Lava Lake Conservation

"The mission of Lava Lake is to conserve and restore native ecosystems at a landscape scale and to build an economically viable and environmentally sound business."

Our company, Lava Lake Land & Livestock, was formed in 1999 with the purchase of Lava Lake, an historic ranch on the Oregon Trail. Because the ranch is bordered on two sides by Craters of the Moon National Monument and on a third by a region that constitutes one of the largest roadless areas in the Lower 48 States, we saw an opportunity to protect a large, connected landscape. Over time, our holdings of private land and public grazing leases grew to nearly 1,000,000 acres.

Our vision for the ranch is of a working landscape that is rich with healthy wildlife populations and functioning ecosystems, preserving the wild nature of the land while using it carefully. We have acted on this vision in the following ways:

Permanent Land Protection: In 2001 we permanently protected 7,500 acres of private land by putting it under a conservation easement held by The Nature Conservancy. The easement ensures that these lands will never be subdivided and will be managed in such a way that habitat for wildlife is maintained and improved.

Scientific Research: Since 2001 we have conducted extensive scientific research studies, including nearly two dozen field studies on topics including rare plants, weeds, water quality, songbirds, amphibians and reptiles, sage grouse and elk. We also support experimental research projects conducted by visiting scientists.

Habitat Restoration: In 2002 we took our first steps to restore degraded streams by installing fencing along Fish Creek, thereby reducing bank erosion and allowing regeneration of native willows and other streamside plants. Our goal is to enhance habitat for several species of songbirds, among other species. Restoration of two other streams is currently underway.

Scientific Monitoring: We also began our long-range monitoring program in 2002, so that we would have a scientific basis for evaluating change in the landscape over time, and ensure that our grazing practices are in line with our conservation goals. We have installed 34 photo monitoring sites and 46 measurement sites in our aspen, riparian, and sagebrush steppe ecosystems.

Conservation Advisory Board: In 2003 we invited some of the foremost educators, rangeland ecologists and conservation scientists in the world to serve on our volunteer Advisory Board, as well as exceptional ranch practitioners who bring years of experience in protecting their own working landscapes. View a list of our board members.

Partnerships: We also work closely with a wide variety of government agencies and non-profit organizations, from The Nature Conservancy and Defenders of Wildlife to The National Park Service, collaborating on scientific research and grazing management issues. View a list of our conservation partners.

Creation of a Non-Profit: In 2003 we created the Lava Lake Foundation for Science and Conservation, a non-profit organization that will serve as a permanent institution dedicated to the protection of this unique landscape. Through the Foundation, we are continuing our scientific research program, developing educational outreach programs and working to catalyze conservation throughout the region.

Our continuing goal is to thoroughly develop and deepen our understanding of the landscape and use that knowledge to make good decisions about how we manage our livestock, our farming, and our recreation.

For more information on our conservation efforts, please click on Ranch News or feel free to Contact Us.