North America's grasslands are among the most imperiled ecosystems in the world.  They have declined more than any other bird group in the continent, by as much as 80% for some species.

 

The vast majority of America’s grassland birds breed on private lands which is why working with ranchers is our best hope for conserving them. California has 61 million acres of rangelands that provide food production, carbon sequestration, water infiltration, and habitat for a wide range of species.

 

A recent study identifies California grasslands as more reliable and resilient carbon sinks than forests (Pawlok 2018). However, this historic California land use is under threat with an average of 20,000 acres a year being lost to development or crop conversion (Cameron et al2014).

 

Climate change, invasive species, aquifer depletion, and poor grazing practices also degrade large portions of grasslands, increasing economic and ecological vulnerability. To slow the loss of rangelands, stabilize declining populations of grassland birds and wildlife, and contribute to climate mitigation, Audubon created the Audubon Conservation Ranching Program (ACR).

 

Benefits to Birds

To save grassland birds, we’re enlisting and assisting California’s ranchers—the stewards of our remaining grassland landscapes—in implementing conservation ranching practices of thousands of acres. We’re working with them to develop Habitat Management Plans that implement regenerative grazing and other bird conservation practices, such as controlling invasive species and native plant seeding. 

 

By mimicking historic wild herds of grazing mammals, regenerative grazing invigorates diverse plant communities and supports nutrient cycles that rebuild soil and conserve water. It even has the potential to remove carbon from the atmosphere and add enormous amounts of carbon to soil organic matter. We measure the effectiveness of these practices by monitoring bird diversity and abundance, vegetation change, and soil health.

 

Benefits to Consumers

Our Impact

 Since 2019, the Conservation Ranching Initiative in the California has: 

• Enrolled 17 different properties, as part of four ranching operations, totaling~70,000acres

• Conducted vegetation, soil, and bird surveys on participating ranches

• Outreach and education to hundreds of partners and eco-conscious consumers

• Developed technical and advisory committees with industry experts

We thank the California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) for their support.