Aug. 21, 2026
COON VALLEY, Wis. – More than 30 people recently gathered at the Munsch Farm for a full evening featuring graziers and other grazing professionals from across the region. The event hosted by the Coon Creek Community Watershed Council brought community members together to discuss how managed grazing can improve soil health and combat flooding.
Our host Jim Munsch opened the evening by welcoming attendees to his family farm. The farm overlooks Coon Valley on steep slopes that reach grades of 20 percent.
Munsch explained that he struggled with erosion and poor soil fertility when he first moved to the land in the 1970s to farm corn and grains. Since adopting managed grazing in 1993 his soil organic matter rose from around 1 percent to above 5 percent.
“I haven’t bought fertilizer in over 30 years,” said Munsch. “Grazing is a slow and generative process.”
Munsch noted that he manages his pastures to mimic historical ecosystems. He explained that he is trying to restore the natural processes of the area.
“I am trying to foster landscape processes similar to those common in the region’s native oak savannas,” said Munsch. “The land responds well to this management.”
Munsch argued that grazing is a crucial tool for addressing major environmental crises. He identified flooding, soil loss, nutrient loss and water quality degradation as the four main interconnected challenges that local producers face.
Munsch explained that healthy grass is the foundation of a resilient watershed. He noted that the plants help absorb water during heavy rainstorms.
“Healthy grass grows deep roots, holds soil in place, and builds organic matter,” said Munsch. “More water infiltrates during storms and less runoff flows into creeks.”
Lexi Wellman, who joined the meeting to discuss her research, explained that grazing can significantly improve water quality in Driftless Area streams. Her study in the neighboring Tainter Creek Watershed found that adopting grazing on less than 1 percent of the land resulted in a nearly 14 percent reduction in surface water nutrient concentrations compared to adjacent streams.
Wellman emphasized that agricultural productivity and ecological health do not have to be at odds.
“Clean water and working landscapes can and do go together,” said Wellman. “The study highlights how grazing can reduce nutrients in our streams.”
Wellman also noted that managed pastures support a diverse array of life beyond livestock. She explained that grazing benefits include increased habitat for birds and insects.
Tainter Creek grazier Bruce Ristow joined Wellman to support the transition to pasture based systems. Ristow urged local landowners to take responsibility for the future of their communities.
“When you live out here in the country, you’re just one of the residents,” said Ristow. “We’ve got to do something different out here, otherwise things will get worse.”
The Coon Creek Community Watershed Council announced that funding is available to help local landowners make their own grazing transitions. The cost share program is supported by the Sand County Foundation and is open to residents in the Coon Creek, West Fork Kickapoo and Little La Crosse watersheds.
Organizers also highlighted resources from the University of Wisconsin Madison Grassland 2.0 project. These tools are designed to help producers plan and execute successful grazing operations.
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