Using Google Earth Pro to Monitor Rangeland

Using Google Earth Pro to Monitor Rangeland

Most people have used Googlemaps to find a particular location. The technology is free and easy to use. Oregon State University Extension Livestock and Rangeland field faculty member Dr. Sergio Arispe is assisting ranchers in learning to use Google Earth Pro to help monitor their rangeland.

Arispe: "A lot of folks use Googlemaps to get from point A to B but Google Earth Pro and Google Earth for that matter provides a free and pretty robust program by which private land owners can develop land management plans that will lead to rangeland improvements and improved rangeland health."

Dr. Arispe has held a series of workshops teaching ranchers the many benefits of using Google Earth Pro in mapping their rangeland for a variety of purposes. He continues with more examples of how the technology can be used.

Arispe: "Now they can actually plan where to put a water trough and guesstimate how much pipeline they will need by going and measuring it out on Google Earth Pro before they even go outside. There are a lot of different tools they can use: such as identifying water sources in different pastures. They can highlight different pastures and they can also input details as far as when cattle graze, did it rained — or is this a particular drought year. They can begin to file away that narrative so they can pass it along to their children or other people interested in purchasing their ranch at a later time."

He adds that it is also very beneficial to share this information with any government agencies a rancher may be working with.

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