What role can bison play in the future of sustainable ranching?

Gleason started Gleason Bison two years ago after a career shift from public relations and marketing and a return to the Durango area. Her operation has grown from a few pregnant bison to about 100 animals during its annual peak for meat production.

Through her work, Gleason aims to highlight the environmental benefits of grass-fed bison ranching and the role that holistic management can play in tackling environmental issues such as climate change, all while helping the Durango community and inspiring a new crowd of young people to pursue ranching.

“This landscape evolved with a relationship with ruminant animals,” she said. “To think that by not raising them or not managing them that’s going to solve our climate change problems, we’re missing the whole puzzle of how a healthy ecosystem works. A healthy ecosystem works in relationship with grazing animals.”