Natural ecosystems throughout the world sustain biodiversity, regulate climate, and capture carbon. In many places, they’re also the space for livestock production. However, many of these ecosystems are being degraded by poor management of livestock activity, such as continuous grazing or overgrazing. This has contributed to soil degradation and vegetation loss.
What can be done to benefit both human and wildlife communities in these landscapes? That is the focus of Sky Island Alliance’s work in regenerative restoration.
Regeneration is nature’s capacity to recover, primarily in areas that have been minimally degraded. It can also be achieved through human intervention with restoration that helps the ecosystem recover its functional ecological capacity — for example, improving vegetation cover, water infiltration, soil fertility, and species diversity.
This doesn’t mean stopping the use of natural resources, but rather achieving a balance where economic activities can coexist with ecological health. In this case, we focus on livestock production.
Faced with this challenge, well-managed cattle grazing systems are proving to be an effective tool for restoring health to the ecosystem, contrary to what most people may think — that cattle are “totally harmful.” But that’s not the case. Far from being enemies, when cattle are managed appropriately, they can improve productivity, generating ecological and economic benefits. Instead of degrading the ecosystem, their presence can promote seed dispersal, stimulate the regrowth of certain grass species, incorporate organic matter into the soil through manure, and even control invasive species through non-selective grazing. The key lies in how, when, and how much grazing occurs.
Types of Regenerative Grazing
Rotational Grazing
With this method, the land is divided into paddocks and the cattle are rotated from one to another, allowing each area to have a sufficient rest period to recover. It is one of the most effective systems for restoring vegetation cover. A case in the Chihuahuan Desert in Texas, for example, showed that cattle rotation (grazing that mimics historical herd movements) improved soil health, expanded perennial grasses, reduced erosion, and increased water infiltration.
Voisin Grazing (Rational Grazing)
Based on the principles of André Voisin, this method optimizes the occupation and rest time of each paddock to maximize regrowth and minimize stress on the pasture. It is especially useful for increasing productivity without depleting the ecosystem. In desert steppes, a study on “seasonal rotation of grazing in warm periods” found that delaying the start of grazing or advancing its end, compared to traditional grazing, improves the value of certain grass and legume species, which increases functional diversity.
Ultra-Intensive Grazing or Regenerative Grazing (Johann Zietsman)
This approach mimics the movements of large herds in nature: cattle are grouped at high density for a short time, followed by a long rest period. This stimulates biodiversity, improves the carbon cycle, and increases water infiltration.
Silvopasture
This method combines trees, pastures, and livestock. It favors carbon capture, soil shading, and greater biological diversity, which is key to restoring more degraded areas. In Ecuador, researchers evaluated how silvopastoral systems help recover degraded grasslands and also improve animal thermal comfort indices.
For a grazing system to be successful and help with ecological restoration, it’s very important to adjust the number of cattle to the size of the area and the condition of the grassland. And it’s important to respect rest periods between grazing events, monitor indicators such as vegetation cover, soil compaction, and biodiversity, in addition to training producers on management techniques for regenerative ranches.
At Sky Island Alliance, we believe that regenerative ranching can be an ally to environmental health. That’s why we work with local producers through our regenerative ranching program, where we promote practices that improve productivity while restoring the landscape.
Karen Aglaee López Román is a regenerative ranching technician for Sky Island Alliance and is based in Cananea, Sonora.
References
Bautista‑García, G., et al (2022). Preliminary assessment of Voisin grazing as a tool for restoring soil conditions after extensive grazing. Revista Terra Latinoamericana, Vol. 40.
Chen, W., et al (2015). Improved grazing management may increase soil carbon sequestration in temperate steppe. Scientific Reports.
Dixon Water Foundation (2019). Rotational Cattle Grazing to Restore Degraded Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands and Promote Watershed Health. Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions.
Guamán Rivera, S.A., et al (2024). Silvopastoral systems as a tool for recovering degraded pastures and improving animal thermal comfort indexes in Northern Ecuador. Brazilian Journal of Biology.
Li, Wen., et al. (2023). Effects of warming seasonal rotational grazing on plant communities’ structure and diversity in desert steppe. Ecology and Evolution.
Zietsman, J. (2023). El hombre, el ganado y la pradera. BEEFpower LLC.