State Wildlife Grant - T-55-R

Ranching developed in western North Dakota in the 1870’s and today many farms are diversified, raising both crops and livestock. 

Beef cattle are raised in every county in North Dakota and where there are cattle, there are grasslands. 

However, less than one-quarter of the state remains as pasture or ranchland – or as natural resource professionals refer, native prairie grasslands. Ranching is vital to saving the remaining native prairie grasslands. 

There is growing demand from consumers for grass-fed and grass-finished beef, pastured pork and poultry, and other products raised in a holistic and wildlife-friendly manner. 

The ranching community and grassland advocates can maximize these common goals to promote and expand working ranchlands to benefit wildlife and people. 

The purpose of this project is to cover costs associated with grantee staff doing outreach with private landowners, assessment of conservation values, and processing of conservation agreements that maintain grasslands and wetlands in the Missouri Coteau region to protect the grassland habitat while supporting the sustainability of new and existing livestock ranches.