USU Educator Named Outstanding Young Range Management Professional

Benjamin Baldwin, project leader for the Tehabi internship program in USU’s Department of Environment and Society, has been named Outstanding Young Range Management Professional of the Year by the Utah Section of the Society for Range Management.

Baldwin received the award in a Nov. 1 ceremony at the organization’s annual meeting in Price, Utah.

 

He was recognized for his significant contributions to the professional training of professionals in range management and other natural resources fields as director of Tehabi, a USU program that provides students with opportunities to participate in mentored, value-added internships offered by the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service and non-governmental land management organizations. 

 

Tehabi has been honored by the federal Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit program for its contributions to the CESU mission of fostering collaborative efforts involving universities and federal natural resources agencies across the U.S. A number of former interns now work in agency positions as a result of their participation in the Tehabi program. 

 

Baldwin is known to students in USU’s College of Natural Resources for his advising talents and willingness to “go the extra mile” for students, says colleague Mark Brunson, ENVS professor. “He is the driving force behind USU’s participation in the SRM’s Rangeland Cup competition, the first of which was won last year by a Utah State team. He has advised both the USU student chapter of SRM and College of Natural Resources Student Council at USU, and also teaches a required class on professionalism for USU’s Department of Environment and Society.”

 

In addition to his teaching role, Baldwin has coordinated various projects for the U.S. Department of the Interior, including an environmental assessment of fire management at Glen Canyon National Recreation Agency and several activities related to grazing management in the national parks. 

 

He has been active in SRM activities, including helping to organize a symposium for young professionals and a workshop on improving mentorship within the society. On top of all this, Brunson adds, he is a student in Utah State’s doctoral program in Human Dimensions of Ecosystem Science and Management.

 

Baldwin holds a bachelor’s degree in zoology and botany from Southern Utah University and completed his master’s degree in range science at Utah State University in 2003.

 

The Society for Range Management is the professional society dedicated to supporting persons who work with rangelands and have a commitment to their sustainable use. Its members are scientists, consultants, public land managers, educators, and students from throughout North America. The Utah section is one of the largest in the society.