Managing Resources. Provoking Thought.

Ranchers. Entrepreneurs. Environmentalists. Increasing biodiversity for a better ranch—and a better tomorrow.

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Experience from the high deserts of Texas to the Rocky Mountain West.

For 20 years, our family owned and managed Circle Ranch, 32,000 acres of high desert located in the Sierra Diablo Mountains of far-West Texas. Our goal? Leaving the land more diverse, and therefore healthier, than we found it.
We steward the resources in our care by considering delicate ecosystems as a whole. Looking at the big picture allows us to improve the land, the water and the wildlife in concert.
The hard-earned lessons of West Texas apply to the Rocky Mountain West.
Welcome to Pitchstone Waters, our newest living laboratory. Increasing biodiversity requires equal parts perspiration and inspiration. Join us as we manage the resources within our fence lines, but think beyond the box.

Latest articles:

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Building Waterfowl Habitat on the Snake River in Idaho

Fort Boise Wildlife Management Area in Southwest Idaho provides an important stop over for resident and migrating ducks and geese. Habitat biologists strive to create the perfect mix of open water, cover and food.   […]

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Horse Nations

Coming home: As discussed below, “Horses evolved millions of years ago in North America and, after spreading to Eurasia and Africa, went extinct in their homeland at the end of the last ice age. Along […]

Wolf Caught Swimming Off Remote Part of Vancouver Island

Wolf Caught Swimming Off Remote Part of Vancouver Island

“A British Columbia woman was on a boat at the right time and managed to see a wolf swimming near Kyuquot Sound off the coast of Vancouver Island.  

Early Dispersal of Domestic Horses Into the Great Plains and Northern Rockies

RESEARCH ARTICLE ON HORSES: Early Dispersal of Domestic Horses Into the Great Plains and Northern Rockies

Are horses native to, or so-called “invasive exotics“ in  North America?    As discussed below,  “Horses were deeply integrated into Indigenous (American Indian) societies before the arrival of 18th-century (1700’s) European observers, as reflected in […]

How Predators and Forest Management Affect Elk Numbers

How Predators and Forest Management Affect Elk Numbers

Elk numbers around Yellowstone Park have declined over recent decades. This is usually blamed on wolves and bears. But according to this video, forest management probably plays a larger role.     NOTE: this post […]

Glyphosate for Breakfast?

Glyphosate for Breakfast?

As discussed below, “American applications of Glyphosate – the most heavily-used chemical weed killer in human history – increased sixteen-fold between 1987 and 2007. Today, traces of the chemical are found far from the farm. […]

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Our Philosophy: wildlife and habitat only prosper when their ecosystem is in balance.

First at Circle Ranch and now at Pitchstone Waters, we manage by maximizing biodiversity. It’s good for production, it’s good for the bottom line and it’s good for the planet. In our world, we don’t label a species “good” or “bad.” We’ve come to understand all species can play a role in a healthy environment if—and it’s a big if—they are in balance.
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Holistic Management

Is a value-based decision-making framework that integrates all aspects of planning for social, economic and environmental considerations.

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Industrial Agriculture

Efficiencies gained through chemical fertilizers and pesticides, allowing fewer people to produce more livestock and crops, intensifying and industrializing agriculture.

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Institutions

Over time institutions—land grant universities, state and federal conservation agencies, NGOs and grassroots conservation organizations and big business—have become as inextricably linked as the ecosystems they explore, manage and regulate.

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Invasive Species Biology

Since the beginning of time, species have spread and contracted their ranges. A variety of factors including weather and climate influenced their spread and movement.

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Our Resources: the objective of biodiversity conservation is to maintain viable native animal and plant populations of all kind.

The complex issue of biodiversity encompasses virtually all plants and animals at genetic, species, community, and landscape scales. We provide resources and our working insights on the topic across the following areas.
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Fisheries

Fisheries, both freshwater and saltwater, serve as the proverbial canaries in the coal mine when it comes to water quality.

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Rangelands

Rangelands act as nature’s factories, while also providing wildlife habitat and the viewsheds that lift the human spirit.

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Forests

Native forests are as diverse as native rangelands or any other healthy ecosystem. Like rangelands, forests produce oxygen, sequester carbon, provide wildlife habitat and play a role in the water cycle.

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Waterfowl

Waterfowl reflect the conditions of the land and the water across the North American continent. As they migrate from north to south and back again, they, depending on species, rely on a wide range of environments.

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Livestock

Instead of being a threat, well-managed livestock can reinvigorate landscapes that have devolved into barren unproductivity, helping restore other essential ecological processes along the way.

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Water Management

The quality and quantity of water available in America is directly correlated to the condition of the land.

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Predators

When we look at nature’s big picture, we have to recognize the role predators play in the health of the natural world. True biodiversity must also include fangs and claws.

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Wildlife

Wildlife are part of nature’s whole. To improve their future, we have to improve their habitat from the soil up.

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Dig into our thoughts and our collection of articles and resources focused on biodiversity.

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Join us!

Follow along as we manage the resources within our fence lines, but think beyond the box.