South Dakota Grazing Lessees Win Top Range Management Award

South Dakota ranchers Dan and Cindi
Conner were recently recognized for
their outstanding range management. As
BLM lease holders, they have worked
closely with the BLM to improve range.
Photo by Mitch Faulkner, USDA, NRCS.

Story by Mitch Iverson, Rangeland Management Specialist, South Dakota Field Office

Dan and Cindi Conner were awarded the State and National Society for Range Management (SRM) award for excellence in range management during a tour of their ranch on September 18.

During the tour, Mitch Iverson, BLM Rangeland Management Specialist, told a group of 48 participants that the Conners successfully implemented winter grazing of riparian areas and streams to reduce livestock impacts to these sensitive areas in the late 1970’s – long before this type of practice was commonly used.

Dan and Cindi are very progressive livestock producers that have cooperated with the BLM, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks for the last 41 years to manage sheep and cattle grazing while improving rangeland and riparian conditions. They have cooperated with these agencies on numerous wildlife studies and provided hunters public access across their private land. The BLM, state and private land on their ranch provide some of the best sage grouse and pronghorn habitat in South Dakota.

The following YouTube video is testament to their outstanding steward ship of public land.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5u2JiX4UloI

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