Advancing Conservation on Working Lands
Gathering for Shared Understanding

Jared, based in Boise, is an interdisciplinary scholar with a background in environmental philosophy. His work explores community relationships with land, collaboration opportunities, and the roles of science, place, and imagination in shaping environmental identity and policy.

Bre lives in Los Molinos, CA where she runs a small cattle operation utilizing mostly leased private and public lands. Bre grew up in Northern CA on a cow-calf ranch, attended Chico State and Colorado State University, Fort Collins, focusing her studies on rangeland ecology and livestock production.

Alex Karol, California Grazing Lands Coalition coordinator: Alex is a sheep and cattle rancher in San Luis Obispo County, California.  Alex and his wife Kelsey started Outlaw Valley Ranch in 2017. They sell their beef, lamb and wool products direct to consumers in the region

California Rangeland Conservation Coalition Executive Director: Karen is a rancher in the San Francisco Bay Area  Karen was a founding member of the CRCC and over the years has served as volunteer, contracted administrator, and Coordinator of the Annual Rangeland Summit, an event that is attended by diverse rangeland stakeholders.

John Austel, owner of 4J Horse and Livestock Co., collaborates with local agencies to restore fallow acres into grazing land on a historic Old Spanish Land Grant. His Natural Angus operation, running on the now CDFW Ecological Reserve, promotes sustainable grazing while preserving unique ecosystems.

Bianca Soares, a 4th generation rancher at Talbott Sheep Company, passionately manages Star Creek Land Stewards. With a degree in Managerial Economics and expertise in targeted grazing, she leads client communications, strategizes grazing plans, and prepares project schedules. Soares actively contributes to California’s wool industry, serving on the Targeted Grazing Committee and the California Sheep Commission Board.