Pheasants Forever is proud to announce a brand new habitat program in Montana.
The Montana Grasslands Initiative will restore grassland and sagebrush steppe habitat across the state of Montana — providing sustainable, long-term conservation outcomes for one of the world’s most imperiled landscapes. Over the five-year course of this program, Pheasants Forever plans to impact 1.5 million acres.
“This Initiative connects directly with the goals articulated in Pheasants Forever’s national strategic plan,” said Hunter VanDonsel, Pheasants Forever’s Montana state coordinator. “It focuses our habitat efforts within the state in ways that are relevant and meaningful to sportsmen, communities and healthy upland bird populations.”
Grasslands and Sagebrush steppe are vital to the Montana upland experience — as well as to the state’s culture, industry and wildlife. These crucial pieces of Montana’s legacy are disappearing at an alarming rate. Over 30% of eastern Montana’s grasslands have been broken or altered, and the state has seen a 34% decline in grassland bird populations. Over 1.5 million Montana acres enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) have expired in the last decade — and nationwide, 2.6 million acres of grasslands are lost every year.
This brand new endeavor will prioritize the organization’s statewide efforts, providing more support to conservation and landowner partners and allowing Pheasants Forever to pursue more ambitious grassland conservation goals.
The five-year goals of the plan include:
- 750,000 acres of intact grasslands anchored.
- 600,000 acres of vulnerable grasslands conserved.
- 150,000 acres of converted/altered grasslands restored.
- 50,000 acres of public access to grasslands opened.
- 9,000 landowner contacts.
- 1.5 million total acres of grassland impact.
This initiative is made possible with support from key partnerships, including:
USDA-NRCS, Bureau of Land Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, Winnett ACES, Ducks Unlimited, World Wildlife Fund, Prairie Pothole Joint Venture, Northern Great Plains Joint Venture, Intermountain West Joint Venture, Yellowstone Conservation District, and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
For more information about the Montana Grasslands Initative
click here or contact Hunter VanDonsel at
HVanDonsel@PheasantsForever.org.
About Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever
Pheasants Forever and
Quail Forever make up the nation's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. This community of more than 477,000 members, supporters and partners is dedicated to the protection of our uplands through habitat improvement, public access, education and advocacy. A network of 754 local chapters spread across North America determine how 100 percent of their locally raised funds are spent — the only national conservation organization that operates through this grassroots structure. Since its creation in 1982, the organization has dedicated more than $1 billion to 580,000 habitat projects benefiting 28.8 million acres.
Media Contact
Casey Sill
402-657-4143
csill@pheasantsforever.org