At Milton Ranch, we believe in large-scale conservation. The Northern Plains is one of the last remaining grassland ecosystems in the world, and we believe that with the collaboration of neighbors, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and other like-minded ranchers, we can leverage our individual power to create real change on this landscape.
The Milton family and our ranch working team believe our circle is supported and influenced by partners near and far. Whatever is in our orbit, we try to understand and also seek to be understood. Neighbors, agencies, NGOs, vendors, advisors, and local working groups, in large and small ways, inform our effective, adaptative, and appropriate response to the changing and uncertain world we experience. We desire all the help we can get and try our best to respond in kind. We may not fully agree or support all the various purposes and visions our many partners embrace, yet engaging and appreciating the conditioning and perspective of others more often leads to new insights and opportunities. Our actions are triggered by both our aversions and attachments. It is more useful to accept them than to resist them. We all flow in the same river and this inevitable, inconvenient, yet liberating truth encourages us to re-examine our judgements, acknowledge our mistaken impression, and welcome the growing resilience arising from our shared effort-bringing harmony to everyone free from hinderance. We are grateful to all the circles of organizations listed below who in the end are really just one circle.
Bill Milton
Bill Milton
COLLABORATORS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
AMERICAN PRAIRIE
Wild Sky Project
People living and thriving among healthy populations of wildlife is critical to the success of American Prairie.
Wild Sky is a collaboration between American Prairie and landowners that live in key wildlife corridors and neighboring communities in central Montana. Private landowners in the region make important land management decisions that impact ecological conditions on and off the prairie. When these decisions align to benefit the land, wildlife, and people, huge strides are made toward collaborative conservation.
People living and thriving among healthy populations of wildlife is critical to the success of American Prairie.
Wild Sky is a collaboration between American Prairie and landowners that live in key wildlife corridors and neighboring communities in central Montana. Private landowners in the region make important land management decisions that impact ecological conditions on and off the prairie. When these decisions align to benefit the land, wildlife, and people, huge strides are made toward collaborative conservation.
ANABRANCH SOLUTIONS
Milton Project
The Milton project takes place on an unnamed intermittent tributary to North Willow Creek in the North Willow Watershed in Central Montana. This project is in priority sage-grouse habitat and crosses private, state, and BLM owned land.
History of the Landscape: This landscape is highly saline with natural saline seeps. The stream holds water throughout the year in disconnected marshes and deep pools. The deep pools support fish and birds year-round. The marshes and edges of the pools support thin strips of wetland plants including cattails, sedges, and rushes. This land is currently grazed by cattle. It has historically been grazed by sheep and cattle. In the past 30 years, the landowner and permittee has transitioned to a high density/low intensity grazing system. Through this management alone, the ranch has experienced noticeable increase in high stature desirable cool season grass species, reduced bare ground, higher forage production, and higher litter percentage as well as a noticeable expansion of the riparian area, an increased abundance of riparian vegetation which was once dominated by blue grama, and an increase of the water table. Restoration aimed to augment the grazing management to accelerate improvement of riverscape health.
Restoration Goals: - Improve water holding capacity of the stream to increase pool longevity and stream connectivity - Slow water to recharge groundwater and increase area of wetland obligate and facultative wetland vegetation - Decrease surface salinity - Improve the quality and quantity of sage grouse rearing and brooding habitat - Provide an example project for neighboring landowners and agencies to see a possible use of LT-PBR
Restoration: Anabranch and Montana Conservation Corps crews worked together to build 47 BDAs over 6.2 stream miles. BDAs ranged from 2 feet in length to 30 feet in length. The BLM transported and staged pine and juniper from nearby thinning projects. The BDAs were built out of this pine and juniper as well as locally sourced sod.
The Milton project takes place on an unnamed intermittent tributary to North Willow Creek in the North Willow Watershed in Central Montana. This project is in priority sage-grouse habitat and crosses private, state, and BLM owned land.
History of the Landscape: This landscape is highly saline with natural saline seeps. The stream holds water throughout the year in disconnected marshes and deep pools. The deep pools support fish and birds year-round. The marshes and edges of the pools support thin strips of wetland plants including cattails, sedges, and rushes. This land is currently grazed by cattle. It has historically been grazed by sheep and cattle. In the past 30 years, the landowner and permittee has transitioned to a high density/low intensity grazing system. Through this management alone, the ranch has experienced noticeable increase in high stature desirable cool season grass species, reduced bare ground, higher forage production, and higher litter percentage as well as a noticeable expansion of the riparian area, an increased abundance of riparian vegetation which was once dominated by blue grama, and an increase of the water table. Restoration aimed to augment the grazing management to accelerate improvement of riverscape health.
Restoration Goals: - Improve water holding capacity of the stream to increase pool longevity and stream connectivity - Slow water to recharge groundwater and increase area of wetland obligate and facultative wetland vegetation - Decrease surface salinity - Improve the quality and quantity of sage grouse rearing and brooding habitat - Provide an example project for neighboring landowners and agencies to see a possible use of LT-PBR
Restoration: Anabranch and Montana Conservation Corps crews worked together to build 47 BDAs over 6.2 stream miles. BDAs ranged from 2 feet in length to 30 feet in length. The BLM transported and staged pine and juniper from nearby thinning projects. The BDAs were built out of this pine and juniper as well as locally sourced sod.
Low Tech Process-Based Restoration (LT-PBR)
Instead of tackling restoration with expensive, reconstructive surgery done with heavy equipment and grading to make the channel look like we want it to, Anabranch Solutions encourage and allow the river to shape itself through improving its diet and exercise. PBR-LT is process based restoration – low tech. Anabranch Solutions think of their treatments as meals to the river (typically providing more structure like wood and beaver dams) and designed to kick off the process of recovery. Ultimately, we don’t want to be in the business of feeding meals to systems and want to encourage the processes that allow a system to feed itself.
Beaver Dam Analog (BDA)
A man-made structure designed to mimic the form and function of a natural beaver dam. BDAs can also be used to increase the probability of successful beaver translocation by creating immediate deep water habitat that reduces the risk of predation. In general, the design and installation of BDA complexes is a simple, cost-effective, non-intrusive approach to stream restoration that can influence a suite of hydraulic, geomorphic and hydrologic processes in order to achieve a range of common restoration goals.
Instead of tackling restoration with expensive, reconstructive surgery done with heavy equipment and grading to make the channel look like we want it to, Anabranch Solutions encourage and allow the river to shape itself through improving its diet and exercise. PBR-LT is process based restoration – low tech. Anabranch Solutions think of their treatments as meals to the river (typically providing more structure like wood and beaver dams) and designed to kick off the process of recovery. Ultimately, we don’t want to be in the business of feeding meals to systems and want to encourage the processes that allow a system to feed itself.
Beaver Dam Analog (BDA)
A man-made structure designed to mimic the form and function of a natural beaver dam. BDAs can also be used to increase the probability of successful beaver translocation by creating immediate deep water habitat that reduces the risk of predation. In general, the design and installation of BDA complexes is a simple, cost-effective, non-intrusive approach to stream restoration that can influence a suite of hydraulic, geomorphic and hydrologic processes in order to achieve a range of common restoration goals.
AUDUBON
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Milton Ranch participates in the Audubon Conservation Ranching Program. Audubon Conservation Ranching aims to stabilize declining grassland bird populations in partnership with farmers and ranchers. Why farmers and ranchers? The majority of grassland birds – whose populations have declined by more than 50 percent in the last 50 years – inhabit privately owned land. This is where we scale our impact. Landowners voluntarily enroll in our program, and when they meet requirements centering on habitat management, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare, they earn the Audubon bird-friendly land certification. Nationwide, more than 100 ranches and nearly 3 million acres that have earned status as Audubon Certified bird-friendly land.
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BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT (BLM)
The Bureau of Land Management's mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Under its multiple-use and sustained yield mandates, the BLM manages public rangelands for various uses and values, including livestock grazing, recreational opportunities, healthy watersheds, and wildlife habitat. These lands preserve the open spaces that continue to shape the character of the West. Forty percent of the the land Milton Ranch uses for grazing in BLM.
COUNTRY NATURAL BEEF
Country Natural Beef is a network of forward-thinking ranchers united by a common philosophy: Leave the land better than you found it.
Over the past 36 years, Country Natural Beef has grown to become the largest ranching cooperative in the western US. It's 100 members — and counting — in 9 states represent the best of the West. Over the years, they have honed practices that improve soil, protect streams, draw more carbon dioxide out of the air, and raise healthy, happy cows across 6.5 million acres. By managing every part of the system synergistically — soil, water, plants and animals — they work with Mother Nature rather than against her. You can see the difference on the landscape, and you can taste the difference on your plate.
Over the past 36 years, Country Natural Beef has grown to become the largest ranching cooperative in the western US. It's 100 members — and counting — in 9 states represent the best of the West. Over the years, they have honed practices that improve soil, protect streams, draw more carbon dioxide out of the air, and raise healthy, happy cows across 6.5 million acres. By managing every part of the system synergistically — soil, water, plants and animals — they work with Mother Nature rather than against her. You can see the difference on the landscape, and you can taste the difference on your plate.
CROSSROADS RANCH CONSULTING, INC
"Helping ranchers cultivate resilient, profitable businesses and thriving landscapes." Milton Ranch has worked with Roland Kroos for over twenty-five years on becoming more profitable land stewards.
MONTANA CONSERVATION CORPS
Beaver Dam Projects
Montana Conservation Corps work in partnership with the WWF to restore streams by mimicking the work of a wild animal once plentiful in the Northern Great Plains: the beaver. WWF is working with the Montana Conservation Corps to install artificial - or analog - beaver dams in streams on Milton Ranch. Theses structures aim to slow water flow, prevent harmful erosion, and distribute this precious resource throughout the landscape. The end result will raise the water table, improve soil health, nourish plants and provide habitat for wildlife.
Montana Conservation Corps work in partnership with the WWF to restore streams by mimicking the work of a wild animal once plentiful in the Northern Great Plains: the beaver. WWF is working with the Montana Conservation Corps to install artificial - or analog - beaver dams in streams on Milton Ranch. Theses structures aim to slow water flow, prevent harmful erosion, and distribute this precious resource throughout the landscape. The end result will raise the water table, improve soil health, nourish plants and provide habitat for wildlife.
Antelope Fencing
Montana Conservation Corps has assisted Milton Ranch in installing wildlife friendly fencing.
Montana Conservation Corps has assisted Milton Ranch in installing wildlife friendly fencing.
MONTANA FISH, WILDLIFE & PARKS
Block Management Program
A cooperative program between private landowners and FWP, Block Management helps landowners manage hunting activities and provides the public with free hunting access to private land, and sometimes to adjacent or isolated public lands. Landowner participation in block management is voluntary. Contracts are negotiated annually in the spring and summer.
A cooperative program between private landowners and FWP, Block Management helps landowners manage hunting activities and provides the public with free hunting access to private land, and sometimes to adjacent or isolated public lands. Landowner participation in block management is voluntary. Contracts are negotiated annually in the spring and summer.
MONTANA LAND RELIANCE
Since 1978, The Montana Land Reliance (MLR) has partnered with Montana’s landowners to permanently protect agricultural lands, fish and wildlife habitat, and open space. The lasting benefits of MLR’s work are the perpetuation of a lifestyle and an economy that rely on responsibly managed private land and increasingly valuable Montana open spaces that will continue to nourish the spirit of future generations. Milton Ranch has Conservation Easement with the Montana Land Reliance.
NATIVE
Northern Great Plains Regenerative Grazing Project
The Northern Great Plains Regenerative Grazing project seeks to restore the ecosystem and its resilience to its full potential, sustaining abundant and diverse species and livelihoods. Introducing practices to improve soil health such as higher intensity rotational grazing and reducing selectivity of grazing to relieve pressure from waterways and allow native species to regenerate.
The Northern Great Plains Regenerative Grazing project seeks to restore the ecosystem and its resilience to its full potential, sustaining abundant and diverse species and livelihoods. Introducing practices to improve soil health such as higher intensity rotational grazing and reducing selectivity of grazing to relieve pressure from waterways and allow native species to regenerate.
NATIONAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION SERVICE (NRCS)
Agricultural Conservation Easement Program
The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) protects the agricultural viability and related conservation values of eligible land by limiting nonagricultural uses which negatively affect agricultural uses and conservation values, protect grazing uses and related conservation values by restoring or conserving eligible grazing land, and protecting and restoring and enhancing wetlands on eligible land.
ACEP has two components:
The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) protects the agricultural viability and related conservation values of eligible land by limiting nonagricultural uses which negatively affect agricultural uses and conservation values, protect grazing uses and related conservation values by restoring or conserving eligible grazing land, and protecting and restoring and enhancing wetlands on eligible land.
ACEP has two components:
- Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) help private and tribal landowners, land trusts, and other entities such as state and local governments protect croplands and grasslands on working farms and ranches by limiting non-agricultural uses of the land through conservation easements.
- Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE) help private and tribal landowners protect, restore and enhance wetlands which have been previously degraded due to agricultural uses.
QUIVIRA COALITION
Through education, innovation, and collaboration, Quivira works in coalition with ranchers, farmers, government agencies, and land stewards to foster resilience on working lands. Quivira works to support the community and implementation of regenerative agriculture until it is embraced as a crucial piece of our food systems, our land stewardship, and our solutions to climate change.
New Agrarian Apprenticeships
The New Agrarian Program develops the next generation of land stewards, graziers, food producers, and agricultural leaders through land-based learning and mentorship. The program pairs beginning agrarians with experienced, regenerative ranchers across the West to provide eight-month, hands-on, regenerative ranching apprenticeships.
2020 Apprentice - Natalie Berkman
2021 Apprentice - Natalie Berkman
2022 Apprentice - Carlisle Stewart
2023 Apprentice - Tyler Lu
2024 Apprentice - Tyler Lu
New Agrarian Apprenticeships
The New Agrarian Program develops the next generation of land stewards, graziers, food producers, and agricultural leaders through land-based learning and mentorship. The program pairs beginning agrarians with experienced, regenerative ranchers across the West to provide eight-month, hands-on, regenerative ranching apprenticeships.
2020 Apprentice - Natalie Berkman
2021 Apprentice - Natalie Berkman
2022 Apprentice - Carlisle Stewart
2023 Apprentice - Tyler Lu
2024 Apprentice - Tyler Lu
RANCHING FOR PROFIT
The Ranching for Profit School is the leading business management school for ranchers. Our expert instructors teach you how to tackle real-world problems in a dynamic, week-long course. At the Ranching for Profit School, you’ll learn proven strategies that will boost your ranch’s profitability and improve your land
SNAPLANDS
We leverage teams towards sustainable landscapes and improved returns. With decades of experience in natural resource management, ranching business, and land restoration, the SnapLands team provides profitable paths toward and proof of land stewardship and regeneration. Today’s professional natural resource management requires clear goals and informed decision-making towards key performance indicators for teams and the market-place. SnapLands are leading in todays regenerative research while offering the most effective data and knowledge to the future generations of land managers. Milton Ranch works with SnapLands and BLM for range monitoring.
THE NATURE CONSERVANCY
Conservation Easements
Private lands conservation is an innovative tactic that leverages the increasing interest of the private sector to take part in conservation. TNC works with landowners, communities, cooperatives and businesses to establish local groups that can protect land. Some of the main tools used to achieve these goals include land trusts, conservation easements, private reserves and incentives. In addition, a Private Lands Program was developed by The Nature Conservancy to use our experience in the United States in developing land conservation tools internationally.
Private lands conservation is an innovative tactic that leverages the increasing interest of the private sector to take part in conservation. TNC works with landowners, communities, cooperatives and businesses to establish local groups that can protect land. Some of the main tools used to achieve these goals include land trusts, conservation easements, private reserves and incentives. In addition, a Private Lands Program was developed by The Nature Conservancy to use our experience in the United States in developing land conservation tools internationally.
WINNET ACES
Petroleum County is one of the most deeply rural places in America. It spans an area of 1,655 square miles but is home to just 494 people. Winnett is the county seat and lone town in the county and has a population of 188. We are the least populous county in Montana.
Our community persists and serves a vital role in the functioning of America. Ranchers and farmers here produce high quality food and fiber for the world, while also managing a considerable portion of the last remaining intact, native prairie in North America.
This place matters – it matters to the ranchers who care for their land and livestock, it matters to the local community, it matters to those who benefit from hunting and fishing opportunities, and it matters to those who care about native prairie. The people, land, and animals coexist in a delicate balance, with each serving as support for the others. With passion for our community, and for our environment, we serve as stewards working to strengthen the resiliency of our community.
Working Lands Program
The Working Lands Program focuses on sustaining the agriculture industry through developing or securing opportunities for agricultural operators to access grazing lands through the grassbank model, through successful ranch transitions, and through educational programs to help ranchers build a resilient operation.
In the early days of the organization, ACES was inspired to create a grassbank for the purpose of creating economic opportunities, enhancing land stewardship practices, and preserving the agricultural identity of the local community. On the journey to create a grassbank, ACES began providing educational opportunities for ag producers and developing relationships with conservation partners, leading to a holistic approach to create a more resilient human and ecological community. The community enhancement work we do directly supports our working lands, by helping keep families on the land.
Our community persists and serves a vital role in the functioning of America. Ranchers and farmers here produce high quality food and fiber for the world, while also managing a considerable portion of the last remaining intact, native prairie in North America.
This place matters – it matters to the ranchers who care for their land and livestock, it matters to the local community, it matters to those who benefit from hunting and fishing opportunities, and it matters to those who care about native prairie. The people, land, and animals coexist in a delicate balance, with each serving as support for the others. With passion for our community, and for our environment, we serve as stewards working to strengthen the resiliency of our community.
Working Lands Program
The Working Lands Program focuses on sustaining the agriculture industry through developing or securing opportunities for agricultural operators to access grazing lands through the grassbank model, through successful ranch transitions, and through educational programs to help ranchers build a resilient operation.
In the early days of the organization, ACES was inspired to create a grassbank for the purpose of creating economic opportunities, enhancing land stewardship practices, and preserving the agricultural identity of the local community. On the journey to create a grassbank, ACES began providing educational opportunities for ag producers and developing relationships with conservation partners, leading to a holistic approach to create a more resilient human and ecological community. The community enhancement work we do directly supports our working lands, by helping keep families on the land.
WORLD WILDLIFE FUND
Ranch Systems and Viability Planning (RSVP)
World Wildlife Fund’s Sustainable Ranching Initiative wants to support your ranching operation and help grasslands thrive.
World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Sustainable Ranching Initiative (SRI) is partnering with ranchers across the Northern Great Plains (NGP) to increase sustainable grassland management on one million acres in five years. Through the Ranch Systems and Viability Planning network (RSVP), WWF has established a comprehensive support system for ranchers to develop sustainable grazing management plans with assistance from on-the-ground technical specialists and to access continuing education to improve ecological outcomes at scale in the NGP. The initiative aims to improve management on 1 million acres across the region over five years, increasing carbon sequestration, improving water infiltration, and biodiversity health. The RSVP program provides events, in-person land health workshops and online educational workshops hosted by WWF and by our local and regional partners.
To date, WWF has enrolled 90 ranches totaling near 850,000 acres in central and eastern Montana, western South Dakota, northeastern Wyoming and the Nebraska Sandhills. Fifty-five percent of RSVP ranchers are primarily managed or co-managed by women and 31% of the ranches are managed by beginning ranchers, defined as under the age of 40.
Eligible landowners can apply to enroll their ranch and intact grassland acres in the Ranch Systems & Viability Planning Network (RSVP). Once the SRI team has reviewed the application, approved landowners will sign a participation agreement which includes a pledge to keep their enrolled acreage intact with no conversion for at least 10 years. By enrolling their ranches and meeting the program criteria of grassland retention and grazing plan development and adherence, ranchers can access financial assistance to attend continuing education and to administer ranch improvement projects with a conservation benefit in the form of cost-share support.
RSVP ranchers have utilized RSVP resources to attend Ranching for Profit schools, attend grazing and soil health workshops, install water and fence infrastructure on their ranches, complete other conservation projects like beaver dam analogs for wetland restoration, develop grazing plans, subscribe to grazing software, and many other activities.
World Wildlife Fund’s Sustainable Ranching Initiative wants to support your ranching operation and help grasslands thrive.
World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Sustainable Ranching Initiative (SRI) is partnering with ranchers across the Northern Great Plains (NGP) to increase sustainable grassland management on one million acres in five years. Through the Ranch Systems and Viability Planning network (RSVP), WWF has established a comprehensive support system for ranchers to develop sustainable grazing management plans with assistance from on-the-ground technical specialists and to access continuing education to improve ecological outcomes at scale in the NGP. The initiative aims to improve management on 1 million acres across the region over five years, increasing carbon sequestration, improving water infiltration, and biodiversity health. The RSVP program provides events, in-person land health workshops and online educational workshops hosted by WWF and by our local and regional partners.
To date, WWF has enrolled 90 ranches totaling near 850,000 acres in central and eastern Montana, western South Dakota, northeastern Wyoming and the Nebraska Sandhills. Fifty-five percent of RSVP ranchers are primarily managed or co-managed by women and 31% of the ranches are managed by beginning ranchers, defined as under the age of 40.
Eligible landowners can apply to enroll their ranch and intact grassland acres in the Ranch Systems & Viability Planning Network (RSVP). Once the SRI team has reviewed the application, approved landowners will sign a participation agreement which includes a pledge to keep their enrolled acreage intact with no conversion for at least 10 years. By enrolling their ranches and meeting the program criteria of grassland retention and grazing plan development and adherence, ranchers can access financial assistance to attend continuing education and to administer ranch improvement projects with a conservation benefit in the form of cost-share support.
RSVP ranchers have utilized RSVP resources to attend Ranching for Profit schools, attend grazing and soil health workshops, install water and fence infrastructure on their ranches, complete other conservation projects like beaver dam analogs for wetland restoration, develop grazing plans, subscribe to grazing software, and many other activities.
Beaver Dam Project
Montana Conservation Corps work in partnership with the WWF to restore streams by mimicking the work of a wild animal once plentiful in the Northern Great Plains: the beaver. WWF is working with the Montana Conservation Corps to install artificial - or analog - beaver dams in streams on Milton Ranch. Theses structures aim to slow water flow, prevent harmful erosion, and distribute this precious resource throughout the landscape. The end result will raise the water table, improve soil health, nourish plants and provide habitat for wildlife.
Montana Conservation Corps work in partnership with the WWF to restore streams by mimicking the work of a wild animal once plentiful in the Northern Great Plains: the beaver. WWF is working with the Montana Conservation Corps to install artificial - or analog - beaver dams in streams on Milton Ranch. Theses structures aim to slow water flow, prevent harmful erosion, and distribute this precious resource throughout the landscape. The end result will raise the water table, improve soil health, nourish plants and provide habitat for wildlife.