Dr. Patti Chun Selected as the Blackland Prairie GLCI Technical Advisor

Billy Partridge, Blackland Prairie GLCI member and Fannin Soil & Water Conservation District vice-chairman, is proud to announce the selection of Dr. Patti Chun to serve as the GLCI Coalition Technical Advisor.  The Technical Advisor is responsible for working with the GLCI Coordinator to facilitate the transfer of cutting edge grazing land technology and practices. Additionally, the Technical Advisor will assist with the design and application of demonstration projects, field trials, etc. Most importantly, this position is responsible for serving as a liaison between research and ranchers.

Dr. Patti Chun is a local rancher in Fannin County.  Her ranch is located 5.5 miles south of Windom on FM 1743.  She has been avidly working on her ranch for several years establishing grass, cross fencing and water to utilize all the natural resources for growing beef. Dr. Chun is also a member of the American Society of Agronomy and The Society of Range Management.

The Texas Coalition of the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) is an organization of partnerships and individuals who want to foster the stewardship of privately owned grazing lands in Texas.  To accomplish this, GLCI works with any organization that shares our mission.

The Texas GLCI is divided into five regional coalitions, each having its own board of directors. Fannin County is included in the eighteen county Blackland Prairie Coalition, which focuses on providing grazing land technical assistance to landowners within the Blackland Prairie Major Land Resource Area (MLRA).  The Blackland Prairie GLCI director for Fannin County is Mr. Billy Partridge.  The primary partner of GLCI is the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) who in turn provides trained specialists to work on privately owned grazing lands.

It takes an effective partnership to provide the needs for grazing lands.  The GLCI emphasizes a cooperative effort among a wide variety of partners to make sure that when a producer seeks information about grazing lands, that someone is available to help.  Forty groups and organizations initially formed the partnership, which included universities, research organizations, producer groups, environmental organizations, federal agencies, as well as, state and local agencies.

The Texas GLCI is a not-for-profit 501.c.3 organization and seeks to strengthen partnerships, promote voluntary actions, respect private property rights, and encourage diversification to achieve multiple benefits, emphasize training and education, and increase public awareness.

The Texas GLCI sponsors tours, workshops, field days and other educational events for producers, agencies, and partnership affiliates.  In addition, each year the GLCI invites applications for small grants for innovative or new management techniques.  These small grants are designed to introduce new concepts to producers to better manage their grazing lands.  The Texas GLCI also has a promotional effort to feature success stories and circulate technical tips and information.