What We Do
The Western Ranch Management and Ecosystem Stewardship Program, hosted by the Warner College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University, is a developing academic and research initiative aimed at addressing today’s challenges of ranching in a rapidly changing world. Our program is founded on understanding the diverse ecosystems that define western landscapes, and the natural resources and processes that support ranching communities. We work closely with ranch owners, managers and stakeholders to identify education and research needs specific to the Rocky Mountain West. Ranches serve as the classroom and laboratory so students can learn by hands-on experience, interact with practitioners, and see first-hand the strategies used to keep working lands sustainable.
OUR MISSION
Support higher education, applied research and professional development for future generations of ranchers, producers and land stewards through experiential learning and engagement in the Rocky Mountain West.
OUR VISION
Promote sustainable ranching practices through traditional and contemporary approaches that support our forests, rangelands, wildlife and water while fostering livelihoods and strengthening the resilience of working landscapes.
News
- Summer 2025 Ranch Management and Stewardship Field Course
Join us for an intensive course that witnesses first-hand how a range of ranches successfully operates and stewards the lands and natural resources they manage. The Ranch Management and Stewardship Field Course (NR 536) will run from July 14 – 23 and July 28 – August 6, 2025, hosted at ranches and tribal lands in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico. Registration opens March 25, 2025. The course is open both to CSU students as well as those who are not CSU students. We welcome graduate students and junior and senior undergraduate students. More information about this class can be found on the Education page. Scholarships are available (see below for details).
- Scholarships Available for Summer 2025
Scholarships are available for students taking the Ranch Management and Stewardship Field Course during summer 2025. Scholarships of $3,000 to $7,000 are available. Applicants can be individuals who are not students, CSU students, and students starting the Western Ranch Management and Ecosystem Stewardship Masters Specialization. Contact Tony Vorster (anthony.vorster@colostate.edu) if you would like to apply. Apply by April 25 to be considered for this scholarship.
- Temple Grandin Excellence Fund for Western Ranch Management and Ecosystem Stewardship Announced
A new endowment by an anonymous donor has been established honoring the life-time work of Dr. Temple Grandin. The endowment serves to support a program in each of CSU’s Academic Colleges, and WRMES has been selected for the Warner College of Natural Resources. The funds will be used to support the WRMES mission, particularly to support student scholarships and experiential learning. Additional gifts to the fund can be made through the Colorado State University Foundation
- WRMES Leading Bighorn Sheep Forage Quality Study
Declining Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep populations are causing alarm across the West. Respiratory diseases may cause up to 90% mortality to bighorn sheep populations after exposure; however, some herds appear to be more resistant than others. New studies suggest that forage quality may improve bighorn sheep survival rates. WRMES has recently received a research grant from Colorado Parks and Wildlife to examine forage quality across several ranches in southern Colorado.
- WRMES Studying Livestock Management Approaches that Reduce Depredation and Improve Animal Performance and Ecosystem Health
As predator populations increase across the West, some ranchers are returning to more traditional ways of managing sheep and cattle. These often include keeping livestock in tight groups during the day and night with the help of herders, dogs and portable fencing. WRMES recently received a grant from the Warner College of Natural Resources Dean’s Fund for Transdisciplinary Approaches to Wicked Problems to begin exploring the impacts of these practices on animal welfare, native and non-native flora, and soil characteristics. The preliminary study partners with a sheep rancher in Oregon and a cattle rancher in Idaho who graze on public lands and have notable success in reducing depredation.
