The Great Plains Community
Guest post by Clemson Montanan Summer Program student Neelia Heath
The Rancher’s Stewardship Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, and the American Prairie Reserve. What do these three organizations all have in common? All three organizations are trying to preserve something that was once there or will soon be gone. These three organizations have all taken the initiative to achieve something other than the average person or rancher. Most have past lives or current lives devoted to something else. They use what little free time they have, to care not only about the prairie, but to the community inhabiting the great plains.
It was refreshing to see ranchers defending their home and community. Often, I feel as if ranchers are targeted by outsiders. Both individually and through the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, Montana ranchers are teaming up to preserve the land they grew up in and actually know about. Furthermore, they aren’t shy to work with other organizations as well. I think that if we ever want the most biodiverse ecosystem to continue to flourish, we must consider all factors and learn how they can coexist, not necessarily harmoniously, but in the best effective way possible.
Throughout the three days in Phillips County we visited three organizations which, although they had similar conservation mindsets and overall goals, had different models to go about their plans. The most differences I recognized were between The Nature Conservancy and American Prairie Reserve. The Nature Conservancy seemed smaller-scale and more community focused, causing more positive feedback from the Great Plains inhabitants. Despite the various opinions of the American Prairie Reserve, they do work with the community as well. However, they seem to be more exclusive compared to TNC. Moreover, their overall plan seems big and bold because they are attempting to obtain and piece together 3 ½ million acres, regardless whether land is private or not.
Discussing the American Prairie Reserve (APR) with the Rancher’s Stewardship Alliance and The Nature Conservancy stirred up mixed emotions that caused us to be skeptical, so I certainly had some suspicions when meeting APR manager Damien Austin. Honestly, I was impressed. Sometimes, I feel as if we somehow forget that employees of corporations are human too. Damien explained that he is from Billings and that his children go to school with children on nearby ranchers who would ultimately be affected. Therefore, he wouldn’t want anything happening to his family either. Damien mentioned how APR holds community meetings to work with and inform ranchers about APR. However, based on what I heard from area ranchers, I think APR must work harder at explaining their goals, work with the community, and try to build a positive reputation. Because if they continue with these negative misconceptions, soon no private ranchers will want to do business with them, and their goal of piecing 3 ½ million acres will be a dream.
It was refreshing to see ranchers defending their home and community. Often, I feel as if ranchers are targeted by outsiders. Both individually and through the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, Montana ranchers are teaming up to preserve the land they grew up in and actually know about. Furthermore, they aren’t shy to work with other organizations as well. I think that if we ever want the most biodiverse ecosystem to continue to flourish, we must consider all factors and learn how they can coexist, not necessarily harmoniously, but in the best effective way possible.
Throughout the three days in Phillips County we visited three organizations which, although they had similar conservation mindsets and overall goals, had different models to go about their plans. The most differences I recognized were between The Nature Conservancy and American Prairie Reserve. The Nature Conservancy seemed smaller-scale and more community focused, causing more positive feedback from the Great Plains inhabitants. Despite the various opinions of the American Prairie Reserve, they do work with the community as well. However, they seem to be more exclusive compared to TNC. Moreover, their overall plan seems big and bold because they are attempting to obtain and piece together 3 ½ million acres, regardless whether land is private or not.
Discussing the American Prairie Reserve (APR) with the Rancher’s Stewardship Alliance and The Nature Conservancy stirred up mixed emotions that caused us to be skeptical, so I certainly had some suspicions when meeting APR manager Damien Austin. Honestly, I was impressed. Sometimes, I feel as if we somehow forget that employees of corporations are human too. Damien explained that he is from Billings and that his children go to school with children on nearby ranchers who would ultimately be affected. Therefore, he wouldn’t want anything happening to his family either. Damien mentioned how APR holds community meetings to work with and inform ranchers about APR. However, based on what I heard from area ranchers, I think APR must work harder at explaining their goals, work with the community, and try to build a positive reputation. Because if they continue with these negative misconceptions, soon no private ranchers will want to do business with them, and their goal of piecing 3 ½ million acres will be a dream.
