Having a community will aid in managing land better

Guest post by student Liz Cutler -

As I approached the final segment of this summer session, I reminded myself of what I had learned thus far and what I hoped to learn during these last few days. I found much of what I learned from guest speakers to be incredibly valuable. It allowed me to understand their perspectives on many of Montana’s issues, as well as reveal issues I wasn’t even aware of.  These last few days helped sharpen my understanding of sustainability in Montana, and how even the smallest details can make the biggest impact. 

When speaking to Pfister and Solf, I hadn’t considered there were courses already available to ranchers and landowners, allowing them to learn and grow a community together. Once these lengthy courses are complete, these ranchers and landowners continue to work with one another and regularly check up on each other. These courses focus on how to manage land in order to meet the landowner or rancher’s goal. Landowners who want to have wildlife on their land to hunt have to learn to graze their land, while ranchers have to understand that having canopy cover allows more nutritious grass to grow. Essentially, balance is everything. Getting rid of all the trees would have drastic consequences, but not managing the land is just as bad.

Traveling to the battlefield of Little Bighorn felt odd, especially after reading what had taken place there. This battle was incredibly complex and holds a lot of historical significance as a symbol of Native American resistance against the encroachment of white colonizers. It represents a moment of defiance, heroism, and resilience against the forced removal and suppression of indigenous peoples during the westward expansion. Even still, the battle and lives lost requires sensitivity and respect, regardless of which side. The battle of Little Bighorn was a human tragedy that holds lasting impacts on individuals, communities, and families. I felt the weight of this battle after seeing a giant chokecherry overlooking the battlefield, holding dozens of tied cloths left by indigenous peoples. These symbolize the lasting perspectives of respect and emotional weight this battle holds. That being said, I found it valuable to spend some time focusing on the historical aspects of Montana instead of just agriculture and wildlife.

I found the trip to Fort Keough to be interesting. While I normally find research to be fascinating, I felt uneased by this research center’s perspective. I want to spend this portion of my reflection giving my truthful and respectful opinion. The talk given about soil was incredibly confusing, and I found myself having a difficult time understanding any of it. I was unable to take away much from the conversation. When learning about their research herd, I found it strange they held so much pride in their line breeding. When Jay complained about only having a 75 head herd this year, I only imagined the amount of line breeding what weighed on their cattle’s reproductive abilities. In the simplest way possible, I found the visit to Fort Keough to be strange and unproductive.

I found this final portion of the class to be informative in many aspects. I appreciated the trip to Little Bighorn and found the talk with the extension agents to be incredibly interesting. Nature is something that should never be controlled, rather worked with. Having a community will aid in managing land better and creating an environment where wildlife, forage, and cattle can thrive. I left this portion having a more rounded grasp on the relationship between ranchers, landowners, and the wildlife of Montana’s prairie.