Conservation Ranching in the Great Lakes

Audubon Conservation Ranching partners with farmers and ranchers in the Great Lakes region to enhance the biodiversity, productivity, and resilience of grassland ecosystems for birds and the people that depend on them.

Through our bird-friendly land certification and science-based approach, we empower land stewards to enhance habitat, improve soil health and water quality, and strengthen the connection between conservation and ranching. By purchasing products from Audubon Certified Bird-Friendly Land, consumers become conservationists, helping protect America’s grasslands and the birds, wildlife, and people that depend on them. 

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 National Audubon Society with a unique market connection, Audubon Conservation Ranching aims to stabilize declining grassland bird populations in partnership with farmers and ranchers. Audubon Conservation Ranching’s enrollment includes more than 100 ranches and nearly 3 million acres that have earned status as Audubon 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 Audubon Certified Bird-Friendly seal – that sets these products apart. 

Project Team:  

For more information about the Audubon Conservation Ranching program in Wisconsin, please contact: Tom Prestby, Wisconsin Conservation Manager 

If you would like information about the program for a different state, reach out to ConservationRanching@Audubon.org.