Dana McDaniel Bonham

Dana was first introduced to Holistic Management in the 1990s while working in the Texas Hill Country. She strongly believes that Holistic Management can positively impact families that are on the land, the communities they are a part of, and larger landscape resource regeneration efforts.

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With 7+ generations of farmers and ranchers on both sides of her family, Dana appreciates the joys of living with the land, while understanding those complexities can be challenging.

Having spent time in Texas, Colorado, and Wyoming, Dana currently lives in Tishomingo, Oklahoma where she and her family run a small cow/calf operation with horses and pecans. Her husband, Marc, comes from a Colorado/Wyoming ranching background. In fact, they met and married when he was managing one of the last large ranches in Jackson Hole. Their son, Rio, has carried on the tradition with a strong career in FFA and ranching. He now conducts agriculture and natural resource research as part of his studies in Biosystems and Agriculture Engineering at Oklahoma State University.

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Dana feels blessed that her time growing up on the family outfit connected her with deep roots to the land. Her father, Joe, led the family in seasonal harvests based on his traditional ecological knowledge and native ways of knowing all aspects of nature.

“Anyone who spent time with my Dad experienced his stories and the passion he had for hard work and being outdoors,” Dana said. “Whether it was working cattle, harvesting pecans, or fishing, he made it an adventure that you never forgot. We all owe so much to him and the legacy he created.”

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Taking his lessons to heart, Dana has worked for conservation organizations on the local and national level and with the Teton Conservation District in Jackson, Wyoming where she provided education and collaboration activities for landowners and nature-lovers. She has over 35 years of experience developing programs and writing grants.

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“From bees, to quail, to fish, to people, my Dad taught me that good stewardship is key to a healthy, happy life for all,” Dana states. “I look forward to working with others who are striving to realize that holistic balance ~ with health and revitalization for the land, water, nature, families, and community.”