been degraded by invasive plants.
Professional Accomplishments
Education:
M.S. Rangeland Ecology and Management, Oregon State University, 2005 B.S. Rangeland Resources, Oregon State University, 2000
My Awards
My Publications
Journal Article
C. S. Boyd , Johnson, D. D. , Kerby, J. D. , Svejcar, T. , and Davies, K. W. , “Of Grouse and Golden Eggs: Can Ecosystems Be Managed Within a Species-Based Regulatory Framework? ” , Rangeland Ecology & Management , vol. 67, no. 4, pp. 358 - 368, 2014.
K. W. Davies , Johnson, D. D. , and Nafus, A. M. , “Restoration of Exotic Annual Grass-Invaded Rangelands: Importance of Seed Mix CompositionAbstract ” , Invasive Plant Science and Management , vol. 710119100215280, no. 02, pp. 247 - 256, 2014.
Journal Article
K. W. Davies , Nafus, A. M. , and Johnson, D. D. , “Are Early Summer Wildfires an Opportunity to Revegetate Exotic Annual Grass–Invaded Plant Communities? ” , Rangeland Ecology & Management , vol. 66, no. 2, pp. 234 - 240, 2013.
Conference Paper
Journal Article
Outreach and Extension
Extension Service Site Publications (2022) Range management is (or should be) fire management What rangeland managers do before a wildfire can matter a lot for what happens during and after. That is, whether and how a site recovers after it burns, and how likely it is to burn again in a future wildfire. Rangeland resilience to fire and resistance to annual grass invasion are related to the occurrence and outcomes of wildfire. How can rangeland managers use these concepts to reduce risk and limit some negative impacts when wildfires occur?
(2012) Pace 180° and repeat photography: monitoring methods for documenting vegetation trends in sagebrush rangelands Monitoring trends in vegetation is an important component of effective rangeland management. There are many monitoring methods but two stand out for being easy to use, efficient, repeatable and effective.
(2010) Management Guide for Beef Cattle The objective of this article is to provide SUGGESTED management guidelines for cow-calf producers. We encourage producers to evaluate their individual operation(s) and use these guidelines to determine a system that works best for their ranch, environment, and facilities.
(2022) Ranching in the information age: The ranch hand you didn’t know you needed Eastern Oregon’s rangelands are diverse due to different soils, topography and climate. Ranchers and land managers who view the landscape as a collection of ecological sites can better predict how vegetation and other resources respond to management actions, drought and natural disturbances. This improves their rangeland management decisions and increases profits.
(2022) Grazing Management for Rangeland Health: A Threat-based Land Management Approach Threat-based land management provides a simplified framework for efficient identification, evaluation and communication of current and desired conditions, as well as management actions needed to achieve rangeland goals.
(2022) Grazing Management for Rangeland Health: A Threat-based Land Management Approach
(2020) Rangeland faculty help mitigate spread of invasive grasses Research is incorporated into the Harney County Cooperative Weed Management Area, which will restore 20,000 acres that have been invaded by medusahead in western Harney County.
(2017) What is Rangeland Monitoring? Dustin Johnson and Sergio Arispe discuss what rangeland monitoring is and why it’s an important tool for effective rangeland management.
(2017) How Do You Photo Monitor For Rangeland Health? Rangeland monitoring does not need to be complicated. Periodically taking photos in a consistent manner of the same locations at the same time of year can serve as an effective monitoring program. There are many ways of conducting photo monitoring, and in this video you will learn one method that is simple and highly repeatable so you can establish your own photo monitoring sites.
(2017) Where and When to Photo Monitor Rangeland Health? It is important for you to select an appropriate photo monitoring location and timeframe that will provide you information that will be useful for evaluating your management objectives. In this video, you will learn where to establish photo monitoring sites on different types of pastures, as well as when to photo monitor those pastures to provide you the best information possible.
(2020) Life on the Dry Side, Summer 2020 In this issue - how fire and forest management impact wildlife habitat.
(2020) Life on the Dry Side, Summer 2020 Edition, Interactive In this issue - how fire and forest management activities impact wildlife habitat
(2019) How to monitor progress in grazing land management A critical but often overlooked step in the development of a comprehensive grazing management plan is a well-defined monitoring program for evaluating progress toward management objectives.
(2019) Monitoring is key to successful grazing management Rangeland monitoring is a critical part of a successful grazing management program. But to be successful, there must be clear objectives. Here's a guide to creating a rangeland management and monitoring system.
(2019) Grazing management options for riparian areas For ranchers, riparian areas are a major source of water, shelter and forage for cattle and wildlife. Learn how to manage them effectively by integrating them into an overall grazing management plan.
(2019) Bunchgrass Phenology: Using Growth Stages of Grasses as Adaptive Grazing Management Tools
(2019) Threat-Based Land Management in the Northern Great Basin: A Field Guide
(2019) Threat-Based Land Management in the Northern Great Basin: A Manager’s Guide
(2019) Where and When to Monitor Rangeland Health? Dustin Johnson and Sergio Arispe discuss rangeland photo monitoring and related considerations for where and when to focus monitoring efforts.
(2019) How Do You Photo Monitoring for Rangeland Health? Dustin Johnson and Sergio Arispe discuss photo monitoring of rangelands and demonstrate a simple step-by-step process for establishing a permanent photo point.
(2021) OSU Sagebrush Habitat Team responds to threats to vast ecosystem Created in 2016, the team works in general themes related to its mission, including: sagebrush ecosystem management, wildlife conservation and management, and related trainings and outreach.
(2018) Western Roots: Diving into a sagebrush sea of diversity
(2013) Can cows find water by smell?
My Media