Seattle, WA – February 18, 2026 – Audubon Washington today announced the expansion of the Audubon Conservation Ranching program to the Columbia Plateau, supporting ranchers as conservation partners through bird-friendly management practices that sustain working lands and wildlife habitat.
Through a rigorous, science-based approach, Audubon Conservation Ranching supports land stewards in enhancing bird habitat, improving soil health and water quality, and strengthening the connection between conservation and working lands.
Why Conservation Ranching Matters
Grassland and arid-land bird species are among the most imperiled groups of birds in North America, with grassland birds declining by 53 percent since 1970 and arid-land birds also showing widespread long-term population losses. The Columbia Plateau’s shrub-steppe is an iconic arid-land ecosystem of native shrubs, grasses, and wildflowers that once covered millions of acres across Eastern Washington.
Today, this landscape faces increasing pressure from human development, invasive species, and more frequent and intense wildfires. These threats continue to fragment and degrade habitats for a wide range of wildlife, including bird species such as the Greater Sage-Grouse, Long-billed Curlew, and Ferruginous Hawk.
“Ranching plays a critical role in maintaining large, open rangelands that many bird species depend on,” said Seth Hulett, Senior Program Manager for the Columbia Plateau at Audubon Washington. “Keeping ranches economically viable is one of the most effective ways to prevent rangeland conversion and habitat loss. Audubon Conservation Ranching provides ranchers with tools and recognition that help sustain their operations while protecting the bird habitat they manage.”
How Audubon Conservation Ranching Works
Audubon Conservation Ranching is a voluntary, no-cost habitat program that supports ranchers in building and maintaining high-quality bird habitat on working lands. Audubon staff work directly with participating producers to develop a customized Habitat Management Plan tailored to each operation, identifying practical, science-based opportunities to improve habitat for priority bird species while supporting viable ranching practices.
The program follows national and regional protocols to ensure consistency across the country while remaining responsive to region-specific ecological needs. Participation in Audubon Conservation Ranching also provides producers the option to use Audubon’s “Bird-Friendly” seal on beef or bison products, though product labeling is not required to participate in the program.
In addition to certification, Audubon provides ongoing stewardship support designed to strengthen both land management and local ranching communities. This support includes guidance on accessing additional funding opportunities, technical assistance for conservation and restoration practices, and opportunities for peer-to-peer learning through field days, site visits, and producer-led knowledge sharing. By fostering relationships among ranchers, Audubon Conservation Ranching helps build local capacity for stewardship and reinforces a shared commitment to sustaining working landscapes over the long term.
“Grazing is a verb, not a noun,” said Tip Hudson, Professor of Rangeland and Livestock Management at Washington State University and Art of Range podcast host. “The Audubon Conservation Ranching program has taken on the exciting responsibility of helping direct the action of the verb such that grazing enhances wildlife habitat in the grassland and steppe ecosystems of the Inland Northwest for the good of wildlife, people, and truly sustainable food production. Good grazing optimizes habitat for wildlife and nutrition for livestock.”
“The expansion of Audubon Conservation Ranching into the Columbia Plateau is an exciting step for both birds and working lands,” Chris Wilson, Director of Conservation Ranching Program, National Audubon Society. “It presents an opportunity to support ranchers as conservation partners while strengthening the long-term health of habitat and rural communities alike. Together, we can create a future where thriving bird populations, healthy landscapes, and sustainable ranching go hand in hand.”
Grounded in this vision, Audubon Conservation Ranching uses standardized, science-based criteria through its Habitat Management Plans and monitoring framework to evaluate habitat conditions and track improvements for priority bird species over time. This approach helps ensure conservation outcomes are measurable, consistent, and directly tied to the needs of birds that rely on working rangelands.
Nationwide, more than 120 ranches representing over four million acres across 22 states have earned Audubon Certified bird-friendly status.
For more information, visit Audubon Conservation Ranching in the Pacific Northwest.
About Audubon Washington
As the state office of the National Audubon Society, Audubon Washington is dedicated to the conservation of birds and their habitats through science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation programs. Representing 25 independent chapters and a strong grassroots network comprised of over 50,000 members, Audubon Washington works to protect and restore Washington's natural ecosystems, benefiting birds, wildlife, and communities across the state. Learn more at wa.audubon.org.
