Rancho El Uno
Conserving grasslands and species through regenerative ranching and grassland restoration
The Project
The project's objective is to conserve the grasslands and species that inhabit Rancho El Uno (ReU) through regenerative cattle ranching, low-stress bison handling, and grassland restoration.
Context
ReU has operated as a nature reserve for the conservation of Chihuahuan desert grasslands for the past 15 years; it encompasses 18,546 hectares in the heart of the Janos Biosphere Reserve. ReU represents one of the most important sites on the continent for migratory birds and emblematic species, such as the American bison, the black-tailed prairie dog, and the golden eagle. ReU is a key piece in maintaining the functionality of the binational biological corridor that connects the Great Plains in the United States with the Mexican highlands.
Thanks to a large multi-institutional effort in Mexico, progress has been made in the recovery of the American bison (Bison bison) in the wild. In 2009, 23 bison were reintroduced into ReU from conservation herds in South Dakota, USA, and in 2018, when ReU went into FMCN stewardship, the herd numbered 230 individuals; today, it is 290, which requires correct handling to maintain the health and viability of the bison population. In November 2019, 19 bison were moved from ReU to the plains of Coahuila, in the El Carmen Natural Reserve, within the Maderas del Carmen Protected Area, in a coordinated effort between the National Commission of Protected Areas (CONANP, acronym in Spanish), the General Directorate of Wildlife of the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT, acronym in Spanish), CEMEX, AES Mexico and FMCN.
ReU is operated and managed by the Cuenca de Los Ojos organization (CLO), which has spent the last 40 years on the restoration and protection of Mexican grasslands in northeastern Sonora, in addition to having extensive experience in regenerative ranch management; an example of this is the nine properties under its custody in northeastern Sonora. The collaboration between CLO and FMCN for the conservation of ReU is formalized through a donation contract that is renewed every year.
The lines of work that guide ReU actions are:
- Ecosystem functionality for wildlife representative of the native grasslands of the Chihuahuan Desert.
- Synergy with local and national stakeholders for more effective management.
- Financial sustainability for the conservation of ReU.
ReU represents one of the continent's most important sites for migratory birds and iconic species, such as the American bison, black-tailed prairie dog and golden eagle.
Achievements
Cuenca Los Ojos (CLO), the partner in charge of the administration and management of ReU, has worked on the systematization of databases with information from the monitoring of different biological groups and climatic variables that allow us to know the conservation status of the property and take strategic actions for management.
The Cuenca Los Ojos team at ReU has been trained in regenerative cattle ranching and low-stress bison handling, which has resulted in a shift in bison grazing to more effective and less invasive management.
In 2022, ReU continued to serve as a hub for grassland and wildlife conservation projects. CLO worked with the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies to implement the MOTUS bird methodology, which involves satellite monitoring of birds. ReU was also the site for student training; with the support of the Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, gullies were established to reduce water erosion, allowing students to learn about this and other techniques for grassland conservation.
With the training of CLO personnel in ReU on low-stress handling of bison, it was possible to carry out the herding of the herd between properties to give the grassland a chance to recover and carry out the annual management for the vaccination of all individuals.
