2025 Colvin Ranch Conservation Partner Award

Together with Natural Resource Conservation Service Acting State Conservationist David Rose, the Colvin family presented Marty Chaney with the Colvin Ranch Conservation Partner Award in recognition of more than 20 years of collaboration and partnership.

“We’ve been very happy to work with Colvin Ranch for longer than the 20 years of the conservation easement,” David said. “NRCS is in almost every county across the nation and we provide assistance where we can, both financial and technical assistance. The main thing is we get to wear the white hat. We’re not regulatory. It’s a whole lot of fun when we get invited out to spectacular places like this and we get to see conservation in action.”

In 2005, Colvin Ranch was the first in Washington to obtain a permanent conservation easement to protect the ranch’s native prairies.

“Back when I graduated from college, I had a concern about what was going to happen to the ranch,” said Fred Colvin. “It was my dad’s vision to be able to keep the ranch together and in the family. It wasn’t until I got a call from Jeff Sotek at NRCS about the Grassland Reserve Program that I began to think about how it might work for us. A lot of the credit can go to Jeff for having the vision for how a federal program from Washington DC could work for local property owners in Thurston County,” he said.

Over the past 20 years that the conservation easement has been in place, we've worked closely with NRCS on countless conservation projects.

“Marty balances her technical knowledge with a dose of practicality, understanding that conservation only works in partnership with all parties when everyone's needs are taken into account, including the needs of livestock producers like us,” said Jennifer Colvin. “After all, we're only able to take on additional conservation projects above and beyond what's required by our conservation easement because we’re able to have a sustainable business selling beef.”

“This is very much a partnership,” Marty said. “I have learned so much out here, watching what happens to the prairie as this grazing system goes in year after year after year. And the great thing is now we’re seeing it spread to other properties as we keep the prairies in the system while we still have agriculture and hamburgers, and good things like that.”

That partnership includes collaboration with other agencies in addition to NRCS, including US Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Ecostudies, CNLM, Thurston Conservation District, and WSU Extension.

“These folks are directly responsible for helping our operation. They all have a role to play in the conservation efforts we’re involved in,” Fred explained.

“Colvin Ranch is a shining example of how agriculture and conservation can—and must—work together. Fred’s vision to place this land under a conservation easement nearly 20 years ago, and Jennifer’s leadership today, show what’s possible when stewardship is a core value across generations,” said Thurston County Commissioner Wayne Fournier.

“At the County, we’re investing in regional food infrastructure and farmland preservation — because strong rural communities depend on healthy working lands. And healthy prairies, like the one we’re on today, are part of that equation. Today was about celebrating the land, yes — but it’s also about honoring the partnerships that sustain it: between landowners, tribes, agencies, conservation groups, and community members,” Wayne said.

More than 350 people spent the afternoon at the ranch, learning about the historic homestead, identifying native plants with wildlife biologists, and connecting with exhibitors including the Thurston County Cattlewomen, Washington Farm Bureau, and the Washington State Conservation Commission. Oly Mountain Boys provided live music, and gourmet steak sandwich lunch boxes were catered by Simply Organic Cafe.