Kelly A Hopping

But increasingly, researchers, land managers, and producers are asking whether sheep can provide benefits that extend well beyond traditional forage utilization and livestock production.

Today, we're talking with Dr. Kelly Hopping, Associate Professor in Human Environment Systems at Boise State, about research looking at targeted sheep grazing as a tool to manage cheatgrass, restore rangelands, and potentially reduce wildfire risk.

Her work in Idaho's Sawtooth National Forest brings together researchers, land managers, sheep producers, and herders managing sheep on the landscape.

We'll talk about what targeted grazing really looks like on the ground and what they're learning about when and how intensely sheep need to graze to affect cheatgrass and wildfire fuels, and whether ecosystem services like these could ultimately create new opportunities for Western sheep producers.