The Never-ending Beauty and Intricacy of the West
Post by Montana Summer Program Student Caroline Wolfe
Throughout my time in Montana, I've come to realize the perpetual complexity that goes into managing land that has many different uses. From ranchers, researchers to recreational users, each area can have its own implicated management program. However, some areas can overlap such as a public land that is free for the use of the public, but ranchers are also allowed to use the land for grazing purposes. With both of these uses in mind, land managers have to determine a policy that will satisfy the intended use of the land in a sustainable manner. Making these decisions often cause divides in groups of different interests. However, progress can only be made when common ground is found. At my first arrival in Montana, I saw a great amount of division between scientists and ranchers, with no intent of working together. However, as time passed I saw the small layer of people that were willing to attempt to cooperate with each other begin to surface.
Ultimately making progress in the west is about coming to a common ground on what is important to both parties. Some will have to give and take, but in the end, these people view it as worth their while because they care about the land that they call home. These lands provide a livelyhood for them, and they view it as their responsibility to take care of the land for the next caretaker once their time is up. When it comes to better management of the land, all it takes is for someone to start an initiative. For example, a small group of ranchers noticed a prevalent grizzly bear problem and remarked that placing their dead cattle in designated areas may cause it. With an easy meal available, it's no wonder why the grizzly bears were making more appearances. With a solution in mind, they were able to bring all of their dead cattle to a compost site. Once the cattle have turned into soil, workers use this to reseed the edges of highways from construction projects. This story from John Carlson stuck out to me because it showed how a common issue can be solved through coming together and brainstorming simple solutions. This can lead to a wide range of possibilities on how ranchers can positively affect the land around them.
After talking to John Carlson I went on one of my usual walks. While staying at the Segar's ranch, I had taken walks every morning before our day of field trips and lessons began. Surprisingly, I was able to learn a lot about the west from taking short walks every morning. One aspect that was easy to recognize is the wide range of temperatures that can occur within a day in the west. When I began my walk I'd wear a flannel over my t-shirt to help keep me warm. I would also be wearing shorts despite the fact that I knew I'd be more comfortable in pants. The reason for this is because early in the morning the air would still be cool and crisp from the low night temperatures. However, towards the end of my walk, I'd have to take my flannel off from the rising temperature. It amazed me how within an hour of my walk the temperature could change that much as the sun rises. I was also able to let my mind roam while aimlessly walking on the dirt road. These walks were where I did most of my looking back on the adventures our professors took us on. With each passing day, I would look at the cattle with a slightly different mindset than the previous morning. By the end they weren't simply a herd of cattle anymore; they became an entity of controversy that symbolizes the different views of how land in the west should be utilized.
Another animal that has a lot of controversy surrounding it is the Bison. Many people want to use Bison instead of cattle for meat production and for the use of keeping grasslands grazed. Some view Bison as a more efficient way of grazing grasslands since they evolved on the prairie and are honed into the ecology of the prairie. This makes them easier to manage in the aspect of providing food, water, and shelter. Unlike cattle, Bison only need to drink once a day and then travel miles from a water source to continue grazing. When it comes to food consumption, Bison are much easier to take care of because their large heads allow them to break through the snow to gain access to the forage below. This allows their owners to not have to readily supply food to them during the harsh winter, saving labor and money. This is only one factor of many concerning the differences between Bison and cattle, but with this, I view Bison as a smarter choice in production and range management. We were taken to Fort Belknap to see the herd that the Assiniboine and Gros Ventre's owned. Bronc Speak Thunder was the main person who watched over the herd, and when he spoke to us about the herd it wasn't difficult to recognize the love and pride he had invested into the herd. As he was talking I noticed there was one aspect that was different about how he explained managing his Bison herd. When talking about the ranchers that were established around the reservation, he referred to them as his "neighbors." Throughout the entire three weeks that I've been in Montana, I've surprisingly never heard anyone else use this term. He emphasized how important it is to be a "good neighbor" when it comes to trying to keep the Bison contained, even if it meant having to put segments of fence up. However, throughout more of Bronc's talk, I noticed how some of the ranchers surrounding their land weren't trying to practice being a good neighbor. If it happened to be a harsh winter and some of the Bison managed to cross into the rancher's land looking for food, the rancher had no hesitation to contact the police and exploit the manner into a dramatic situation. While in the reverse situation when the cattle venture onto the tribal land, Bronc merely contacts the rancher to let him know their cattle has wandered onto their land. Nevertheless, there are still ranchers surrounding the tribal lands that return the action of being a good neighbor.
Although three weeks may seem like plenty of time to explore an area, there was still so much more the vast state of Montana had in store for us to see. Even so, this class has enabled me to see how life carries out on the prairie and how there is so much more to it than cattle roaming aimlessly over thousands of acres. I've also realized that progress needs to be made in agreeing on range management policies to increase the health of grassland. However, progress is only going to be made if and when more people begin to realize that just as Bronc is doing, more landowners need to practice being a good neighbor. This simple way of interacting is especially important for neighbors who have different uses of their land, such as having Bison or cattle. By being a good neighbor and communicating, it will make it easier for both sides to see common values and allow them to come to agree on ways to manage for both of their benefits. This is key to coming to conclusions in a timely manner instead of continuously arguing over who needs to change their current management style. I plan on returning in the future to show my family the astonishing landscapes that make up Montana and much of the west. I also hope to see the progress that ranchers and scientists will make together in managing the land they hold so dear to their hearts.
Throughout my time in Montana, I've come to realize the perpetual complexity that goes into managing land that has many different uses. From ranchers, researchers to recreational users, each area can have its own implicated management program. However, some areas can overlap such as a public land that is free for the use of the public, but ranchers are also allowed to use the land for grazing purposes. With both of these uses in mind, land managers have to determine a policy that will satisfy the intended use of the land in a sustainable manner. Making these decisions often cause divides in groups of different interests. However, progress can only be made when common ground is found. At my first arrival in Montana, I saw a great amount of division between scientists and ranchers, with no intent of working together. However, as time passed I saw the small layer of people that were willing to attempt to cooperate with each other begin to surface.Ultimately making progress in the west is about coming to a common ground on what is important to both parties. Some will have to give and take, but in the end, these people view it as worth their while because they care about the land that they call home. These lands provide a livelyhood for them, and they view it as their responsibility to take care of the land for the next caretaker once their time is up. When it comes to better management of the land, all it takes is for someone to start an initiative. For example, a small group of ranchers noticed a prevalent grizzly bear problem and remarked that placing their dead cattle in designated areas may cause it. With an easy meal available, it's no wonder why the grizzly bears were making more appearances. With a solution in mind, they were able to bring all of their dead cattle to a compost site. Once the cattle have turned into soil, workers use this to reseed the edges of highways from construction projects. This story from John Carlson stuck out to me because it showed how a common issue can be solved through coming together and brainstorming simple solutions. This can lead to a wide range of possibilities on how ranchers can positively affect the land around them.
After talking to John Carlson I went on one of my usual walks. While staying at the Segar's ranch, I had taken walks every morning before our day of field trips and lessons began. Surprisingly, I was able to learn a lot about the west from taking short walks every morning. One aspect that was easy to recognize is the wide range of temperatures that can occur within a day in the west. When I began my walk I'd wear a flannel over my t-shirt to help keep me warm. I would also be wearing shorts despite the fact that I knew I'd be more comfortable in pants. The reason for this is because early in the morning the air would still be cool and crisp from the low night temperatures. However, towards the end of my walk, I'd have to take my flannel off from the rising temperature. It amazed me how within an hour of my walk the temperature could change that much as the sun rises. I was also able to let my mind roam while aimlessly walking on the dirt road. These walks were where I did most of my looking back on the adventures our professors took us on. With each passing day, I would look at the cattle with a slightly different mindset than the previous morning. By the end they weren't simply a herd of cattle anymore; they became an entity of controversy that symbolizes the different views of how land in the west should be utilized.
Another animal that has a lot of controversy surrounding it is the Bison. Many people want to use Bison instead of cattle for meat production and for the use of keeping grasslands grazed. Some view Bison as a more efficient way of grazing grasslands since they evolved on the prairie and are honed into the ecology of the prairie. This makes them easier to manage in the aspect of providing food, water, and shelter. Unlike cattle, Bison only need to drink once a day and then travel miles from a water source to continue grazing. When it comes to food consumption, Bison are much easier to take care of because their large heads allow them to break through the snow to gain access to the forage below. This allows their owners to not have to readily supply food to them during the harsh winter, saving labor and money. This is only one factor of many concerning the differences between Bison and cattle, but with this, I view Bison as a smarter choice in production and range management. We were taken to Fort Belknap to see the herd that the Assiniboine and Gros Ventre's owned. Bronc Speak Thunder was the main person who watched over the herd, and when he spoke to us about the herd it wasn't difficult to recognize the love and pride he had invested into the herd. As he was talking I noticed there was one aspect that was different about how he explained managing his Bison herd. When talking about the ranchers that were established around the reservation, he referred to them as his "neighbors." Throughout the entire three weeks that I've been in Montana, I've surprisingly never heard anyone else use this term. He emphasized how important it is to be a "good neighbor" when it comes to trying to keep the Bison contained, even if it meant having to put segments of fence up. However, throughout more of Bronc's talk, I noticed how some of the ranchers surrounding their land weren't trying to practice being a good neighbor. If it happened to be a harsh winter and some of the Bison managed to cross into the rancher's land looking for food, the rancher had no hesitation to contact the police and exploit the manner into a dramatic situation. While in the reverse situation when the cattle venture onto the tribal land, Bronc merely contacts the rancher to let him know their cattle has wandered onto their land. Nevertheless, there are still ranchers surrounding the tribal lands that return the action of being a good neighbor.Although three weeks may seem like plenty of time to explore an area, there was still so much more the vast state of Montana had in store for us to see. Even so, this class has enabled me to see how life carries out on the prairie and how there is so much more to it than cattle roaming aimlessly over thousands of acres. I've also realized that progress needs to be made in agreeing on range management policies to increase the health of grassland. However, progress is only going to be made if and when more people begin to realize that just as Bronc is doing, more landowners need to practice being a good neighbor. This simple way of interacting is especially important for neighbors who have different uses of their land, such as having Bison or cattle. By being a good neighbor and communicating, it will make it easier for both sides to see common values and allow them to come to agree on ways to manage for both of their benefits. This is key to coming to conclusions in a timely manner instead of continuously arguing over who needs to change their current management style. I plan on returning in the future to show my family the astonishing landscapes that make up Montana and much of the west. I also hope to see the progress that ranchers and scientists will make together in managing the land they hold so dear to their hearts.
