Women Shaping the Future of Working Lands in the Rockies

In August, Redwing Ranch in Gardner, Colorado, brought women from across the Rockies region together for the Cowgirl Proven: Pasture First, Profit Follows workshop.    

The hands-on gathering focused on building skills in grazing management, ranch economics, and ecological stewardship- all critical aspects of working lands that benefit people and the planet. The workshop was led by the Redwing Ranch team, including Ranch Manager and Lead Instructor Fiona Jackson, Owner Christy Wyckoff, and Programs Manager Erin Sheridan. Together they brought a mix of hands-on ranching experience, regenerative grazing knowledge, and ecological expertise to the workshop by sharing lessons learned directly from managing Redwing Ranch. 

Cidney Handy, a Range Ecologist for the Audubon Conservation Ranching program in the Rockies, attended the event and spoke to participants about Audubon’s Bird-Friendly Land Certification, a science-based certification that recognizes beef and bison ranches managed for birds, biodiversity, and the long-term sustainability of working lands. Redwing Ranch is currently in the process of becoming certified within the Audubon Conservation Ranching program. Jordyn Ludeman and Maddy Pollack, interns with the Bird-Friendly Certified Badger Creek Ranch, were in attendance and able to learn how other ranches incorporate bird-friendly practices into their operations. Experiences like these help build the next generation of conservation-minded agricultural professionals and strengthen their understanding of how working lands can support grassland birds and wildlife for years to come. 

At Redwing Ranch’s recent event, participants came from a variety of backgrounds and stages in their ranching journeys. Some were already managing livestock while others were newer to ranching and were looking to strengthen their land-management skills. Over two days, they worked through practical tools for making informed grazing decisions for improved pasture health, including forage assessment, stocking rates, grazing planning, fencing infrastructure, and ranch budgeting. 

But the most valuable takeaways from the workshop were the ideas shared and the relationships formed. Cowgirl Proven created space for women to ask questions, share experiences, and learn from one another by building a supportive community that thinks about the future of ranching and the land they care for. 

That sense of community is closely tied to the way Redwing Ranch approaches land stewardship. When ranchers have the knowledge, confidence, and support to make thoughtful grazing decisions, they can build productive operations while also caring for the health of their grasslands. Healthy working lands provide important habitat for wildlife and create a foundation for both ranching and conservation to thrive. Since 2022, Redwing Ranch has focused on using cattle as a tool to manage the entire ecosystem in a way that builds soil health, restores riparian corridors, and creates a mosaic of habitat to benefit a diversity of bird species and other wildlife. The Redwing Ranch team is passionate about sharing knowledge with the greater ranching community and has built a robust educational program around regenerative land management and ranching. 

The connection between resilient working lands and habitat conservation is at the heart of Audubon Conservation Ranching. Today, more than 160 ranches in the United States are certified through Audubon’s program, bringing around 4.7 million acres of grassland under bird-friendly land management. Ranchers are key partners in maintaining the healthy, functioning grassland habitats that birds depend on for food, nesting, and shelter. Because most grasslands are privately owned and managed, partnering with ranchers is one of the most effective ways to enhance habitat quality and connectivity at scale. The decisions made on a ranch can reach far beyond the pasture fence, benefiting not only the operation and the people who depend on it, but also the birds and wildlife that call these landscapes home. Audubon hopes to continue supporting events that further the knowledge and practice of conservation-minded stewardship that also helps work towards a regenerative food system. 

Workshops like Cowgirl Proven show the power of bringing people together to share knowledge, build confidence, and learn from one another. When women get their boots on the ground and come together to support one another, they are not just enhancing their skills but building a community and creating new possibilities for the future of ranching and conservation across the West. 

For more information about the Audubon Conservation Ranching program in the Rockies, please contact Louisa Kimmell Louisa.Kimmell@Audubon.org or Cidney Handy at Cidney.Handy@Audubon.org. For more information about Audubon Conservation Ranching nationally, please contact ConservationRanching@Audubon.org. 

About Audubon Conservation Ranching 
Audubon Conservation Ranching partners with ranchers to sustain healthy grasslands, abundant birdlife, and resilient rural communities. 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. For more information, visit www.audubon.org/ranching.