Audubon Conservation Ranching: Welcoming New Audubon Certified Bird-Friendly Ranches
National Audubon Society
Conservation Ranching Newsletter | Summer 2023
Burrowing Owl.
Ranchlands’ Colorado & Wyoming Ranches Certified as Audubon Bird-Friendly Habitats
Spanning close to 200,000 acres in Colorado and Wyoming, a pair of ranches managed by Ranchlands were recently designated Audubon Certified bird-friendly habitats through our Conservation Ranching program. The land certification recognizes Ranchlands’ commitment to improving grassland habitat. Beef produced on the Chico Basin Ranch in Colorado and the Paintrock Canyon Ranch in Wyoming and sold under the Ranchlands brand can now carry the Audubon Certified bird-friendly seal.

Diverse habitat types across both ranches provide for a wide range of avian species, from Burrowing Owls and Greater Sage-Grouse to Vesper Sparrows. Keep reading
Burrowing Owl.
Dickcissel.
Prime, grass fed — bird friendly? Audubon Society label coming to a meat aisle near you
Matt Maier was one of the first Minnesota farmers to sign up for Audubon’s Conservation Ranching program. He said the conservation ranching program aligns with what he’s already doing with his land in Clearwater, MN.

Maier’s pastures are full of insects buzzing, frogs leaping and — most importantly to Audubon — birds chirping as you navigate the tall grass and cow pies. In the distance, lakes and ponds offer prime habitat for waterfowl. The improving topsoil and vegetation have kept runoff at bay, allowing the water to clear up. A lack of pesticides makes what does run into the water safer. Keep reading on mprnews.org
Dickcissel.
Western Meadowlark.
Herefords Support Habitat at Audubon Certified Bird-Friendly Orvis Cattle Company
The National Audubon Society has awarded its bird-friendly habitat certification to the Orvis Cattle Company’s Snow Ranch in California’s Central Valley. Beef produced on the ranch and sold under its Orvis Beef brand can now carry the Audubon Certified bird-friendly seal, a package and promotional label that recognizes product origin as lands managed for birds and biodiversity.

As an Audubon Certified bird-friendly habitat, Snow Ranch is specifically managed to provide habitat for a wide range of avian species, including Northern Harriers, Grasshopper Sparrows, and Western Meadowlarks. Learn more
Western Meadowlark.
A soil moisture monitoring sensor installed on an Audubon-certified ranch.
Sensing the Soil
Through Colorado's “Saving Tomorrow’s Agricultural Resources” program, soil moisture sensors are installed on seven Audubon Certified ranches in Colorado.

Combined with annual vegetation and bird monitoring data, this information can be used to holistically evaluate the important role that regenerative agriculture has on bird populations. Learn more
A soil moisture monitoring sensor installed on an Audubon Certified ranch.
Ashly Steinke (left) and Krysten Zummo.
Audubon Names New Grassland Ecologists in Minnesota & Wisconsin
This summer, Audubon Great Lakes and Audubon Minnesota-Iowa-Missouri hired grassland ecologists – Ashly Steinke in Wisconsin and Krysten Zummo in Minnesota. They are working with private landowners in spearheading the growth of Audubon Conservation Ranching, the organization’s wildlife habitat certification program. Meet Ashly Steinke | Meet Krysten Zummo
Ashly Steinke (left) and Krysten Zummo.
Photos from top: Evan Barrientos/Audubon Rockies; Kyle Matera/Audubon Photography Awards; Matthew O'Connor/Audubon Photography Awards; Aaron Maier; Courtesy of Ashly Steinke (left); Courtesy of Krysten Zummo
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