California's millions of acres of grasslands, home to a rich variety of native plants and animals and a significant contributor to the state's biological diversity, are the center attraction at a conference at UC Davis March 31-April 2. "Annual grasslands are an important part of the state's watersheds and are linked to small creeks and major river systems," says Melvin George, a rangeland specialist in UC Davis' agronomy and range science department. "The quality of much of California's surface waters is dependent on the condition and management of these grasslands." Public-land and natural-resources-management professionals from throughout Northern California will attend the event, focusing on grazing management, yellow star thistle control and biological diversity and restoration, says Craig Thomsen, a UC Davis range ecologist and conference organizer. "The economic well-being of many rural areas is dependent on grasslands," says Thomsen, noting that livestock grazing makes proper management of the grasslands an ongoing challenge. The event is sponsored by the UC Davis-based Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP).