To this multi-generational family, conservation and ranching are one and the same. Learn how they’ve worked with SGI to increase carrying capacity and grass production for the benefit of both livestock and wildlife.

Tony and Diane Stobiecki partner with the Sage Grouse Initiative to improve habitat for wildlife and their ranch’s bottom line by putting in place projects that improve water delivery, riparian habitat, and rangeland forage.

“Our belief is that we need to make things better, and leave a legacy for our kids and our grandkids and the neighborhood as a whole,” says Oregon rancher Mark Bennett. Read more about Mark and Patti Bennett, who have partnered with the Sage Grouse Initiative to conserve land and water resources on the sagebrush sea.

Sage grouse like the habitat around the Pokorny Ranch, and the Pokornys like the conservation improvements SGI helped them make on their Wyoming ranch. “They were the first landowners I had to enroll in the program,” says Kevin Edinger with the Wyoming NRCS. “These folks are really progressive operators. They’re as good as it gets.”

South Dakota Rancher Ron Steineke makes water delivery and grazing improvements that benefit his cattle along with sage grouse and other wildlife.

The Swickard family takes pride in a pasture to plate operation. Their natural beef customers support a ranch dedicated to healthy cattle and plentiful wildlife, with a focus on sage grouse on property near Susanville, California

Big Sky Journal’s Winter Edition- 2014, features a Sage Grouse Initiative Rancher Success Story. Meet Deb and Mike Delaney. (a version of this article first appeared in Beef Magazine):

Bi-State (Nevada/California) sage grouse thrive on Masini Ranch, participants in Sage Grouse Initiative conservation easements and enhancements.

Sage grouse, ranching, research, and wildlife viewers are all part of the award-winning Tanner Ranch in NW Utah – a Sage Grouse Initiative success story.

“We’ve had a good little crop of sage chickens (grouse) for years and years,” says Nottingham, a third-generation rancher. “No one realized we had them. I figured it might not be a bad idea to hang onto them and take care of them.”