Rangeland Technology and Equipment Council (RTEC)

The Rangeland Technology & Equipment Council (RTEC) promotes the wise use and improvement of rangelands through the supporting functions of equipment development and application of innovative technology. It is an informal organization of land managers, engineers, researchers, academics, landowners, conservationists, and private sector native seed and restoration industries concerned with effective land management practices.

FOCUS AREAS
Site preparation and seeding: Encourage the development of innovative site preparation and seeding equipment.
Plant materials: Promote the management, evaluation, and use of locally adapted plant materials that fulfill resource needs.
Fire: Promote rangeland improvement through the application of the latest fire technology and equipment.
Seedbed ecology: Examine seed germination and seedling establishment of requirements to improve seeding success.
Weed management: Develop new strategies and equipment to manage or eradicate weed infestations.
Structures: Promote the development of innovative, effective, and economical range improvements.
Projects and publications: Assemble and widely distribute information concerning equipment and new seed and restoration technology.

RTEC meetings are held in conjunction with the Society for Range Management’s annual Conference. Meeting organizers are generally from the Conference area and topics highlight recognized regional or national equipment and technology needs to meet emerging and urgent land management issues. Recent topics include: “The equipment, methods, and processes of seed-based restoration” (2025), “Novel equipment and restoration methods in the western United States” (2024), and “Beyond direct seeding: The next frontier of landscape scale vegetation restoration” (2023).

The annual meetings also provide an opportunity for exchanging information on new innovations and publications, identifying emerging issues as topics for future meetings, and discussing approaches for promoting equipment and technology development and use.

Examples of RTEC projects include producing an updated, online Revegetation Equipment Catalog, evaluation of a new minimum-till drill and modifications to the standard rangeland drill for improving the establishment of diverse native seed mixes.