Congratulations to Lynn Huntsinger, a professor in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management (ESPM), for being honored with the 2025 Gordon K. Van Vleck Memorial Award from the California Cattlemen's Association.
Presented during the California Cattlemen's Convention in December 2024, the award honors individuals who are not engaged in beef cattle production as a primary occupation but have made significant contributions to California’s beef cattle industry and demonstrated enduring leadership for the industry. Huntsinger was recognized for her significant contributions to advancing rangeland conservation and sustainable public lands grazing, and for her longtime efforts of training a new generation of students on the economic and ecological value of livestock grazing.
Tim Koopmann, a past president of the CCA, has hosted Huntsinger and her undergraduates at his family cattle ranch many times since the early 2000s. He commented at the awards ceremony that Lynn’s passion and love for California Rangelands was “abundantly evident” during the many times she guided students through his ranch and pointed out the ecological benefits of grazing.
Huntsinger earned her PhD in the College of Natural Resources 1989. An ESPM professor since then, her research focuses on the ecology and management of rangeland ecosystems, particularly the coproduction of environmental benefits and agricultural goods through working landscapes and the role of managers and users as critical actors. Tracy Schohr, a UC Cooperative Extension Advisor Gridley, praised Hunsinger’s contributions to improving public perception and on-the-ground management of natural resources. She emphasized Hunsinger’s impact on land management, public policy, and stewardship of California’s rangelands during the awards ceremony.
Educator and former CCA president Dave Daley said that throughout her career, Huntsinger has demonstrated a willingness to engage in challenging discussions that have been pivotal to breaking down misconceptions and fostering dialogue between livestock grazers and skeptics. “She is comfortable at scientific meetings, in front of legislators, and walking the land with ranchers,” he added. “That is a special gift that has been widely shared to the benefit of the California livestock community.”
Learn more about the Gordon K. Van Vleck Memorial Award on the California Cattlemen's Association Page