PH Livestock among those recognized by PLC, BLM
PH Livestock, a South-Central Wyoming cattle ranch owned and operated by the Niels and John Hansen families, was one of three honorees recognized at an awards luncheon held during the 56th Annual Public Lands Council (PLC) Meeting in Grand Junction, Colo. on Sept. 18.
“We could not achieve our goals without a lot of cooperation and collaboration, and each year PLC is proud to partner with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to recognize ranchers doing outstanding stewardship work and making outside investments on their land,” stated PLC President Mark Roeber.
Katie Stevens, acting deputy assistant director for the BLM Planning and Resources Directorate, explained the cosponsored Rangeland Stewardship and Innovation Awards are presented annually to recognize the innovation, stewardship and hard work of grazing permittees and other collaborative teams involved in rangeland management.
“This is the 19th year nominations have been considered for these awards, which recognize the innovation and cooperation needed to restore and protect the American West,” Stevens said. “We appreciate the exemplary stewardship accomplishments of the awardees and all of our partners leading efforts to support locally-led and locally-designed conservation.”
PH Livestock
PH Livestock received the agencies’ 2024 Rangeland Innovation Award-Permittee Category for enacting outcome-based grazing principles on seven allotments and nearly one-quarter of a million acres of private, public and state lands.
The Hansen family works closely with Cheryl Newberry and the Rawlins Field Office, who nominated them for the award, to collaboratively manage their rangeland resources.
“I have been working with the Hansen family in this area for almost 30 years, and everyone in their family has played a vital role in the success of their operation and amazing stewardship of the land,” said Newberry.
Newberry noted she has worked with the Hansens to implement projects on the ground, monitor results and make adaptive changes. More recently, the collaborative effort has utilized drones, game cameras and unconventional fencing materials to streamline everyday operations, while saving time and money.
“I am honored to work with the Hansen family for all of these years, and I could not think of a better recipient for this award,” she concluded.
Niels thanked Newberry and the Rawlins Field Office. He also expressed his shock for receiving the honor, stating, “With what so many other ranchers in the industry are doing, I didn’t expect this. Thank you all very much.”
Fitzgerald Ranches
Stevens presented the 2024 Rangeland Stewardship Award-Permittee Category to Fitzgerald Ranches, owned and operated by the Fitzgerald family in Plush, Ore., who were nominated by the BLM Lakeview Field Office and also participated in BLM’s outcome-based grazing initiative.
Lakeview Field Office District Manager Todd Forbes said, “I want to applaud the Fitzgerald Ranch for their innovation in this outcome-based grazing project. They have worked incredibly hard and have proved resilience and sustainability of the grazing system on their allotments. The flexibility granted by outcome-based grazing has allowed them to use real-time responses to meet both of our shared objectives,”
“Congratulations to the Fitzgerald Ranch for this outstanding achievement,” he added.
Upon receiving the award, a representative of the family said, “On behalf of the Fitzgerald Ranch, we would like to thank the Oregon-Washington BLM for this nomination. We appreciate the opportunity to participate in the outcome-based grazing project, and the outcome-based grazing module was especially valuable during the drought, as it allowed us to maximize useful rangeland conditions.”
The Fitzgerald family plans to continue “maintaining and improving the rangeland, as well as harmonious and mutually satisfactory relationships with public, private, environmental and governmental agencies.”
Ranchers Stewardship Alliance
The third award presented during the luncheon – the 2024 Rangeland Stewardship Award-Collaborative Team Category – was given to the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance (RSA), a ranch-related nonprofit in Malta, Mont. dedicated to improving the quality of life in rural communities through collaborative conservation, rancher education and local community outreach.
RSA Director and Treasurer Vicki Olson made the trek south to accept the award.
“It is my privilege to be here today to represent the RSA,” Olson stated.
“We are the caretakers of so many things – the grass, the soil, the livestock and the wildlife, which make us a very valuable piece of the puzzle,” she continued. We are passionate about what we do, and collaborating with the conservation community has given us a space to ensure what we are doing is right for every part of the landscape.”
“Thank you for the opportunity to foster understanding and for giving us a platform to show our good work,” concluded Olson. “Again, thank you for this award.”
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
