One Of The Largest Conservation Undertakings In American History Ensuring The Great Plains' Diverse Ecosystem Thrives
The middle of the United States is almost entirely comprised of an area we call the Great Plains. This enormous expanse of flat land extends East from the Rocky Mountains all the way to the Mississippi River and runs from as far North as the Manitoba and Alberta Provinces in Canada to as far South as Mexico. The Great Plains consisted of 500,000 square miles of steppes and prairies that were home to the huge herds of Bison that became the iconic image of the American West until they were hunted to near extinction.
Today less than 2% of the prairies survive. Most have been turned to agricultural purposes utilizing the flat topography and rich soil to grow a variety of crops. Others have been lost to urbanization and development. What was once great has been dwindling for centuries.
But today efforts exist to reverse that trend. In fact, The American Prairie Reserve represents one of the largest conservation undertakings in American history as it attempts to ensure the Great Plains are around for future generations to enjoy and for a diverse ecosystem to thrive. All they need is roughly 3,000,000 acres. You read that right. 3,000,000 acres, which would make the American Prairie Reserve the largest park in the lower 48. Hilary Parker, the spokesperson for APR, knows that their scheme is incredibly ambitious. She admits, “The plan is just short of crazy but the dream for this place is so vibrant that it just might work.”
That vibrant passion is immediately apparent as Parker describes the origins and mission of the APR. “Back in the late 90s the conservation community realized that we’d skipped the grasslands when we set about saving all these different eco-systems. Grasslands are crucial to helping offset carbon issues and helping to scrub the air not to mention the incredible diversity of plant and animal life that exists here.” Conservation biologists determined that they’d need about 5000 square miles (approximately 3.2 million acres) in order to make a fully functioning ecosystem but finding that vast amount of land seemed inconceivable in today’s world. It wasn’t long, however, before a unique opportunity arose around an area of Montana known as the Missouri Breaks.
The APR constructed an innovative model based around the idea of acquiring private property in between large tracts of public land to literally “stitch” together one giant multi-million acre parcel. Parker recognizes the uniqueness of their plan, “What we’re doing, this combination of public and private land, has not been done before.” The Missouri Breaks area features Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument and the Charles M Russell National Wildlife Refuge whose combined area is roughly 1.5 million acres. When combined with various other public lands that exist nearby the total comes closer to 3 million but most of it is not adjacent to each other. It’s up to the APR to buy or acquire the “in between” spaces to complete the puzzle. Since their inception in 2001 they have gained another 350,000 acres putting them closer to the ultimate goal of preserving an entire ecosystem right smack dab in the middle of Montana.
For Parker there is no doubt that the hard work is worth it. She explains, “This place is special. People come here to commune with a large landscape. You can look out for 100 miles and not see anything man made. That changes people.“ Visitors can enjoy long hiking trails, vast scenery, and even wildlife that is continuing to return in greater and greater numbers. Parker elaborates, “See those 600 bison? In 10 years you’ll be sitting here watching wolves chase them.” Camping, hunting, bird watching, and night sky viewing are just a few of the activities guests can enjoy. There are dozens of camp and RV sites available throughout the year with plans to build many more to handle the growing number of visitors and adventurers who want to gaze at the iconic grasslands of the American West. Parker offers a soft warning though, “This is not rolling hills, Laura Ingles, and white aprons. It’s a rugged place, dangerous. Rattlesnakes are underfoot. Bison are free to range. Thunderstorms are a big threat in the area but the longer you sit here the more the prairie reveals itself to you. It can wake you up and put life into perspective.”
For Parker that isn’t the only appeal though, “It’s also exciting because this place is being created right now. Most parks are formed by heads of industry, and the very wealthy, but anyone can be a part of this one. This is how you can actually contribute to the fight against climate change, and restore biodiversity, by visiting or donating or becoming a member.”
The combination of adventure, environmental awareness, philanthropy, and bucolic wonder makes this park a must-see for anyone but perhaps the most compelling message the American Prairie Reserve has to offer is that sometimes doing something crazy is the most sane choice of all.
Michael Quinn
A graduate of St. Louis University in Communications with a focus in Advertising & Promotions, Michael has worked for Blue Man Group, Oito Zero Oito and Counts Media among others. His interests include DJing and Lawn Mower Disrepair.
Make Sure To Stay At:
Yellowstone River RV Park & Campground, located in Billings, Montana. It is a family operation built on property that has been family-owned for over 100 years. The immaculate grounds are in a peaceful, natural setting.