Driving Cattle, Restoration, and Research

Across the American West, working lands sit at the center of some of conservation’s greatest challenges. Grasslands face drought, floods, fragmented habitat, invasive species, wildfire, and more—all while ranchers work to keep their operations productive.

But rather than tackling these challenges one at a time, the Audubon Conservation Ranching (ACR) team at Audubon Rockies is solving them at landscape scale, restoring grasslands, wetlands, and streams alongside more resilient ranching operations.

At High Lonesome Ranch in Colorado, for example, the team is restoring five miles of post-fire stream corridor using low-tech process-based restoration that mimics natural waterways. At Flying Diamond Ranch, new water infrastructure and rotational grazing improvements are enhancing habitat across more than 40,000 acres. In Wyoming, work at Lonetree Ranch and Downey Ranch is improving sagebrush ecosystems while helping producers respond to drought and tree encroachment. And at May Ranch, seven miles of Big Sandy Creek will be restored, protecting wetlands and improving habitat for Lesser Prairie-Chickens and Eastern Black Rails. 

Together, these efforts represent something larger than isolated restoration projects. They’re examples of landscape-scale conservation that benefits birds, producers, and the places they share. Each project is selected because it helps both wildlife and producers create healthier landscapes that can better withstand extreme weather and changing climates. 

To address each ranch’s unique challenges and opportunities, the Rockies team’s toolbox extends far beyond rotational grazing. They also combine wildlife-friendly fencing, Keyline water management, stream restoration, cover crop demonstrations, conifer removal, invasive species management, and emerging technologies. 

And the job doesn’t end when the restoration crew packs up. Science drives each project, and long-term monitoring and evaluation are a must. This includes annual plant and bird surveys, soil testing, adaptive management, and more. 

The team is also helping to expand scientists’ understanding of how birds move through working landscapes and across continents. At Millikin Ranch in Wyoming, they helped establish the first Motus wildlife tracking station on an Audubon Certified Bird-Friendly ranch—and the first Motus station in eastern Wyoming.

Each ranch is another opportunity to learn what works and how to make the next project even better. Throughout the Rockies and beyond, these ranches are places where conservation ideas are tested, refined, and shared. 

The Audubon Rockies team has helped certify more than three million acres of Audubon Certified Bird-Friendly Land. But their greatest accomplishments can’t be measured in acres alone. Through innovative, science-driven conservation and strong partnerships with ranchers, the team demonstrates how working lands can support birds and ranching families alike. It’s this commitment to collaboration, innovation, and measurable outcomes that earned them recognition as the 2026 Audubon Conservation Ranching Team of the Year.

"From restoring fire-scarred streams and sagebrush landscapes to launching the first Motus wildlife tracking station on an Audubon Certified Bird-Friendly ranch, the Audubon Rockies team is proving that working farms and ranches can serve as living, adaptive laboratories for the future of grassland conservation. Their work is helping shape stronger ranching operations and a more hopeful future for birds across the American West.”

To find beef and bison products raised on Audubon Certified Bird-Friendly Land, click here. Landowners interested in Audubon’s bird-friendly certification can contact Audubon Rockies’ Conservation Ranching director, Dusty Downey, at dusty.downey@audubon.org.