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STAR for Grazing Lands

STAR is excited to announce that we have begun a process to develop field forms and scoring for grazing lands. STAR believes that livestock production on grazing lands can be harmonious with nature in ways that are beneficial for economic production and ecological function. We are committed to building STAR for Grazing Lands in a way that recognizes both the uniqueness of each ranch and the universality of the principles of good grazing management. We also understand that rangeland ecosystems and their stewardship need organized, meaningful, and rancher-focused support. We envision STAR for Grazing Lands as a tool to fill a niche in guiding, enabling, and amplifying the adoption of conservation practices, principles and processes across grazing lands in the Rocky Mountain West as well as the Midwest.

Rangeland ecosystems and their stewardship are in need of organized, meaningful, and rancher-focused support. As we develop STAR for Grazing Lands, the participation of local producers, agricultural professionals, scientists and others helps us fulfill our commitment to be locally-led, science-based, and region-specific. In that spirit, we hope to cast a big tent in the development of STAR for Grazing Lands. Ranchers, rangeland scientists, and agricultural and conservation professionals from across the country are encouraged to take part in this process.

To date, our work includes initial stakeholder meetings to review the development plan, the launch of an internal strategic development team, and a working retreat at a STAR ranch in Guffey, Colorado. This project also benefits enormously from previous work on grazing land field forms done in Colorado, which is taken as a starting point for this work. With support from Ground Up Consulting and Graze LLC, STAR is now building an advisory group and stakeholder network that will inform how the Colorado grazing forms are revised and adapted for new regions. We will draw on this network to conduct informational interviews, host listening sessions, review key documents, and conduct STAR Web Tool testing in preparation for launch of STAR for Grazing Lands in the STAR Web Tool in Spring 2025.

Get Involved in STAR for Grazing Lands

We look forward to working with the community on this project and encourage you to contact us if you would like to participate in the advisory group or stakeholder network or just to learn more about STAR’s Grazing Land work. You can also use the STAR for Grazing Lands Development – Interest Form to indicate your interest.

STAR Welcomes New Team Members

Dr. Anna Clare Monlezun

Anna Clare joins the STAR team to serve on the STAR for Grazing Lands development team, to support grazing form development in western states and will also support STAR’s work in social and behavioral sciences. Based on a ranch in CO, she is a rangeland ecosystem scientist, systems thinker, and collaborative facilitator. A published writer, researcher, musician, and poet, Anna Clare enjoys bridging the worlds of science, art, and land stewardship. She employs her unique skillset in both her for-profit company, Graze LLC, and non-profit organization, Rangeland Living Laboratory Inc. A Colorado rancher herself, Anna Clare and her husband own La Dolce Vita Ranch, a diversified cattle, sheep, and ecotourism operation high in the Rocky Mountains. She holds a B.A. in Comparative Literature and Humanities, an M.A. in Community Counseling, an international Post-Graduate Certificate in Expressive Arts: Therapy, Consultation, and Social Change, an M.S. in Animal Sciences, and a Ph.D. in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability.

Erin Holland, STAR Intern

We are pleased to welcome Erin Holland as a STAR Intern this fall. Erin is a recent M.S. graduate of the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan, specializing in Environmental Justice. Her research supported the development of framework documents for addressing climate change, food systems, justice, and equity. A native of Macon, Georgia, Erin holds a B.S. in Environmental Sciences with a concentration in Environmental Health from Tuskegee University. Erin is supporting STAR Affiliate development through research to collect technical, financial, programmatic, and other resources for inclusion in the STAR Web Tool Resources database.

STAR Joins the Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership

STAR is pleased to join the Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership (ISAP) as a member organization. ISAP brings together diverse member organizations who work collaboratively to encourage the adoption of sustainable and profitable production practices that improve soil health and restore local waters. STAR is one of four recent additions – including the Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council (NREC), and the Savanna Institute – to join ISAP, whose mission is to create a network to support a systems approach to improve soil health and reduce nutrient loss. These additions expand ISAP’s ability to serve Illinois farmers in meeting the goals established by the Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. STAR looks forward to working with ISAP to reach broader audiences and cultivate stronger collaboration across the agricultural community. Read the full release to see all ISAP’s members.

See STAR Soon at…

New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts (NMACD) Annual Conference

The NMACD 78th Annual Conference will be gathering in Albuquerque, NM at the Sheraton Albuquerque Uptown October 28th through the 30th. Three members of the national STAR team – Caroline Wade, Jake Deutmeyer, and Max Neumeyer – will be attending, along with NM STAR Coordinator, Steve Kadas. They will be giving presentations, staffing an informational table on STAR offerings and opportunities, participating in a New Mexico STAR Affiliate Agreement signing ceremony, and hosting in-person NM STAR Steering and Science Committee meetings. Read more and register.

Sustainable Ag Summit

The Sustainable Ag Summit takes place November 20 – 21, in Minneapolis, MN. The 2024 Sustainable Agriculture Summit will offer actionable insights from world-class experts, on-the-ground perspectives from farmers and ranchers, additional interactive breakout sessions, and valuable networking opportunities. Join to celebrate a decade of collaboration – exploring the past, present, and, most importantly, the future of sustainable agriculture. Caroline Wade from the STAR team will attend. Read more and register.

Upcoming Events in Regenerative Agriculture

REGENERATE Conference, November 6 – 8, Denver, CO

The American Grassfed Association, Holistic Management International, and Quivira Coalition are excited to bring the REGENERATE Conference back to Denver, CO; it will be hosted at CSU Spur and the National Western Center from November 6-8. This annual gathering of ranchers, farmers, government and Tribal officials, and land stewards from across the West (and beyond) will come together to take part in plenaries, workshops, and conversations over three days to explore how to innovate for a resilient future. Read more about this event.

One key special event at the REGENERATE Conference will be a hands-on workshop held November 6 at CSU Spur. In the D.I.Y. Toolbox for Evaluating Soil Health, participants will learn about the most important features of soil health and how land management practices can harm or enhance it. Linking the worlds of science and stewardship, workshop facilitators will provide a set of practical, customized tools for evaluating soil health at home. Facilitators will walk through several methods that require only the five senses and ordinary items. This is a D.I.Y. style soil assessment that does not require special equipment or lab analysis. Participants will leave with a new toolbox of ideas and inexpensive methods to evaluate their soil health. Read more about this workshop.