Get reliable rangeland science

As funding and public support for science becomes more competitive, it is incumbent upon researchers, scientific institutions, government agencies and funding organizations to ensure that the needs and interests of decision makers, land managers, and the public are being met – that the information being produced is “usable.” Usable science is simply defined as science that meets the changing needs of decision makers. It can be basic or applied science; it is not new science, but rather a particular approach to science that informs decision-making and responds to societal capabilities and goals. It differs from our standard linear understanding of the link between knowledge production and knowledge use. The usability of science is a function of the context of its potential use and of the process of how the scientific knowledge is produced. The process of identifying usable science should start with a knowledge user's need, rather than a research question. Then, repeated conversations between the producers and users of scientific knowledge are critical to creating usable science. This iteration is the result of actions of the scientists and decision makers to build relationships and mechanisms that foster co-production of knowledge. Given a funding future for rangeland research that likely will remain quite competitive, there is great value to be gained by more closely aligning on-the-ground scientific information needs with topics being considered by both university and agency rangeland researchers and major research funding organizations.