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The Eco-Cowboys: Big land buys signal greens are moving into ranching
Kaibab Plateau, AZ - If you're going to to break into the cowboy business, this is as good a place as any to do it.
It's big. It's beautiful. And it now has a pair of new owners: the Grand Canyon Trust and the Conservation Fund, which soon will be running nearly 800 head of cattle on their new range.
"We wouldn't have gotten involved with this unless we could graze livestock in a more environmentally sustainable way than a normal permittee," Moore says, ticking off planned water and fencing projects, as well as species and plant inventories. "The Trust can bring a lot more resources to bear. Grazing has to be based on rigorous science. We'll really integrate the livestock operation into restoration and stewardship. In that sense, we think we're the best option."