William Burnidge
Special Projects Director, Regenerative Grazing Lands Strategy, North America Agriculture Program
Golden, Colorado
William Burnidge As special projects director of The Nature Conservancy’s Regenerative Grazing Lands strategy in North America, William leads TNC’s Grasslands Conservation Network. © TNC
Areas of Expertise
ranch and wildlife management, environmental policy, biodiversity, sustainability, supply chain
Contact
Email: wburnidge@tnc.orgBiography
As special projects director of The Nature Conservancy’s Regenerative Grazing Lands strategy in North America, William leads TNC’s Grasslands Conservation Network, which is comprised of over 200 staff members from around the world who are committed to sharing knowledge and collaborating to increase the pace and scale of grassland conservation. He also advises on core strategies and fund raising.
Since 2023, William has been on point for a project seeking to develop innovative solutions on a large public lands ranch to meet the needs of diverse stakeholders. Over the course of his career, William also managed TNC’s Fox Ranch and other preserves, led the development of tools and approaches for sustainable energy siting and water use, and helped lead TNC’s work with the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef.
William’s work is informed by 15 years of practical experience improving outcomes for people and nature through the planning and management of livestock operations at TNC’s 14,000-acre Fox Ranch Preserve, as well as other TNC operations in eastern Colorado.
In addition to his grazing lands work, William’s accomplishments include advancing the sustainable use of the Ogallala Aquifer in Colorado, partnering with landowners to protect vital lands in eastern Colorado through conservation easements, and helping shape renewable energy strategies for TNC’s Colorado program and North America Region.
William, who first joined TNC in 2005, earned his MBA and MS in environmental policy at the University of Michigan and his BS in wildlife management and biology at the University of Wisconsin– Stevens Point. Outside of work, William enjoys life in Colorado with his awesome wife and two delightful daughters.
Publications
Ahlering, M., Lendrum, P., Borrelli, P., Burnidge, W., Clark, L., Ellis, C., Gadzia, K., Gelbard, J., Gennet, S., Goodwin, J., Herrick, J., Kachergis, E., Knapp, C., Labbe, N., Maczko, K., Porzig, E., Rizzo, D., Spiegal, S., Kazanski, C. (2021) A Synthesis of Ranch-Level Sustainability Indicators for Land Managers and to Communicate Across the US Beef Supply Chain. Rangeland Ecology & Management. 217-230. 10.1016/j.rama.2021.08.011.
Barton, E., Bennett, D., Burnidge, W. (2020) Holistic perspectives—Understanding rancher experiences with holistic resource management to bridge the gap between rancher and researcher perspectives. Rangelands. 42. 10.1016/j.rala.2020.05.003.
Burnidge, W. (2000) Cattle and the management of freshwater neotropical wetlands in Palo Verde National Park, Guanacaste, Costa Rica (Thesis).