The Philosophy of Stewardship

The following was recently featured in the Madisonian Newspaper

A recent article has had me thinking about the role of agriculture in addressing local natural resource issues.  The tone of the article brings to question why we so often rely on our local farmers and ranchers to help address issues when they may not be the main cause of the problem.

Immediately, I think of those producers who provide their own reasons for getting involved in these scenarios and how their words tell the story best of all.

The following is from Don Youngbauer,  of the Montana Association of Conservation Districts:

“I grew up in Forsyth and have ranched there for 15 years. As a young boy driving through the snow, I could practically see a sage-grouse under every sage bush; there were thousands of them for every quarter mile.”

“Today, the sage-grouse is a candidate species for Endangered Species Act protection. The Sage-Grouse Initiative is working hard to help ranchers voluntarily manage their resources to improve sage-grouse habitat, benefit their operation and keep the bird off the list.”

“Sound rangeland stewardship and healthy sage-grouse habitat are closely linked. Both need large range landscapes, native plant diversity, good grazing plans, active weed management, control of encroaching conifers, and productive sagebrush grasslands. Both are compromised by subdivisions, overgrazing, fragmentation from roads and power lines and infestations of club moss and blue grama.”

“It is important that we engage in sage-grouse management at the local level. We must form strong working partnerships with private landowners who voluntarily maintain healthy wildlife populations. Montana’s ranchers have established a legacy of pristine rangelands and are critical to restoring our sage-grouse numbers.”

Don’s words help us to realize that it takes a shift in perspective to engage in answers and see benefits, rather than hand out blame to factors that we can not change.  Why do they do it?  Frankly, it’s a philosophy.   A deep rooted belief that we have a duty to do what we can, and that if we all do a little, we can do a lot.

When I recently asked why many in the agricultural industry get involved in progressive actions, I heard this from a young Harrison producer, “We have the choice to sit back and complain about what’s going on, or we can get involved and be part of the solution”.

Here’s hoping that we can all see our role as part of a solution- to whatever problem we might face.  Thanks to those who teach us this lesson; your example is what keeps this place great.

Sunni Heikes-Knapton is the Madison Watershed Coordinator.

Photo:  Bryson Masini of the Sweetwater Ranch.  Credit;  Deborah Richie, Sage Grouse Initiative