David and Stephanie Schuler have spent their lifetimes watching their parents Butch and Susan make their ranch “more beautiful, efficient, and sustainable for the next generation.” 

Located in Nebraska’s Panhandle, Schuler Red Angus is known for supplying other ranchers with high quality live cattle and genetics. Equally impressive are the conservation efforts that have taken place on this unique landscape, diverse in its topography and ecological communities.

The Schulers have long been committed to improving the health and resilience of their 20,000 acres of pastures and irrigated cropland in Morrill and Banner counties. Investment in extensive water infrastructure has led to better distribution of grazing cattle. 

Collaboration with public and private partners has led to innovations in how to combat cheatgrass throughout the region. The invasive species from Eastern Europe found its way to western Nebraska and Wyoming. It chokes out native grasses, and its flammability is of grave concern to ranchers. Cheatgrass seeds are notorious for festering in the eyes of animals. Early each spring, cheatgrass grows, heads out to seed, and dies before livestock and wildlife can derive any nutrition. 

Schuler Red Angus is one of the region’s first ranches to demonstrate the effectiveness of a herbicide with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. The herbicide prevents cheatgrass from going to seed for a couple of years, during which this time native grasses can get reestablished. 

The Schulers treated 1,500 acres with cost-share assistance from the Nebraska Environmental Trust and Mule Deer Foundation, and self-funded treatment of another 1,000 acres. Livestock actively graze the treated areas, while leaving untreated areas with cheatgrass untouched. Schuler Red Angus hosts workshops to educate other ranchers about this research. 

The Schulers conserve water by having proper pressure and shutoffs on pipelines. Dry wells and broken windmills have been replaced with solar wells to provide water for cattle and wildlife on parts of the ranch that the pipeline does not reach. Some solar wells were relocated to create better grazing patterns across the ranch. 

After every stock tank was fitted with a metal bird ladder, the Schulers noticed a large decline in bird deaths. At least one water tank is left full for wildlife even when cattle are not grazing that area. Likewise, in the absence of cattle, gates are left open for Mule deer, elk, antelope, and white-tailed deer to pass freely through the range. 

Ranch employees and interns are supplied with a tool kit that includes new rubber plungers, floats, chains, and tools needed to fix overflowing stock tanks. Pipelines are set to the correct horsepower and water pressure to ensure minimal energy consumption.

Dead and downed trees near creeks are used to created windbreaks, which provide shelter for animals to live in through hard cold spells. Keeping logs and debris out of the creek’s running water also eliminates log jams and murky, slow-flow zones. 

David and Stephanie say their parents have led by example when it comes to caring for the land. While logging thousands of miles aboard an ATV to check, move, and care for cattle, Butch is known to return each time with wire, trash, or a rock that didn’t belong in the prairie.

Through acts great and small, the Schulers demonstrate a land ethic that reflects deep caring for their landscape and community.