Jessica grew up in the deserts of Arizona and spent much of her youth volunteering at the Phoenix Zoo in their education programs. She graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science in Conservation Biology and went on to help run school programs at the Arizona Humane Society. Between visiting schools, running private programs, and taking care of animal ambassadors, she thrives in the environmental education sphere. She is an avid fan of reptiles and insects but is excited to expand her knowledge of Montana wildlife.

It’s time for us to trade in our suits for work boots. The Conservation Ranching team is ready to hit the ground running for another field season of grassland bird surveys. In just a few years of ACR programming in Montana, we’ve enrolled over 110,000 acres with the help of a dozen ranchers around the state. Each ranch has committed to using management practices that benefit the land, soil health, biodiversity, and wildlife. With grassland birds threatened by habitat loss and climate change, this effort is critical to the long-term viability of Montana’s cherished grassland species.

This year marks our third field season and the completion of our baseline surveys for the program's inaugural ranches! ACR protocol prescribes three years of initial surveys to develop a “baseline” of bird data, followed by a survey every other year. The ACR program relies on robust data from each ranch to determine current populations of grassland birds and management practices that will improve their habitats. Our crew will soon be travelling around the state to complete point-count surveys on each enrolled ranch.

An important aspect of the ACR program is our ability to garner grants to implement projects that support bird habitats. These projects cover a wide range of beneficial practices including reseeding native plants, improving water infrastructure, reducing haying, and fencing projects that allow for more intensive regenerative grazing. Keep an eye out for more ACR content from the field!