Building Resilience Through Engagement: Brenda and Tony Richards

This rancher-to-rancher case study examines how Russ Stingley manages a cow-calf operation across 25,000 acres of shrub-steppe rangeland in central Washington using a Coordinated Resource Management (CRM) approach. Developed with Puget Sound Energy, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and other stakeholders, the grazing plan aims to balance livestock production with wildlife habitat, wildfire risk reduction, and long-term rangeland health.

Management practices emphasize conservative stocking rates, rotational grazing, and maintaining residual vegetation to support plant communities and species such as elk and sage-grouse. Infrastructure investments, including fencing and water development, improve livestock distribution and grazing effectiveness.

The approach has led to improved vegetation condition, reduced cheatgrass presence, and greater resilience to drought and climate variability. While challenges include complex rotations and coordination among partners, the case demonstrates how collaborative grazing management can achieve multiple ecological and production goals on working rangelands.