NEW LONDON, WISC. (October 21, 2026) — Bouressa Family Farm, owned and operated by fifth-generation farmer Rachel Bouressa, has earned the National Audubon Society’s Bird-Friendly Land Certification. Achieved through the Audubon Conservation Ranching program, this certification acknowledges Bouressa’s efforts to enhance grassland ecosystems for birds and other wildlife in central Wisconsin.
Audubon Conservation Ranching is a science-based conservation program that supports birds, biodiversity, and resilient working lands through partnerships with farmers and ranchers. Since 1970, grassland birds in North America have experienced the largest population declines across all terrestrial biomes, largely due to pressures from habitat loss and degradation, woody encroachment, and intensive chemical use. To help reverse these declines, Audubon works directly with landowners to develop habitat management plans, put bird-friendly practices on the ground, monitor birds and habitat, and help secure funding for conservation improvements—all while keeping these lands productive and working in grass-based agriculture.
Today, more than 160 farms and ranches across 15 states have earned Audubon Conservation Ranching’s certification, bringing around 4.7 million acres under bird-friendly land management. In Wisconsin, the program has expanded to 2,000 acres across seven certified farms. These producers meet rigorous standards for environmental sustainability, habitat management, and animal welfare, all confirmed through a third-party audit.
Wisconsin’s newly certified Bouressa Family Farm was originally a dairy that Rachel Bouressa’s parents ran for 18 years. In the 1990s, her parents transitioned to managed grazing with dairy cows on their land near New London. After a catastrophic barn fire in 2014, Bouressa returned to the property and turned the farm into a cow-calf and grass-finishing operation. She also sells meat at her farm store, and hosts campers on the farm through Hipcamp. With a background in agronomy and environmental science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Bouressa has shifted to “soil-first farming,” focusing on adaptive grazing to create ecosystem resilience and high-quality habitat for grassland birds.
“Rachel is the epitome of a rancher who makes decisions based not only on farm economics, but also pertaining to her environment and her community,” said Ashly Steinke, Range Ecologist for the Audubon Conservation Ranching program in Wisconsin. “It has been a pleasure working with Rachel to increase biodiversity on her farm through restoring wetlands and native prairie to removing tree rows to de-fragment grassland ecosystems found on the farm.”
Bouressa’s 360-acre farm sits within Wisconsin’s Forest Transition Zone, an area formerly dominated by trees that has transformed into grasslands and agriculture. Grass-based farming operations in this area can provide essential habitat for priority grassland species, including Eastern Meadowlarks, Savannah Sparrows, Bobolinks, Dickcissels, and Grasshopper Sparrows. In partnership with Audubon, Bouressa enhances habitat diversity on her farm through rotational grazing, reconnecting grasslands, and restoring previously drained wetlands.
“Since working with Audubon, I’ve added a wildlife lens to all my habitat management decisions, managing for a mosaic of different grass heights that different bird species need to thrive,” Bouressa said. “I’ve seen the impact and success of managed grazing and tree line removal on my farm with the return of nesting Bobolinks. Now I see birds across the whole farm, my emerald oasis surrounded by cropland.”
Bouressa is a leader in regenerative agriculture in her community, hosting events and connecting with other producers to share her experiences with adaptive grazing and its benefits for wildlife habitat, soil health, and working lands. Bouressa also serves on the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board and is director-at-large on the Wisconsin Farmers Union Board. When working with other community members, she shares how prioritizing conservation instead of production on several acres of her farm has helped her progress toward her goals.
“I am lucky to have enough land that I don’t need to max out production at the expense of habitat,” Bouressa said. “I want to demonstrate that we can have productive agricultural systems while also protecting and prioritizing our natural resources.”
By becoming certified through Audubon Conservation Ranching, Bouressa Family Farm joins a growing network of producers committed to conservation on their farms and ranches. These producers use the Bird-Friendly Land Certification seal on their beef and bison products, now found in more than 2,000 retail stores across the nation, communicating to consumers that their purchases support habitat conservation.
About Audubon Conservation Ranching
Audubon Conservation Ranching partners with ranchers to sustain healthy grasslands, abundant birdlife, and resilient rural communities. Through our bird-friendly land certification and science-based approach, we empower land stewards to enhance habitat, improve soil health and water quality, and strengthen the connection between conservation and ranching. By purchasing products from Audubon Certified Bird-Friendly Land, consumers become conservationists, helping protect America’s grasslands and the birds, wildlife, and people that depend on them. For more information, visit www.audubon.org/ranching.
