The Cowboys Versus The Conservationists
Guest post by Clemson student Katherine Martin
There's a battle happening right in the heart of the Montana prairie. Not one fought with guns and armies, but rather money and infl uence. A battle where tradition can triumph over truth and nature can overtake man's heart. Misunderstanding and misinformation spread like wildfi re across these plains, harming both cowboys and conservationists. What can act as a break for this passionate fi re of misdeeds? I believe the answer is science, community, and a nice long talk over unsweetened tea.
My last week has been spent camping under the big Montana sky on a section of land owned by the American Prairie. As a group, we have met with ranchers, nonprofit conservation organizations, and Ph.D. students out here studying the land and its inhabitants. I've learned that the Montana prairie is a political hotbed in which land and its use are the key dispute. Several different players are present on the plain: The American Prairie (AP), The Ranchers, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance (RSA). However, most of the debate occurs around AP and the ranchers.
The American Prairie is a nonprofit organization determined to return the plains of Montana to the way it was 200 years ago. Their goals involve returning the landscape to its original inhabitants: the American bison, prairie dogs, sage grouse, and many more previous residents. In terms of sustainability, they are the epicenter; however, not everyone agrees with their methods. AP is buying land from retiring ranchers to turn into their ideal nature reserve. Their mass land purchases have created a confl ict of interest between the ranchers and AP.
Montana has a long history of ranching in which ranchers have maintained familial plots of land and cattle for over a hundred years. Their roots run deep, and their strong traditions have become a fact of life. Losing their land and their neighbor's land to AP has created a tense atmosphere of hostility towards the nonprofit group. Ranchers are worried about losing their way of life and their primary source of income to these upcoming conservation groups. So, who and what is here to help alleviate these tensions and build relations between the opposing groups?
The Nature Conservancy and the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance have realized that a divided land can not prosper. These organizations are working to bridge the gap between the ranchers and AP. TNC owns and leases large chunks of land to operate as a grass bank where ranchers can come and graze their cattle. This grass bank has enabled them to motivate ranchers to conserve the wildlife on their properties by offering discounts. The more prairie dog towns a rancher has, the cheaper it will be for them to use the grass bank. This initiative makes it possible for conservation and cattle to exist in the same space. RSA is following a similar approach concerning migration-friendly fencing. They are working to help ranchers replace their barbed wire fences with pronghorn-friendly electric fencing. RSA's primary focus is helping to herald a new generation of ranchers that are both business and conservation-minded.
This landscape needs both ranchers and conservationists. Without grazing, the grasses would become unruly; however, without bison and prairie dogs, the landscape would not be able to maintain the diversity it does today. Compromise is desperately needed on this land. The information that scientists are working on bringing to the table can help bring about this compromise. An example is Ethan's research, which will shed light on the effects of bison grazing. Hopefully, as the science surrounding the effects of different wildlife on the land improves, so will the public's opinions. Ranchers and American Prairie cannot deny the science that bison, prairie dogs, and cattle benefit the land.
Ultimately, the American Prairie and the ranchers highly value and love the land they are on. Rest for the people of this land comes down to a willingness to break tradition and an openness to respect those who have grown up on these plains.
