Carbon Ranch 2: An ecosystem restoration experiment on a former cattle ranch in California
Cattle grazing is a leading cause of terrestrial ecosystem destruction, biodiversity collapse, and methane emissions. While restoring the ecosystems destroyed by cattle husbandry would yield significant environmental and carbon sequestration benefits, there is a critical lack of evidence on which rewilding strategies are most effective. This project launches a long-term, field-based ecological experiment on a 110-acre former cattle ranch in California to address that gap. Researchers will plant a variety of native tree species, measure above- and below-ground carbon, and monitor wildlife activity using tools such as eDNA sampling, camera traps, and audio recorders. By identifying effective restoration techniques, the researchers aim to inform scalable strategies to reverse biodiversity loss and incentivizing landowners to phase-out cattle grazing.