Ä¢¹½Av Conservation Ranching in the Rockies

Our Goals
Stabilize declining grassland bird populations in partnership with farmers and ranchers.
What We’re Doing
Working with landowners to support better bird habitat.
Greater Sage-Grouse display at sunrise in front of a herd of cattle.

North America's grasslands are among the most imperiled ecosystems in the world. America’s grassland birds have declined more than any other bird group in the continent, some species by as much as 80 percent. Because the vast majority breed on private lands, working with ranchers is our best hope for conserving them.

A wildlife habitat initiative of the Ä¢¹½Av with a unique market connection, Ä¢¹½Av Conservation Ranching aims to stabilize declining grassland bird populations in partnership with farmers and ranchers. Ä¢¹½Av Conservation Ranching’s enrollment includes more than 100 ranches and nearly 3 million acres that have earned status as Ä¢¹½Av Certified Bird-Friendly Land. Incentivizing this habitat work for birds and biodiversity are consumers with an appetite for conservation, who support it by purchasing products grazed on these lands. Shoppers see a special package designation – the Ä¢¹½Av Certified Bird-Friendly seal – that sets these products apart. For more information, visit www.audubon.org/ranching.

Conservation Ranching Staff at Ä¢¹½Av Rockies
Dusty Downey.

Dusty Downey

Director, Conservation Ranching, Ä¢¹½Av Rockies

Photo of Cidney Handy.

Cidney Handy

Range Ecologist

A portrait of Trish Kerner.

Trish Kerner

Range Ecologist

A portrait of Louisa Kimmel.

Louisa Kimmell

Range Ecologist

News
A group of people pose for a photo in front of a sign at Rafter W Ranch.
A Master Birding Class Field Trip to Rafter W Ranch
February 01, 2024 — Denver Ä¢¹½Av shares what they learned while visiting an Ä¢¹½Av-certified bird-friendly ranch in eastern Colorado.
A young woman stands in a pasture with stalks of grass in her hands.
Coming Home
October 13, 2023 — Whether you’re a young rancher or a rare bird, Parker Pastures is a great place to call home.
A soil sensor on a post surrounded by cattle fencing in a pasture.
Sensing the Soil
August 18, 2023 — Soil moisture sensors installed on seven Ä¢¹½Av-certified Ranches in Colorado.
Cattle graze in a pasture below dry slopes.
Experimenting Today to Save Tomorrow’s Soils
March 01, 2023 — Seven Ä¢¹½Av-certified ranches are testing ways to improve soil health through Colorado’s new STAR Plus program.