A View from the Hi-Line
On the high plains of northeastern Montana, Ducks Unlimited and a scrappy group of pragmatists are working to help farmers and ranchers stay in business while conserving some of the continent’s most important wildlife habitats.
Valley County Conservation District Hosts Outdoor Classroom
Processes of our prairie (POOP) – RSA – RSA was a first-time presenter, and they provided a fascinating and slightly smelly presentation. Students were provided with the opportunity to learn about dung beetles and the importance they have on soil health. The RSA team brought cow pies that included dung beetles. Several students dedicated some […]
Cattle Grazing Expands Habitat Diversity on Wildlife Refuge
Nestled in the sweeping plains of north-central Montana, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge is a 15,551-acre sanctuary that provides beneficial habitat for an array of wildlife. From the greater sage-grouse to shorebirds, waterfowl, and pronghorn antelope, the refuge serves as a haven for species that rely on the unique sagebrush […]
To ease the migration of North America’s fastest land animal, collaboration targets fencing
Ranchers and conservationists along the Hi-Line and in Central Montana are using state research and federal funding to help remove man-made barriers to migration of pronghorn and other big game animals.
Modeling Cropland Conversion Risk to Scale-Up Averted Loss of Core Sagebrush Rangelands
Key Findings: Conservation easements on private lands are crucial for maintaining Core Sagebrush Areas where cropland conversion is a threat. When bordering public lands, conservation easements preserve an area 3.6 times larger than the easements themselves.
Why grazing bison could be good for the planet
American bison were hunted almost to extinction by European settlers. Now making a comeback, they could help reverse damage to prairies from decades of poor management. It takes mettle to live on Montana’s shortgrass prairie. It’s dry, windy and a long way from anywhere. In summer, temperatures can top 100F (38C). In winter, the mercury […]
Ranchers Benefit from Fencing Projects with Ranchers Stewardship Alliance
There’s been entire books written on the history of fencing in the West. The evolution of barbed wire, the impact fences had on the landscapes, and the range wars that ensued when fences first went up are all remarkable and fascinating stories that will forever stand in the history of the American West and the […]
Partners in north-central Montana are using RCPP to get conservation on the ground
On a bright May afternoon, Rich Roth lifts his gaze from the gleaming water at the bottom of a new stockwater tank to make out a herd of pronghorn silhouetted at the crest of a spring-green hill in the distance. Roth had just finished listing the benefits of the recently installed tank system to the […]
New waterline ensures cattle stay on the land and land stays intact
Grass is to cattle as water is to conservation. Ironically, that analogy could be shuffled in any order and still carry the same meaning. To conserve grasslands, it is critical to maintain the ability to stock pasture with cattle, and to do so, access to stock water is necessary. That is why groups like the […]
Seeds of Community
The Barthelmess Ranch near Malta, Montana offers a beautiful landscape of sagebrush and hardy native grasses. NRCS Montana and partner organizations have assisted the Ranch to create a sustainable grazing model that will help ensure the beautiful landscape remains for years to come.
