At this year’s Collective Summit, one of the most common requests we heard was for ways to keep learning after the week ended. The conversations sparked lots of questions about conservation, the realities of ranching today, and how we can bridge urban and rural communities.

Books and essays have always been a way we connect ideas across distance, so we’ve put together a reading list drawn from our bookshelves and works that inspire our own thinking. Some are classics of the West, others look at land and conservation from fresh angles, and we hope all will spark some meaningful ideas.

On Ranching & Working Lands

The Lasater Philosophy of Cattle Raising by Laurence M. Lasater – A foundational text from the founding family of the Beefmaster breed on low-input, nature-based cattle management.

For the Love of Land by Jim Howell – A rancher’s perspective on holistic management, land health, and why working lands matter for the planet.

Rancher, Farmer, Fisherman by Miriam Horn – Stories of conservation in action across the American heartland, showing how working people are restoring ecosystems in their own backyards.

Think Harmony with Horses by Ray Hunt – A classic in the emergence of a natural horsemanship philosophy, advocating for patience, empathy, and communication with horses.

The Unsettling of America by Wendell Berry – A classic critique of industrial agriculture, urging us to reconsider how we care for land and community.

On Conservation & Ecology

A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold – A touchstone in conservation writing, offering a land ethic that feels as relevant now as it did in 1949.

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer – Reflections from a scientist and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation on reciprocity, ecology, and traditional knowledge.

A World on the Wing by Scott Weidensaul – An exploration of bird migration that connects directly to our own work with the banding station

This list is just a starting place. We’d love to hear what’s on your shelf. Is there a book or article that has influenced your thinking on ranching or conservation? The comments section is open below.