Audubon Conservation Ranching

Western Meadow Lark. Photo courtesy of eBird

Take Action
Red Rock Audubon bird lovers: Change your and your friends’ buying habits. Buy only “Audubon Certified” meats and make a difference in America’s grassland conservation.

Click on the link before to order your bird friendly meats:
https://www.audubon.org/conservation/where-to-buy-conservation-ranching-products

​37 Red Rock Audubon bird lovers connected virtually on October 10, 2020 to hear Marshall Johnson, (Vice President National Audubon/Executive Director for Audubon Dakota)  talk about Audubon’s Conservation Ranching Initiative.
Marshall said: "If we don't fundamentally change what we're doing, our grandkids will talk about grasslands, butterflies and birds the way we now talk about department stores and dinosaurs.”

America’s grassland birds have declined more than any other bird group in the continent, some species by as much as 80%. Because the vast majority of America’s grassland birds breed on private lands, working with ranchers is our best hope for conserving them.
Audubon developed the Conservation Ranching Initiative. This market-based conservation approach offers incentives for good grassland stewardship through a certification label on beef products.
For the first time, bird loving consumers can contribute to grassland conservation efforts by selectively purchasing beef and chicken from Audubon certified farms and ranches.
 
Benefits to Birds
By mimicking America’s historic bison herds, regenerative grazing invigorates diverse plant communities and supports nutrient cycles that rebuild soil and conserve water. Effectiveness of these practices are measured by monitoring bird diversity and abundance, vegetation change, and soil health.
 
Benefits to Consumers
Beef and chicken from Audubon-certified land is hormone and antibiotic-free, ethically raised, and mostly importantly delicious.
 
Benefits to Ranchers
Beef from Audubon-certified lands garners a premium price and provides a unique opportunity for family ranchers to showcase their excellent management practices. This helps them care for their families and provides exceptional habitat for wildlife. By first listening to the ranching community, trusting in their knowledge of sustainable land management, and learning from their resiliency in a volatile marketplace, we are ensuring that our strategies and solutions will benefit both people and nature. Buying beef from Audubon-certified lands supports rural economies and the ranching way of life.
 
Benefits to the Environment
Using native grasses and other plants as forage increases the ability for pastures to sequester carbon, helping to mitigate the effects of climate change. Pesticides are restricted, including the complete prohibition of neonicotinoid pesticides. Waterways are protected from contamination to ensure ranching practices results in cleaner bodies of water.

“Courtesy of Audubon’s Conservation Ranching Initiative”