Photo: Noppadol Paothong
ranching
We provide scientific reports, project profiles, technical tools, videos, photos, field guides, and links that tell the story of how cooperative conservation is making a difference for working lands and wildlife across the West.
News
USDA, USFWS, State Partners Find Non-Lethal Answers to Grizzly Bear Interactions on Montana Ranches
June 20, 2024
Montana ranchers and partners are working to keep grizzly bears, people, and livestock safe on working ...
News
Great Plains Grasslands Framework in Focus: Wildlife Conservation Through Sustainable Ranching
April 22, 2021
Dig into the Framework for Conservation Action in the Great Plains Grasslands ...
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Montana Outdoors Magazine Article | The Herd and the Bird
March 20, 2020
Magazine Article | This article originally appeared in the March-April 2020 issue of Montana Outdoors, the magazine of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. It is reposted here with ...
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Western Working Lands Snapshot | Grasslands
September 24, 2019
Join us for a new series focused on the natural history, wildlife, and people on the West's working lands. This innagural post focuses on ...
Sage Whiz Quiz
Sage Whiz Quiz | Ranching
July 8, 2019
How much do you know about ranching in the West? Take this Sage Whiz Quiz and test your ranching ...
News
Sustainable Ranching in Utah: A Boon For Wildlife And Livestock
June 12, 2019
Sustainable Ranching in Utah: A Boon for Wildlife and Livestock | Read how Stephen and Kris Ellis keep their family tradition alive and strong on the Circle Bar ...
News
Our Amazing Grasslands Video – The Conner Ranch
March 19, 2019
New video highlights the Conner Ranch in Belle Fourche, South Dakota where Dan and Cindi Conner have worked with SGI and other partners to improve their ranch for sage grouse ...
News
1,800 Ranchers and Counting!
December 18, 2018
As 2018 comes to a close, the Sage Grouse Initiative caught up with Tim Griffiths, NRCS’s Western Working Lands for Wildlife Coordinator, for a glance back and a peek ...
News
Oregon Ranchers Sustain “Heart Of The Desert”
November 12, 2018
Maintaining an “emerald island” in the middle of the desert is no small task. Here’s how the Fitzgeralds do it on their Oregon ...
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#FridaysOnTheFarm: Restoring Sagebrush Country With ‘Modern Wildfire’
June 8, 2018
Through the Sage Grouse Initiative (SGI), private landowners across Eastern Oregon are volunteering to perform proactive conservation treatments on their rangeland to promote ...
News
Study Shows It Pays To Treat Invasive Grass On Your Ranch
March 7, 2018
An economics study from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Oregon shows that the earlier ranchers treat cheatgrass, the greater their financial ...
News
BEEF Magazine | Thomas Brothers Make The Ground Better In Idaho
February 14, 2018
By Brianna Randall | Partnering with the USDA-led Sage Grouse Initiative helps young ranchers improve the land for both sage grouse and ...
News
The Conservation Gift That Benefits Us For Countless Years to Come
January 4, 2018
by Brianna Randall | Conserving our natural resources is one of the ways we can give back to our children, communities, and economy for years to come. And the gift that keeps ...
News
VIDEOS | Meet The Thomas Family, Sustainable Ranchers in Idaho
November 20, 2017
Watch short videos to hear how and why two young ranchers have put in place conservation practices that benefit the bird and their ...
News
BEEF Magazine | Rest-Rotation Grazing Helps Sage Grouse Survival
October 16, 2017
Pastures that use Sage Grouse Initiative rest-rotation grazing programs produce plentiful bugs, which is a good deal for cattle and sage grouse ...
News
Ranch Conservation Partnership Thrives In Eastern Montana
August 7, 2017
by Leo Barthelmess | Ranchers working with the NRCS and others are helping sustain and improve habitat in a way that also improves ranch ...
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Keeping Water In Colorado’s Gunnison Basin
June 12, 2017
A collaborative partnership using innovative techniques to restore wet meadows in the Gunnison Basin is paying off for people and ...
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“Ranching Gone Right,” Thanks To Partners Like The Nature Conservancy
May 8, 2017
As a valued partner in the Sage Grouse Initiative, The Nature Conservancy works with landowners across the range on innovative grazing systems, conservation easements, and ...
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How Do Conservation Easements Work?
April 20, 2017
In Montana, landowners have partnered with local land trusts to conserve 2 million acres. Expert Lisa McCauley from NRCS explains why easements work for ranchers and ...
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Rancher K.D. Leander Leaves A Conservation Legacy in Eastern Washington
February 14, 2017
This late rancher's early adoption of range conservation practices encouraged his neighbors to also enroll in Sage Grouse Initiative programs. Learn ...
News
$8 Million Fund Created to Improve Water Quality and Conserve Greater Sage-Grouse in the Eastern Sierra
January 20, 2017
Both the Bi-State population of greater sage-grouse and agricultural ranchlands will benefit from a just-announced $8 million USDA investment in California and ...
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Kennedy Ranch Conservation Improvements Benefit Both Livestock And Wildlife In Utah
August 23, 2016
In northeastern Utah, the Kennedy family's land ethic and commitment to improving natural resources has led them to expand their ranch. Learn how SGI helped them install water ...
News
New Web-Based Tool Helps Save Sage Grouse From Fence Collisions
July 14, 2016
SGI's interactive web app now features a map layer that helps land managers prioritize where to mark high-risk fences to protect birds. This user-friendly tool allows ranchers ...
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Getting Our Hands Dirty at the 6th Annual Sage Grouse Initiative Workshop Tour
July 6, 2016
Last week, range managers, ecologists, and wildlife biologists gathered in Montana to learn from landowners what works for the bird and the herd. Check out the photo story ...
News
Rockin’ TD Ranch Champions Rangeland Conservation in Nevada
June 21, 2016
Tony and Diane Stobiecki partner with the Sage Grouse Initiative to improve habitat for wildlife and their ranch's bottom line by putting in place projects that improve water ...
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Conservation Integral At O’Tooles’ Ladder Ranch in Wyoming
April 19, 2016
Pat and Sharon O’Toole make their living by ranching on the sagebrush sea along the Wyoming-Colorado border. They raise sheep and cattle, sage grouse and trout, as well as ...
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Montana Outdoors Magazine | “Ranching the Best Hope for Grassland Songbirds”
March 18, 2016
by Catherine Wightman | Ranchers manage their land to sustain grass production, which benefits bovines and birds on Montana's agricultural ...
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Growing Spirit of Collaboration, Partnership & Innovation is “The West at its Best”
March 15, 2016
By Jason Weller and Larry Selzer | This opinion article by USDA-NRCS Chief Weller and The Conservation Fund President and CEO, Larry Selzer describes how the Sage Grouse ...