Richard Van Aardt
Founder and Director
Richard brings more than 17 years of experience in agriculture, with the past decade spent rethinking and practically innovating how livestock can be used as a tool for land restoration in conservation areas.He joined Ol Pejeta Conservancy in 2014, where he worked closely under renowned stockman Giles Prettejohn. Their time together shaped Richard’s understanding of commercial beef production in one of Kenya's most successful wildlife conservancies.
His interest in regenerative grazing deepened, after encountering the ideas of Johann Zietsman and Alan Savory. This sparked a shift in focus: from more conventional ranching to exploring how livestock, managed with extreme precision, could drive ecological renewal. He began testing ultra-high-density grazing (UHDG) systems on large landscapes - pushing boundaries in terms of scale, timing, and impact.
In 2022, Richard founded True Range Ltd., a company built around the knowledge that well-managed livestock can improve both land health and livelihoods. His work continues to blend hands-on experimentation with a broader vision for restoring grasslands across Africa.
Joseph Putanoi
Assistant Manager
Joseph, a pastoralist from Laikipia, took an uncommon path. After earning a degree in mathematics and statistics, he chose to apply his analytical skills to conservation and rangeland management. He went on to lead the rangelands program at the Northern Rangelands Trust where he played a key role in shaping grazing strategies across large community owned conservancies.
In 2022 Joseph joined True Range, drawn by the chance to learn and help integrate social work with commercial regeneration. His passion is helping communities rethink grazing practices that no longer support the health of the land, the livestock or the people who depend on them. With deep roots in pastoral culture and a strong technical foundation, Joseph bridges traditional knowledge with modern planning tools to support long term ecological and social outcomes.
Kasikin Lekorou
Senior Stockman
Kaskire is a Samburu pastoralist from Laikipia who has spent his life working with livestock. First noticed in the 1990s by Giles Prettejohn while herding on Segera, he was trained up to become head stockman. He later worked at some of Kenya’s largest commercial beef operations, including Kakuzi and Sosian, before moving to Lolldaiga, where he has been based for the past 15 years. He joined True Range in 2022.
Kaskire is not someone you’ll find behind a desk. He is out in the field every day, on the land, with the cattle. A sharp observer and seasoned stockman, he brings decades of practical knowledge to the work. He has been central to launching and driving forward an ambitious, pioneering grazing program on challenging terrain.
Bonface Kirwa Sitienei
Head of Ecology
Boni is from Laikipia and began his career working with livestock, building a strong foundation in pastoral systems. He later joined Mpala Research Centre, where he was trained as a botanist by Princeton ecologist Professor Dan Rubenstein. At Mpala, Boni led the ecological monitoring team, developing expertise in rangeland health assessment and plant ecology. His ability to bridge livestock knowledge with field-based botany gives him a rare and valuable perspective.
Boni joined True Range in 2023 to support our ecological monitoring work. His dual background makes him a key asset in tracking landscape change and guiding regenerative outcomes.
Remit Lemein Kudi
Junior Stockman
Remit joined True Range as an intern in 2024 after completing his studies in animal health. His natural ability with both livestock and people quickly stood out, and by the end of the year, he took on a permanent role within the team. He now helps manage one of our largest projects, at Ol Jogi Conservancy, overseeing day-to-day operations for several thousand head of cattle under high-density grazing.
A trained animal health technician and pastoralist, Remit brings a valuable veterinary skill set to the field - one we are actively developing further. He has completed certifications in pregnancy diagnosis and artificial insemination, and continues to grow his technical capacity while managing complex grazing systems.
Jonty Brodie
Rangelands and Operations Manager
Jonty is a young South African with a rare blend of financial training and hands-on regenerative grazing experience. He holds two finance degrees, one from the University of Stellenbosch and an honours degree from the University of Cape Town. Alongside this, he is also a qualified pilot.
He grew up practising high density grazing on his family farm in South Africa and has since worked on UHDG operations across the USA, Mexico, Paraguay and Argentina. These experiences exposed him to some of the most advanced livestock systems in the world and helped shape his belief that profitability is not separate from sustainability but is the driving force behind it. He brings a sharp analytical mind, strong work ethic and a grounded understanding of what makes grazing enterprises work in the real world.
