Why Regenerative / Interactive field guide

Audubon Certified
Bird-Friendly Land

A guide to Audubon Conservation Ranching, with a searchable archive of the supplied program protocols.

Program resources reviewed November 1, 2026

Which edition are you reading? Audubon’s website links to September 2023 general protocols. The attachment supplied for this guide is dated September 2017. The overview below follows the current program structure; the detailed explorer and timing guide are clearly labeled as the 2017 archive. Regional requirements and an operation’s Habitat Management Plan also apply.
01 / The framework

Working lands. Bird habitat.

Audubon Conservation Ranching connects habitat conservation with ranch management. The Bird-Friendly seal identifies beef and bison associated with certified lands.

Overview: Audubon Conservation Ranching and September 2023 protocols, pp. 3–5.
What does the seal tell a shopper?

It signals a connection to certified bird-friendly land. Check the product’s separate labels for organic status or grass-finishing claims; those are not interchangeable certifications.

Read Audubon’s consumer FAQ ↗
02 / Habitat Management Plan

Start with the land and its birds

The following planning topics summarize the supplied 2017 document, pp. 2–3. They are an educational overview, not a substitute for a ranch-specific plan.

Describe the site

Document the ecological site, relevant wetland maps, priority birds, their habitat needs, and existing habitat quality.

Map management units

Identify each pasture or field, vegetation cover, important habitat areas, invasive plants, and relevant conservation plans.

Define actions and milestones

Describe grazing, stocking, rest and rotation, other habitat actions, implementation timelines, supporting guidance, and applicable cost-share opportunities.

Adapt and monitor

The plan can change as conditions and objectives change, with significant changes approved by Audubon. The source describes bird monitoring and annual independent verification.

Regional detail matters. The supplied 2017 template leaves regional protocols and target-species lists unfilled. Those placeholders are not complete regional standards. Confirm the applicable version and regional requirements with Audubon.
03 / Protocol timing

Different requirements. Different milestones.

Historical timing framework from the supplied September 2017 protocols, p. 4. This is not an estimate of how long an application takes.

04 / September 2017 archive

Find a topic. Open the detail.

Search the numbered protocols or read the extracted text of all 12 supplied source pages.

Source wording is preserved in the explorer, with line wrapping normalized for numbered protocols. Read source pages for surrounding context. These are historical requirements, not the current certification rulebook.

05 / Official resources

Continue with Audubon

Open the website-linked September 2023 PDF

Loads directly from Audubon. If your browser does not display it, use the PDF link above.

Educational guide by Why Regenerative. Audubon owns its program and certification decisions. The searchable archive reproduces the supplied September 2017 document; it is not presented as the latest standard. The current-program overview references Audubon’s website and website-linked September 2023 general protocols. Check applicable regional requirements and current policies directly with Audubon. No endorsement or affiliation is implied.