A Message From The President

Dear Friends of American Prairie Reserve,

This month we are pleased to highlight three titles that are part of a collection of more than one hundred books for children and adults by APF National Council member Dorothy Hinshaw Patent. Betsy Robinson, Wild Things Unlimited co-founder, has good news to report after completing an extensive survey of the Reserve’s grassland birds. Our short Montana summer has been packed full of wonderful visits. We hosted a prairie safari for members of Montana Wilderness Association and Montana Audubon, as well as our first Montana women’s safari. Our new brochure describing key aspects of APF’s impact on the local economy is ready for distribution and WWF’s innovative bison study is well underway. As always, our most sincere thanks goes to you for your continued support. Come see us on the prairie!

Sincerely,

Sean Gerrity
APF President

Photo by L. Ryker

MT Wilderness Association and MT Audubon Attend Prairie Safari

American Prairie Foundation hosted a prairie safari for a combined group from Montana Wilderness Association and Montana Audubon July 18th through 20th. They met the bison herd, did some early morning birding, hiked several Wilderness Study areas, took hundreds of photos and toured by car and foot over the core areas of the Reserve. Two evenings were spent at the Yurt Camp. After fine meals, the 25 participants enjoyed discussions with APF, WWF and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff. All left with huge smiles and a better understanding of the importance of this vast expanse of native prairie left here in their own state.

Photo by D. Lingohr

First Montana Women’s Safari Hosted on APR

TWe were honored to host the first Montana Women’s Safari this past spring on the Reserve. The gathering was the brainchild of National Council member Dorothy Bradley. The purpose of this unique gathering was to solicit feedback on our project from some of the most influential women in Montana. Fifteen women from all walks of life joined us for a two-day tour and “think-tank” in late May. The group consisted of ranchers, officials in state government, university professors, conservation leaders, attorneys and others. Their diverse opinions and excellent advice helps shape our thinking about how APF can best affect the future of conservation in Montana. Many thanks to Dorothy Bradley and co-hosts Helena Maclay and Stephenie Ambrose Tubbs for convening such a dynamic group of women.

Photos by D. Hargreaves

APF and Community

An often-expressed concern about establishing any new use of land is the impact that it may have on the local social fabric and economy. To address this issue for American Prairie Reserve, APF has produced a new brochure entitled the “American Prairie Foundation and the Community.” The brochure briefly outlines how APF contributes monetarily to the local economy as well as strives to be a good neighbor in the community. This includes providing cultural, educational and public recreational access to the exceptional resources offered by American Prairie Reserve. Please contact us if you would like a copy of the brochure or visit our website to download a copy.

WW F Update: Bison Study

World Wildlife Fund, APF and the Boone and Crockett program at University of Montana (UM) are embarking on a innovative study of the comparative use of bison and cattle on the prairie landscape. Since spring 2009, UM graduate students have been monitoring both species. The bison are located in APF’s newly expanded 14,000-acre study area and the cattle are grazing in a similar habitat nearby. WWF scientists and APF Reserve managers have placed GPS radio collars on both species in order to accurately monitor their respective movements and ecological impacts. APF and WWF are grateful for the funding provided for this study by the Murdock Foundation. We look forward to working with our ranching neighbors on this project.

Photos by D. Lingohr

What We're Reading Now. . .
Three Books by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent

Plants on the Trail with Lewis and Clark, with photos by William Muñoz, 2003 (Clarion, 10 and up)

Animals on the Trail with Lewis and Clark, with photos by William Muñoz, 2003 (Clarion, 10 and up)

Life in a Grassland, with photos by William Muñoz, 2002 (Lerner, 10 and up)

Would you like to find a few good books for children’s and grandchildren’s birthdays, gifts and back-to-school book reports? Dorothy Patent Hinshaw has an amazing collection of science and nature books certain to satisfy the inquisitive minds of both children and adults. With a writing career spanning over 35 years, this prolific Missoula-based Montana writer shares her love of the natural world, human cultures and history. Shown here are just a few of her nonfiction books, complemented by photo-illustrator William Muñoz’s full color images that are featured on almost every page.

Bird Diversity Study
by Betsy Robinson, Wild Things Unlimited Co-founder

Four years ago this spring, my husband Steve Gehman and I spent six fascinating weeks on the fledgling American Prairie Reserve, conducting baseline bird surveys on the grasslands and riparian areas (creeks, wetlands and ponds) of the Reserve. In May and June this year, we returned to conduct repeat surveys on existing riparian areas and to begin surveys in the newer portions of the Reserve.

Bird abundance and diversity are two of the keys to a healthy ecosystem, and healthy riparian areas are key to healthy bird populations. We found that bird diversity is on the rise, with both nesting and migrating birds present in more northerly areas, and we look forward to watching these important areas continue improving over the coming years, providing even more homes for our fine-feathered friends.

Photos by D. Lingohr