Holistic Management Shifts Ranchers’ Mental Models for Successful Adaptive Grazing
This study explores how Holistic Management transforms the way ranchers think and make decisions—shifting them from control-based approaches to regenerative mindsets grounded in values, systems thinking, and ecological feedback.
Amping up soil carbon: soil carbon stocks in California rangelands under adaptive multi-paddock and conventional grazing management
This study measured soil carbon across 64 California ranches and found that AMP-grazed pastures held 13–29% more soil carbon than conventionally grazed ones. The gains extended deep into the soil profile, highlighting AMP grazing’s strong potential for long-term carbon storage and climate impact.
Ruminating on soil carbon: Applying current understanding to inform grazing management
This paper proposes a unified conceptual framework combining plant ecophysiology and soil biogeochemistry to explain how soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulates and is stabilized in grazed systems.
Ganado o Desierto (2023)
The fight to reverse climate change is putting animals in the crosshairs. The purpose of this documentary is focused on showing the use of livestock for the regeneration of pastures, soils, trees and water. Good livestock management shows itself in a real way as a solution for the restoration of ecosystems and rural economies.
Holistic Management Animated Video
This short, 3-minute video provides a simple and accessible overview of Holistic Management with accompanying animations that illustrate key concepts.
Grass and ground dwelling beetle community responses to holistic and wildlife grazing management using a cross-fence comparison in Western Kalahari rangeland, Namibia
Researchers compared the impact of Holistic Management to wildlife grazing on grass and ground-dwelling beetle species diversity on neighboring farms in Namibian rangeland, finding the holistically managed livestock operation demonstrated greater species richness and biodiversity for both vegetation and beetle populations.
Green Grass in the Spring
Tony Malmberg’s memoir following his path from conventional ranching to Holistic Management, interspersed with practical management lessons along the way.
To Which We Belong (2021)
To Which We Belong’ is a documentary that highlights farmers and ranchers leaving behind conventional practices that are no longer profitable or sustainable. These unsung heroes are improving the health of our soil and sea to save their livelihoods — and our planet.
Creating a Sustainable Civilization
‘Creating a Sustainable Civilization: An Introduction to the Holistic Management Decision-Making Process’ is based on a lecture given by Allan Savory at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque in August 1995.
Sacred Cow (2021)
In Sacred Cow, registered dietitian Diana Rodgers and former research biochemist and New York Times bestselling author Robb Wolf explore the quandaries we face in raising and eating animals—focusing on the largest (and most maligned) of farmed animals, the cow. Taking a critical look at the assumptions and misinformation about meat, Sacred Cow points out the flaws in our current food system and in the proposed “solutions.”
