DANIELA
IBARRA-
HOWELL
Co-founder and CEO, the Savory
Institute, Boulder Colorado
WHAT IT IS: Large-scale
regeneration of the world’s
grasslands, through the world’s
first certified regenerative label.
Daniela Ibarra-Howell has a soft
spot for the grasslands, noting
that while others overlook these
incredible landscapes (perhaps not
as charismatic as the forests or the
coral reefs), they are crucial for
human existence. The grasslands
act as a sink, consuming carbon
dioxide pollution as well as providing
food and livelihood to over 2 billion
people worldwide. Grasslands cover
only 40% of the land yet 70% of them
are becoming seriously degraded
through industrial agriculture,
pollution and other human activity,
creating deserts.
Ibarra-Howell's radical solution?
Holistic management of livestock
as a tool to restore the grasslands,
reverse climate change and enhance
food security across the globe.
The practice mimics traditional
predator/prey relationships andstrategically imitates nature to
revitalize the countryside.
“We know that industrial
agriculture is a major contributor to
climate change,” says Ibarra-Howell.
“We also know that regenerative
agriculture — one that restores health
to the land — is a promising solution.”
Ibarra-Howell teamed up with
Allan Savory, Africa-based ecologist
to found the Savory Institute and put
that idea into practice.
Ibarra-Howell says, “What most
excites me about Holistic Planned
Grazing is its ability to help farmers,
ranchers and pastoralists plan for
the immense complexity of their
land and unique contexts."
While it sounds complex (and it
is), there’s a simple way consumers
can support these efforts. Savory
created the world’s first Land to
Market seal for brands that have
been verified to be measurably
improving the land while raisinglivestock – and it’s being rolled
out on everything from meat to
pet treats to wool products.
While a certification like USDA
Organic requires companies to
avoid using hormones or antibiotics
on animals, Land to Market goes
a step further. This certification
requires improvements to the land,
water, soil and biodiversity to have
occurred before this receiving
accreditation. This means products
bearing the seal were produced
in a way that yields measureable
benefits. Savory’s goal is to impact
2.5 billion acres of grassland
through Holistic Management by- For this work, Ibarra-Howell
was named a Top Conscious Business
Leader of 2018.
The future feels a bit brighter with
these three changemakers putting
ideas into practice. And as Diamond
aptly notes, it's the little victories
that make the difference now.
a greener you
Kate Geagan, MS, RD, is an award-winning dietitian and internationally recognized leader
in sustainable eating and nutrition. She is the author of Go Green, Get Lean: Trim Your
Waistline with the Ultimate Low Carbon Footprint Diet, and she’s regularly appeared on
The Dr. Oz Show and Katie Couric’s show Katie.cleaneating.com 39
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Restorative grazing mimics
natural predator/prey relationships
to reverse desertification.The Savory Institute in Boulder,
Colorado, is dedicated to a brighter
future through its work in biodiversity.