Montana Grasslands Initiative Achieved 1 Million Acres of Grassland Habitat Impacted

November 12, 2026 – Glasgow, Mont. – The Montana Grasslands Initiative has accomplished 1 million acres of grassland habitat impacted across Big Sky Country, and the team is now two thirds of the way to the five-year goal of 1.5 million acres. Through this initiative, Pheasants Forever aims to increase both the quantity and quality of Montana’s wildlife habitat by focusing on the state’s grassland and sagebrush steppe ecosystems.

“It’s impressive to see how our team in Montana has rallied together to reach this milestone,” said Hunter VanDonsel, PF’s Montana state coordinator. “These million acres of habitat work happened very quickly compared to previous years, and that is a testament to how the Montana Grasslands Initiative has streamlined our team’s efforts and aligned strategic goals with our partners. Despite this win, there’s still a lot of work to be done to ensure we have grasslands forever for our favorite upland birds.”

The habitat work grand total is broken down into a few categories, including new public access at 12,712 acres, converted grasslands restored at 69,033 acres, intact grasslands retained at 511,560 acres, and vulnerable grasslands conserved at 436,257 acres. Pheasants Forever will continue to work with local landowners, farmers and ranchers in addition to state and federal agency partners to ensure these vital landscapes remain healthy and intact.

Aside from the total acres of habitat work, there are several goals the team will aim to reach by the end of the first five years in 2028. This includes 750,000 acres of intact grasslands anchored, 600,000 acres of vulnerable grasslands conserved, 150,000 acres of converted or altered grasslands restored, 50,000 acres of public access to grasslands opened, and 9,000 landowners contacted.

To learn more about Pheasants Forever’s Montana Grasslands Initiative, and to find out how you can contribute, visit this page. If you have questions about the program, 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 560,000 members, supporters and partners is dedicated to the protection of our uplands through habitat improvement, public access, education and advocacy. A network of 740 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 585,000 habitat projects benefiting 35 million acres. 

Media Contact 
Mikayla Peper 
715-294-0688 
MPeper@quailforever.org