An unlikely partnership between ranchers and conservationists is working together to protect grassland biodiversity on the Zumwalt Prairie Preserve in Oregon. The Nature Conservancy has cultivated relationships with landowners in the area to promote sustainable grazing practices. While some ranchers are skeptical about the organization’s intentions in the area, one rancher says they are “a good neighbor” and because of his alliance with the nonprofit, his pastures have consistently achieved good ratings over the years.

Colombia’s National Development Plan for cattle ranching seeks to reduce pasture land from 94 million acres to 70 million acres while increasing cattle numbers from 23 million head to 40 million. The program focuses on planting trees on grazing land and the "cut and carry method," whereby farmers grow fields of shrubs and distribute the fresh cuttings to cows in pastures. The result is greater cattle productivity and a more eco-friendly farming system.

Growing flowers and plants in fields where cows graze leads to a healthier diet, larger cows, more enriched soil, and less methane emitted into the atmosphere. About 4,000 farmers have received funding to transform their farms away from traditional grazing, moving towards a system that is healthier for the animals and the environment.

In Nashville, a city better known for its music than its wildlife, a flock of sheep has become a tool for environmental preservation. It’s a way to “manage invasive vegetation in a safe, ecologically sensitive and cost-effective way.” Part of a movement known as “targeted grazing,” this method of preserving wildlife without chemicals has spread across America and Europe.

Mortenson Cattle Ranch in Hayes, South Dakota is redefining sustainability practices for cattle-raising farmers by using a model that restored the habitat, wildlife, and water sources on their land. Mimicking the habits of bison herds, the Mortensons use a technique called holistic range management to rotate their cattle's grazing areas, which increases distribution of wildflower and grass seeds, as well as planting trees and replenishing groundwater using dikes and dams. Having started this in the 1980s, 90% of their 19,000 acre property is back to native vegetation, and efforts are still ongoing.