Montana's Northern Great Plains

Overview

Montana's Northern Great Plains support what may be the largest gathering of grassland species left on the Northern Great Plains. These include birds, such as mountain plover, burrowing owls, chestnut-collared longspurs and Sprague’s pipits—rapidly disappearing from the continent. Grassland bird numbers have declined by more than 50% since the 1970s. The interspersed sagebrush steppe also provides habitat for one of the healthiest greater sage grouse populations in the world.

Threats

In Montana, the greatest threat to native prairie has been conversion to cropland—so-called “sod busting.” Within the span of 25 years, more than 25 million acres of grassland have been destroyed in the U.S. 

The push for energy development is also putting prairies in peril as larger areas of grassland become fragmented by development associated with oil and gas production. One other underlying driver: when beef markets aren’t profitable, the future of the land can be at risk when ranching families see the sale of land as the only option to stay financially solvent.

Hundreds of miles of fencing—some of it no longer needed—create obstacles for migrating animals, such as pronghorn. Poorly maintained and designed fencing can even prove deadly for deer, elk, pronghorn and birds.

Invasions of noxious weeds and exotic diseases, such as sylvatic plague and West Nile virus, are also threats to native prairie wildlife.

Conservation in Action

A study, co-authored by scientists from The Nature Conservancy, presents evidence that private land is absolutely essential to protect the epic wildlife migrations of the Northern Great Plains. The study also has good news: not only is it still possible to protect these pathways, but conservation efforts are also on track toward success.

Since wildlife doesn’t recognize ownership lines, conservation must span these boundaries, and the work we have been doing for nearly a decade is paying off. Guided by cutting-edge science with partners at the University of Montana, we have successfully protected some of the most crucial private lands in need of conservation through the use of conservation easements. As a result, we have permanently conserved much of the private land within the path of pronghorn migration. This protection work also benefits other wildlife, including several species of declining grassland birds. Willing private landowners have been essential partners in this success.

The study also notes that many wildlife migrations on the Northern Great Plains fall within the same timeframe and duration. That makes coordinating conservation measures—such as opening gates to allow movement of pronghorn, deer and elk—much easier.

Goals and Strategy

TNC’s goal is to conserve grassland through direct land protection and partnership with the local ranching community. We’re using a three-pronged approach:

• First, we are  investing in science to help unlock even more of the undiscovered secrets of the northern plains.  We are using our 60,000-acre Matador Ranch as a center for learning that allows researchers and ranchers to work together. 

• Second, we are employing the best conservation tools developed by science and engaging the people who live in the grasslands through the Matador grassbank. Since participation in the grassbank is contingent on ranchers adopting conservation practices on their own land, the grassbank’s conservation footprint extends to more than 100,000 acres on cooperating ranches; it’s the most successful grassbank in the country. We are now working with a local, rancher-led collaborative, the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance (RSA), on a second grassbank on the Webb Ranch and consulting with community-led groups to create their own grassbanks.

• Third, we are permanently conserving grasslands vulnerable to habitat destruction through the implementation of conservation easements.

The Nature Conservancy believes that thriving local communities are essential for long-term conservation. Our grassbank program and other efforts on the Northern Great Plains illustrate how powerful community-led conservation can be in keeping nature and human communities healthy and strong.