Bucolic battlefield: a California seashore says goodbye to dairy farms – and hopes to heal

After a years-long battle, organic dairy ranches are being expelled from Point Reyes national seashore to revitalize the ecosystem

Rodd Kelsey gazed out on the golden slopes of Point Reyes national seashore sweeping down to the rugged California coastline, pointing to the patches laden with invasive stalks of prickly thistle and browning sod. These are some of the hallmarks of the region's recent history, he said - but they also showcase the opportunities for its future.

A new chapter is unfolding on the striking landscape located some 70 miles (113km) north of San Francisco. The unique patchwork of wild and pastoral ranges operated by the National Park Service (NPS) has spent decades mired in battles between local ranchers operating on the lands and environmentalists who see their presence as a blight.