Research Programs in the
United States and Africa
David West Station for Holistic Management® SARE Research
Case Studies: Northeast and North Central U.S.
Dimbangombe (Zimbabwe) Ecosystem Health Monitoring
Ranchers, farmers, community groups, non-profit organizations, government agencies and individuals who serve as resources to their communities have asked for more in-depth assessment of results, in both qualitative and quantitative terms, of those practicing Holistic Management®.
While HMI staff have developed extensive educational materials, including published profiles of successful practitioners, in-depth studies that illustrate the practitioner’s use of the Holistic Management® decision-making and planning processes, do not exist.
The following programs are helping to
meet this demand.
David West Station Southeastern SARE Research Grant
HRM of Texas, in collaboration with HMI’s David West Station for Holistic Management®, received a Southeastern Sustainable Research & Education (SE SARE) Research Grant to research the effects of animal impact on soil health as it relates to cedar (juniper) infestation.
The research team is monitoring the soil surface on 12 transects in paddocks receiving various levels of animal impact. By the end of the grant period — in June 2007 — the research team hopes to have enough data to determine if animal impact can slow the rate of infestation.
An additional outcome of this grant is digital videography of soil samples that will document the presence and changes in soil mesofauna. The images will be made into videos for classroom use. Since the West Ranch is a working ranch and a learning site for HMI, visitors are welcome. The data from this research project will be published and available from HMI.
Case Study Profiles- Northeast and North Central U.S. Certified Educator Training Programs (CETP)
Beginning with the 2001 Northeast CETP and continuing with the 2002 North Central CETP, all program participants are required to produce a case study profile on the practice of Holistic Management®.
This new course requirement is completed during the second year of the program. The case study profiles produced by each class have added to the accumulated knowledge base of Holistic Management® International and have been published in a booklet (electronic and print) specific to the training group/region in which the information was developed.
The first of these booklets, Improving Whole Farm Planning through Better Decision-Making, was published in 2004. HMI secured limited funds ($1,000) from the Central New York Resource Conservation and Development agency (RC & D) and $10,000 from the New England Small Farm Institute to publish this booklet, available from HMI.
(To purchase this booklet, please visit our online store- click here.)
Dimbangombe Ecosystem Health Monitoring (Zimbabwe)
This study was launched in July 2002 under the leadership of Dr. Christine Jost, professor in the Department of International Conservation Medicine at Tufts University’s School of Veterinary Medicine.
The purpose of the study is to:
1) Develop a preliminary community-based ecosystem health monitoring program for Zimbabwe’s Hwange Communal Lands adjacent to and including Dimbangombe Ranch
2) Monitor and evaluate the results of the program
3) Use the collected data to obtain funding for the implementation of a permanent ecosystem health monitoring program for the region that will draw on the multi-disciplinary expertise of faculty and students across Tufts University.
Public Lands / Agricultural Agencies