"There's a real quality of life to living here in the west. And a lot of it is because of our open spaces, and to see young people realize that and hold that as valuable is really encouraging to me. Talking to Karlie, you talk about not just the biodiversity of grasslands, but there's a natural system here. They're self-containing and functional, and that's the beauty of ranches. We're producing food and fiber on the landscape but doing it in a way that's as sustainable as any system can be. And what it does is it keeps our biodiversity and our natural systems together, which is great for wildlife and open spaces, clean air, clean water, everything that we're always looking for." - Mitch Faulkner

This story is dedicated to the memory of Mitch Faulkner. His legacy will live on in all of the conservationists he inspired.