01/27/2023
For this week's Feature Friday, we highlight the MVPGR cattle rancher Diane Bohna of Three Bar Ranch (Raymond, CA). Diane is a fifth-generation cattle rancher whose work focuses on conservation, regenerative ranching methods, carbon storage, and most importantly, animal welfare. Her approach to cattle management includes riding horseback to herd, having a deep connection with her cattle, and being able to read their behavior. Diane has been the rancher for the MVPGR since October 2022 and has 1200 beef cattle (cow and calf pairs) that graze the reserve seasonally for 6-8 months a year to meet conservation goals.
Livestock such as cattle on the reserve help benefit imperiled ecosystems such as vernal pools and grassland habitats in several ways. For vernal pools, regenerative grazing can reduce invasive plant species spread, increase native plant biodiversity, and improve hydrology and overall aquatic habitats. In grasslands overall, wise grazing approaches can reduce fuel loads and wildfire risk, enhance wildlife species' habitat, and improve soil productivity and carbon storage. Cattle also represent the historical ungulate (large mammals with hooves) population that the vernal pools and grassland reserve lacks due to colonization. Hence, having Diane's cattle on the reserve helps promote the health of CA’s remaining grasslands.
Diane plans to speak with our second Field Curious cohort this weekend on January 28th. She also plans to lecture to our Student Naturalist cohort this spring. In addition to being a great rancher and speaker, Diane is also an amazing photographer with designs and prints she sells. We thank Diane for her valuable work on the reserve, and we thank her amazing team of ranch hands at Three Bar Ranch; Abe, Ethan, Logan, and sometimes Cole.
📷: Darrel Dodds
