Lifelong ranchers donate 38,000 acre ranch to conservation group in effort to maintain the Great Plains
Land is being developed left and right, leaving minimal space for the natural landscapes of the United States to stand untouched. One couple in Montana is fighting the issue by donating their $21 million, 38,000 acre ranch to a conservation group, where it will be protected from development.
Dale and Janet Veseth plan to continue running the Vaseth Family Ranch, but ownership has been switched to the Rancher’s Stewardship Alliance (RSA).
The reasoning behind the gift
The nonprofit that was gifted the Veseth’s ranch is Rancher’s Stewardship Alliance. The organization is self-proclaimed as, “a rancher-led, grassroots organization, dedicated to improving the quality of life for rural communities throughout the Northern Great Plains.”
The Veseths helped found the RSA 22 years ago, and have had the opportunity to watch it turn into the breath of fresh air that ranchers need.
“We’ve watched RSA grow into something pretty special. It’s brought people together with a shared purpose and opened eyes to the positive impact ranchers have on the ground. We’re proud to know the ranch will be part of that. They’ll keep it working the way it’s meant to be,” said Dale in a press release with the nonprofit.
The ranch sits in south Phillips County, which is a sought after area in terms of land acquisition. The Veseths knew that they needed to make a move in order to protect the sanctity of the region, which is when they decided to donate the ranch.
RSA president and Phillips County rancher Conni French said in the press release, “When Dale first mentioned this gift, it was in the most casual way, as if it were no big deal. I think we were all completely taken aback, and honestly, I don’t think the shock has worn off. It’s hard to put into words what a gesture like this means, not just for RSA, but for the future of ranching and conservation here at home.”
What the Veseth Ranch does
The Veseths’ primary goal since starting the ranch has been “to maintain living and working landscapes for future generations; create and maintain situations where people cohabit with wildlife in one environment,” according to Climate Trust.
The ranch has earned many honors, such as the 2008 Environmental Stewardship Award from the Montana Stock Grower’s Association, and the Region V Environmental Stewardship Award from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
The operation focuses on beef production, improving native grasslands and preserving prairie ecosystems.
The bigger issue
According to Climate Trust, since 2016, nearly 10 million acres of grasslands have been converted to croplands across the Great Plains, leaving less than 4% of tall grass prairie.
Even further, “Since 2009, 53 million acres of grassland—an area the size of Kansas—have been converted to cropland across the Great Plains alone. That represents almost 13% of the 419 million acres that remained intact in 2009…In 2015, 3.7 million [additional] acres were converted to cropland,” according to the annual Plowprint report by the World Wildlife Fund.
