Steve Gidaro, President of Conaway Preservation Group, has been a landowner and leaseholder of various properties in the Yolo Bypass area of Yolo County for more than 20 years. Through various partnerships he has managed and improved these properties for wildlife, particularly waterfowl. His interest in waterfowl hunting has translated into an 18-year legacy of exemplary land stewardship where "wildlife friendly farming" is more than a saying, it's a way of doing business that melds good agronomic practices with an environmental ethic where farming and wildlife co-exist and thrive under his leadership and direction.

Mr. Gidaro's history with the Conaway Ranch began in 1990 when he purchased the ranch with a partnership, the Conaway Conservancy Group (a partnership between Yolo Conservators and PG&E Properties). This partnership owned the property from 1990 to 1994. Under Steve's direction, the farm hired a full-time wildlife manager for the property and developed a Conaway Wildlife Plan, which was virtually unheard of in California then. The wildlife manager has been in place for 18 years implementing the vision of wildlife friendly farming and the Conaway Wildlife Plan is still the guiding document for day-to-day operations on the 17,300 acre ranch.

In 1994, PG&E Properties bought out Yolo Conservator's interest in the property. During this period, Mr. Gidaro maintained his ties to the Ranch by leasing the hunting rights from PG&E Properties for 9 years. During this period, he remained connected to the ranch and acted as an unofficial advisor to PG&E Properties who continued the wildlife friendly farming program initiated under the Conaway Conservancy Group in the early 1990s.

In 2004, Mr. Gidaro again purchased the Coanway Ranch through a different partnership, the Conaway Preservation Group.

• Mr. Gidaro's Conservation History