Balancing Beef and Biodiversity
How Individual Plant Treatment Protects the Land at Wellborn 2R Ranch
At Wellborn 2R Ranch, raising top-tier premium beef goes hand in hand with protecting the land that makes it possible. We believe that true stewardship means producing the best cattle while also preserving the native grasslands, wildlife, and ecosystems that share our pastures. That’s why we’ve partnered with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to develop a comprehensive conservation plan and worked with the Audubon Society to earn certification for premium bird habitat.
These partnerships reflect our belief that conservation isn’t separate from ranching — it’s a vital part of it. Our land doesn’t just feed our cattle; it supports quail, songbirds, pollinators, and countless other species that depend on healthy, diverse grasslands. The key to protecting those ecosystems lies in our commitment to a science-based management practice known as Individual Plant Treatment (IPT).
Individually spraying each non-desirable plant vs. aerial broad spraying helps ensure only the desired plants are terminated.
What Is Individual Plant Treatment?
Unlike broad chemical spraying, Individual Plant Treatment is a precision approach to rangeland management. Instead of applying herbicide across large areas, we identify and treat only the undesirable plants that compete with native forage — one at a time.
This selective method helps us control invasive or encroaching species like mesquite or prickly pear while preserving the native grasses, wildflowers, and shrubs that provide food and cover for wildlife. By targeting individual plants rather than entire fields, IPT reduces chemical use, minimizes soil disturbance, and allows beneficial species like milkweed (essential for monarch butterflies) and native bluestems to thrive.
Why We Work to Control Invasive Mesquite
At Wellborn 2R Ranch, one of our biggest conservation priorities is fighting the spread of invasive mesquite trees. While mesquite is native to parts of Texas, its aggressive expansion has become a major threat to the balance of our rangeland ecosystem. These trees take up valuable land space that should be dedicated to native grasses and consume enormous amounts of water that could otherwise replenish watersheds and municipal water supplies.
By using Individual Plant Treatment, we’re able to remove invasive mesquite precisely and efficiently, freeing the land to produce the healthy native grasses that sustain our cattle and support wildlife. This careful approach helps us protect soil health, improve forage quality, and maintain a thriving ecosystem that benefits both agriculture and the environment. Healthy grasslands mean healthier cattle, stronger soil, and a more sustainable future for everyone who depends on this land.
Ranch owner Chris Wellborn inspects the pastures for specific grasses and forbs to determine what to encourage and what to eliminate for the benefit of the entire ecosystem.
A Conservation Partnership in Action
Our conservation partnership with NRCS gives us access to technical expertise, plant identification resources, and soil health data that guide our management decisions. Together, we’ve mapped out conservation zones across the ranch, focusing on balancing forage production for cattle with habitat preservation for wildlife.
Meanwhile, our certification with the Audubon Society’s Conservation Ranching Program recognizes the work we’ve done to create and maintain bird-friendly habitat. From meadowlarks and quail to migratory songbirds, the diversity of wildlife on our ranch is a daily reminder that good management benefits more than just cattle.
We’re proud to produce premium beef that’s truly conservation-minded — beef raised in harmony with the land and the life it sustains.
Ranch owner Chris Wellborn is hands-on managing the pastures for the benefit of cattle, wildlife and the environment.
Balancing Beef and Biodiversity
Our philosophy is simple: healthy ecosystems produce healthy cattle. The same native grasses and forbs that provide cover for ground-nesting birds also create nutrient-rich forage for our herd. Through IPT, we’re able to maintain that balance — ensuring the land stays productive without sacrificing its natural character.
At Wellborn 2R Ranch, we take a hands-on, one-on-one approach to everything we do. Whether it’s selecting the right cattle for our herd, hand-cutting and packing each steak, or managing the land plant by plant, we believe quality starts with personal attention. Just like we don’t take shortcuts in raising cattle, we don’t rely on broad aerial spraying to manage the land. Every treatment is deliberate — one plant, one pasture, one decision at a time — because stewardship requires both precision and care.
By keeping our grasslands open and diverse, we’re not just growing feed — we’re nurturing an ecosystem. Every decision, from how we manage brush to how we rotate grazing pastures, is made with both beef quality and biodiversity in mind.
Bird species such as the bobwhite quail benefit from the IPT of select plants.
Sustainability, the Wellborn Way
Sustainability isn’t a slogan at Wellborn 2R Ranch — it’s a daily practice. We believe responsible land management is the foundation of both environmental health and economic success. Through Individual Plant Treatment, we’re proving that it’s possible to produce world-class beef while enhancing wildlife habitat, improving soil health, and supporting pollinator populations.
It’s a delicate balance, but one we take great pride in maintaining. Because at Wellborn 2R Ranch, our mission is clear: to raise the finest beef in America while preserving the land, the grass, and the wildlife that make it all possible.
With the IPT approach, plants such as milkweed, which are vital to the survival of monarch butterflies, are left to thrive.
