Bison conservation ranching on Blue Valley Ranch
Date
2014-09
Authors
Kossler, John, speaker
Handyside, Perry, speaker
Richert, Josh, speaker
Schafer, Shawn, moderator
International Wildlife Ranching Symposium, producer
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Abstract
For 20 years, Blue Valley Ranch has been practicing conservation ranching in the Rocky Mountains of north-central Colorado with a focus on wildlife and agricultural production. An integrated resource management approach to land stewardship guides its planning process, and an adaptive management philosophy helps to make management decisions based on science and monitoring feedback. The ranch's vision of conserving wildlife habitat, building ecosystem resiliency, and producing quality livestock and forage crops is exemplified in the inclusion of the American bison (Bison bison) in its operation. As a native grazer, bison are a natural choice for raising a healthy food product on native ranges while practicing good land stewardship. Though hunted to near extinction in the late 19th century, bison have made a comeback in recent decades, due in large part to conservation-minded ranchers and private landowners. A clear understanding of their behavior and grazing ecology takes advantage of the bison's evolutionary history with the grasslands and shrublands of the western United States, and makes them a perfect fit for private lands conservation interested in supporting agriculture and healthy ecosystems.
Description
Presented at the 8th international congress for wildlife and livelihoods on private and communal lands: livestock, tourism, and spirit, that was held on September 7-12, 2014 in Estes Park, Colorado.
Video presenter: Perry Handyside.
To request a transcript, please contact library_digitaladmin@mail.colostate.edu or call (970) 491-1844.
Video presenter: Perry Handyside.
To request a transcript, please contact library_digitaladmin@mail.colostate.edu or call (970) 491-1844.
Rights Access
Subject
Wildlife management -- Congresses
Range management -- Congresses