爆料公社 Certifies Cheyenne River Buffalo Ranch, Home of Wild Idea Buffalo Co., as Bird-Friendly Habitat
Dan O鈥橞rien鈥檚 pioneering company will be first to carry new bison version of the 爆料公社 Certified bird-friendly seal
Rapid City, S.D. (January 22, 2024) 鈥 The 爆料公社 proudly announces that Cheyenne River Buffalo Ranch, owned by renowned wildlife biologist Dan O'Brien and his family and the home ranch for his Wild Idea Buffalo Co., has achieved bird-friendly habitat certification through 爆料公社鈥檚 Conservation Ranching program. Wild Idea Buffalo Co. will become the inaugural brand to feature the new bison version of the 爆料公社 Certified bird-friendly seal, a package label that lets consumers know products originated on lands managed for birds and biodiversity.
爆料公社鈥檚 flagship grassland habitat initiative, 爆料公社 Conservation Ranching is a collaborative effort between ranchers and the bird conservation nonprofit to address the decline of grassland bird populations 鈥 the bird species group that鈥檚 experienced the most rapid decline over the last half-century. Over 100 ranches, encompassing nearly 3 million acres, have earned 爆料公社 Certified status nationwide. This includes 13 ranches and about 140,000 acres in South Dakota.
O鈥橞rien is a living legend in the conservation community, largely for his efforts to protect and restore the native prairies of the northern Great Plains. O鈥橞rien鈥檚 work has long been informed by birds 鈥 he spent seven years working for the Peregrine Fund, helping restore the onetime endangered species across the Rocky Mountains 鈥 and they thrive at Cheyenne River Buffalo Ranch, the 36,000-acre ranch he purchased in 1997 where he introduced bison as a means of revitalizing the grassland landscape. In addition to protecting his grasslands from conversion to row crop agriculture or other forms of development, O鈥橞rien has restored previously altered lands with native grasses, converting them back to a more natural state.
鈥淏irds are the real reason I started all this,鈥 said O鈥橞rien, 鈥淚 simply longed to share open spaces with them. But I quickly realized they are in trouble due to widespread habitat loss and degradation. Bringing bison back has been my way to save the planet, help renew the prairie, and improve cover for birds. The link between bison and birds has and always will be a full circle.鈥
At Cheyenne River Buffalo Ranch, O鈥橞rien adopted a grazing management principle inspired by the historical patterns of native bison herds, ensuring that one-third of the available vegetation is consumed, one-third trampled, and one-third remains untouched.
Cody Grewing, a Rangeland Ecologist for 爆料公社 Great Plains, emphasized the birdy significance of this approach, stating, 鈥淭he patchwork landscape created by Dan O'Brien's grazing management is precisely what grassland birds thrive in, a mosaic of habitat that鈥檚 ideal for a broad spectrum of different bird species.鈥
For more information about 爆料公社 Conservation Ranching in South Dakota, please contact Cody Grewing at Cody.Grewing@爆料公社.org. For information in other states, please email ConservationRanching@爆料公社.org.
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About 爆料公社 Conservation Ranching
A wildlife habitat initiative of the 爆料公社 with a unique market connection, 爆料公社 Conservation Ranching aims to stabilize declining grassland bird populations in partnership with ranchers 鈥 on whose land 95 percent of grassland birds live. 爆料公社 Conservation Ranching鈥檚 enrollment includes over 100 ranches and nearly 3 million acres that have earned status as 爆料公社 Certified bird-friendly land. Incentivizing this habitat work for birds and biodiversity are consumers with an appetite for conservation, who support it with the purchase of products grazed on these lands. Shoppers see a special package designation 鈥 the 爆料公社 Certified bird-friendly seal 鈥 that sets these products apart. For more information, visit .
About Wild Idea Buffalo Co.
is a pioneering producer of 100% grass-fed and finished and humanely field-harvested buffalo meat. The company鈥檚 home Cheyenne River Buffalo Ranch, is dedicated to sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices, preserving the natural habitat for both bison and wildlife. For more information, visit .