Announcing our 2013 Stewardship Award Winners

Our 2013 Stewardship Award winners are Bob & Cora Goggins of the Goggins Ranch in Ennis.

From their nomination, written by their granddaughter Rachel Endecott, PhD:

“Successful ranching is a unique partnership between people and livestock where the cattle work for you and you work for the cattle; and in order to work for them, one must take care of the land. Bob and Cora Goggins of Ennis are a great example of this philosophy, and I would like to nominate them for the Madison Conservation District 2013 Stewardship Award.

The Madison River, Moore’s Creek, South Meadow Creek, grazing lands, wildlife, wetlands, and open space are all natural resources that have benefited from their stewardship. Some examples of this stewardship include the installation of off‐stream waterers at both the Ennis and McAllister ranches, decreasing creek traffic for Moore’s Creek and South Meadow Creek. Sensitive riparian areas along both Moore’s Creek and South Meadow Creek have been fenced off, and electric fence is used to fence off the Madison River in the summer when water levels get low. Local Fish, Wildlife, and Parks staff conducted fish counts in South Meadow Creek to establish baseline population values before the riparian area was fenced off, and FWP will continue to monitor fish populations in the future.

Not every ranch has had to give up some property through eminent domain for the town sewage lagoon. In exchange for gravel pits to help build, then enlarge the Town of Ennis lagoon twice, Bob and Cora have had two ponds built which are now wonderful wetland refuges for fish, birds, and other wildlife. The family has continued to provide access across the property to the lagoon for many years.

In addition, Madison Stream Team water monitoring projects have been established on both Moore’s Creek and South Meadow Creek. Recently, the ranch worked with the Madison Conservation District to write an RRGL grant that was awarded to update headgates and weirs on South Meadow Creek and tours of the new headgate have been conducted (not just for the dog).

Rotational grazing through the use of electric fencing allows for good stewardship of the grazing land. A group of Goggins Ranch heifers were enrolled in the Cows Eating Weeds project run by Marni Thompson with NRCS and Melissa Griffiths with the Madison Valley Weed Committee. These cows are now five years old and still do their part to graze knapweed and wild licorice at the lower ranch every summer. Weed control has been a major project; methods have included spraying, hand‐pulling, and grazing.

Another challenge faced most years by Bob and Cora is the Madison River gorge. Just when you think that all your weeds have been sprayed, pulled, or otherwise demolished, the gorge brings a new batch every year. Not only does the gorge increase the weed control challenge, it also takes a good amount of topsoil with it when it recedes.

Bob and Cora would be the first to tell you, good stewardship is a family enterprise. The next two generations are very grateful for the wonderful conservation and stewardship example practiced by Bob and Cora.