The first time meeting a bull I thought there should be much more care taken. We parked the pick-up in the two-lane adjacent to the white mound napping and chewing his cud. He didn’t move or glace our way as we approached. I walked equal to the rancher; if he was going in, I was, too.
Another summer in the Northern Great Plains has come and gone, now fleeting as quickly as it arrived. With it, the many birds who travel thousands of miles to call these grasslands home during the breeding season have begun to make the long journey back to their wintering grounds. For the many ranchers and farmers of eastern Montana, the work is not done.
This one day workshop will explore how good grazing management is key to improving profit in the ranching business. Learn how to improve land and create a profitable business that can stay in the family for generations.
The Ranching For Profit School will help you to find the breakthroughs that will improve the health and productivity of your ranch, the profitability of your business and the quality of your life.
Classroom will discuss economics of grazing management, grazing principles, soil health, and application of the grazing principles.
Pre-registration is required. REGISTER HERE!
Find more information on the Ranching for Profit Flyer (Chadron, NE)
This one day workshop will explore how good grazing management is key to improving profit in the ranching business. Learn how to improve land and create a profitable business that can stay in the family for generations.
The Ranching For Profit School will help you to find the breakthroughs that will improve the health and productivity of your ranch, the profitability of your business and the quality of your life.
Classroom will discuss economics of grazing management, grazing principles, soil health, and application of the grazing principles.
Pre-registration is required. REGISTER HERE!
Find more information on the Ranching for Profit Flyer (Sturgis, SD)
JOIN US FOR OUR THIRD INSTALLMENT OF THE WATER & WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT ON WORKING LANDS FIELD DAY SERIES, AT UTE CREEK CATTLE COMPANY!
We’ll learn all about grazing for water and wildlife, creek restoration, supporting local bird populations, and building water tanks and water conservation practices. The workshop and lunch are free! Lunch is being sponsored by the Ute Creek Cattle Company, with omnivorous and vegetarian options available. You can also bring your own. This field day is meant for producers, agency representatives and anyone interested in grazing to support water and wildlife.
Grasslands contribute to the air we breathe, the water we drink, the foods we enjoy, and landscapes we love to explore. They offer natural beauty and rich cultural heritage, even as they feed millions and support the livelihoods of rural communities. They help purify our world by capturing water and carbon in the soil and deep underground, mitigating undesirable events like climate change, wildfire and severe drought. Despite all this, grasslands are underappreciated by many. Read on to learn more about why grasslands are important to our world, and what you can do to help ensure their conservation for future generations!
Bird Conservancy and our partners spent much of 2021 implementing the first phase of a network of bird tracking stations across the Great Plains. It’s been an exhilarating, exhausting and rewarding year installing Motus stations at amazing places across central Flyway. We worked closely many partners, put 18 new Motus stations on the map, planned future sites, and watched as our towers detect tagged birds! The work continues with Motus stations installed throughout the Rocky Mountain West and northern Mexico, coupled with training opportunities for partners and deployment of over 100 radio tags on grassland birds.
Ever notice what appear to be small ponds on the grasslands during spring? These are ‘playa lakes’ — temporary wetlands that dot the prairies of the western Great Plains. Playas are shallow depressions lined with clay soil that holds rain water. Healthy playas are a win-win for water conservation and birds. They benefit people by helping replenish groundwater, filtering water and assisting with flood control. They also provide wildlife habitat and important stopover points for migrating birds. Over the years, many playas have become degraded and are disappearing from the landscape. However, with proper restoration and management, playas can return to their full potential.
With over 70% of landownership in the Great Plains and Intermountain West being privately owned, landowners are one of the keys to conservation of wildlife habitat. Many at-risk bird species use private lands during their annual life-cycle. Our Private Lands Wildlife biologists work assist landowners in navigating the complex process for securing funding for management plans, habitat enhancements, and infrastructure improvements on working lands through USDA Farm Bill. By targeting the specific needs of local stakeholders and geographic areas, we not only make funding more accessible, but we use the resources more efficiently to ensure conservation is happening where it’s needed most.
Private Lands Wildlife Biologist Jenn Lutze shares her remarkable journey of finding a career working to conserve birds, and even learning to love them, despite once being terrified of all things feathered.
