Win-Win-Win for Rural Communities, Conservation and Wildlife Habitat
Building success in rural communities can be as complex as the landscapes, habitats and living webs in which they exist. But when we work together, we can make a positive impact on the economic and ecologic factors surrounding rural community development on the northern Great Plains. My work linking two prominent non-profit organizations creates a […]
Save the Date: North Phillips County Ranch Tour Set for June 16
Explore working lands, share ideas, and build connections at the Hammond and Murdock Ranches. The Ranchers Stewardship Alliance invites you to join us for a day of stewardship, innovation, and community during the North Phillips County Ranch Tour on Monday, June 16, 2025. Registration is now open at www.RanchStewards.org/events. This free event welcomes anyone with […]
Conni French Continues Steadfast Leadership of Ranchers Stewardship Alliance
Taking the reins in January, French is carrying forward RSA’s mission while advancing a grassbank opportunity and navigating funding challenges. Malta, MT — The Ranchers Stewardship Alliance (RSA) is celebrating its first quarter under the leadership of Board President Conni French, who stepped into the role in January following the dedicated tenure of longtime leader […]
Cattle Grazing Expands Habitat Diversity on Wildlife Refuge
Nestled in the sweeping plains of north-central Montana, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge is a 15,551-acre sanctuary that provides beneficial habitat for an array of wildlife. From the greater sage-grouse to shorebirds, waterfowl, and pronghorn antelope, the refuge serves as a haven for species that rely on the unique sagebrush […]
Water Weary Rancher Resourcefulness
How community and the internet set one rancher’s capacity to create ablaze. Birds chirp in no-man’s land. A tall red barn, weathered paint but no hint of a lean, stands as the beacon welcoming you into the yard of Paul Williams, military veteran and newly invested Montana landowner. For all the silence, his yard is […]
2023 Annual Report
To ease the migration of North America’s fastest land animal, collaboration targets fencing
Ranchers and conservationists along the Hi-Line and in Central Montana are using state research and federal funding to help remove man-made barriers to migration of pronghorn and other big game animals.
Modeling Cropland Conversion Risk to Scale-Up Averted Loss of Core Sagebrush Rangelands
Key Findings: Conservation easements on private lands are crucial for maintaining Core Sagebrush Areas where cropland conversion is a threat. When bordering public lands, conservation easements preserve an area 3.6 times larger than the easements themselves.
2022 Annual Report
Ranchers Benefit from Fencing Projects with Ranchers Stewardship Alliance
There’s been entire books written on the history of fencing in the West. The evolution of barbed wire, the impact fences had on the landscapes, and the range wars that ensued when fences first went up are all remarkable and fascinating stories that will forever stand in the history of the American West and the […]
