Excellence in Rangeland Conservation Award
This award is given annually to an individual or group that has demonstrated exceptional skill and knowledge in practicing sound management of rangelands in the State of Colorado.
Membership in the Society is not required. The recipient will be requested to attend the Section Annual Winter Meeting to receive the award. Public announcement of the award will not be made until presentation at the Annual Winter Meeting.
To nominate someone for Excellence in Rangeland Conservation Award, please click here and
scroll to the bottom of the page for criteria and submission information!
Membership in the Society is not required. The recipient will be requested to attend the Section Annual Winter Meeting to receive the award. Public announcement of the award will not be made until presentation at the Annual Winter Meeting.
To nominate someone for Excellence in Rangeland Conservation Award, please click here and
scroll to the bottom of the page for criteria and submission information!
2021 Winner
Congratulations to The Reverse JL Bar Cattle Company
The Luark Family!
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When Pat took over the operation, the hay ground was in flood irrigation, the range had insufficient livestock water quantity, quality and distribution around the operation, the forest health was in very degraded condition, density and homogeneity of age class, and degraded range health including low plant productivity, structure and composition, and presence of invasive species.
Pat is a true steward of the land willing to take risks and try innovative practices for conservation to see the land prosper. Pat and his wife Niki are proud to have been the first pivot installed in Eagle County, and though it was controversial when they first installed with skeptical neighbors thinking it was a big waste and was not approved as an NRCS practice, now it is a very common and very conservational practice supported and promoted by the NRCS. They became leaders of new irrigation practices for their area.
Pat is a true steward of the land willing to take risks and try innovative practices for conservation to see the land prosper. Pat and his wife Niki are proud to have been the first pivot installed in Eagle County, and though it was controversial when they first installed with skeptical neighbors thinking it was a big waste and was not approved as an NRCS practice, now it is a very common and very conservational practice supported and promoted by the NRCS. They became leaders of new irrigation practices for their area.
Pat has worked with the NRCS over several years to implement conservation practices to improve the condition of his range, forest, and hay land. He has installed cross fencing, ponds, applied brush management, and prescribed grazing, as well as forest management practices with consultation from the NRCS state forester, Irrigation water management, and forage harvest management. They have been a funding recipient for conservation practices friendly to wildlife through the CPW HPP.
Today, he is one of the first ranchers in Colorado to try out using Virtual Fencing at the ranch wide scale and he believes that once again he is ahead of the curve of an innovative technology that will improve ranching methods while enhancing conservation goals, that very well may end up another approved NRCS conservation practice down the line. |
Pat is very active in the ranching community in and around Eagle County where his ranch is located. Pat and his wife Nikki were also very involved as 4H Leaders when their kids were going through the program.
Pat continues to be very involved in conservation and ranching organizations in their community, including participating in the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Habitat Partnership Program committee, Eagle County Conservation District, Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, active in the Farm Bureau, and the Greater Sage Grouse Working Group. |
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Ranching runs through the veins of the Luark family and continues to do so through Pat’s grand-daughter Payton, the 6th generation of Luark ranchers.
Reverse JL Bar won Grand Champion at the Eagle County Fair and Rodeo! This steer was born and raised on the Luark's ranch! Pat’s grand-daughter Payton picked him as a calf because of his heart, kept track of him all summer and picked him again out of the weaning pen! |
