The Big Picture
We Believe in Making a Positive Local Impact
At American Prairie Reserve (APR), we believe in making a positive impact on local communities in the six-county region surrounding the Reserve. As a neighbor in the region, we hope to encourage mutual economic strength and build strong community relationships. We also believe that community involvement is a process of engaging in ongoing dialogue and collaboration with local residents. We seek to assist in this process through partnerships and support of volunteer resources designed to connect our neighbors with the project in meaningful ways. It is our goal to be a valuable long-term community partner and a good neighbor.
Dave M. Shumway
Positive Economic Opportunities
We also believe that a prairie reserve devoted to wildlife will promote positive economic opportunities throughout the six-county region and will encourage regional collaboration. We recognize that agriculture will remain the dominant industry in the region, but trust that visitors to American Prairie Reserve will stimulate local economic activity when they contract local guides and patronize local establishments. Additional and significant economic opportunities are born through various Reserve expenditures, such as vehicle and facility maintenance, and Reserve operations like fence-building, monitoring wildlife and paying taxes.
Progress to Date
Over $19.39 Million in Local Expenditures to Date
We track the economic impact of Reserve-related activities. Since our inception in 2001, APR’s expenditures in the region have totaled over $19.39 million, including land purchases, wages paid to local staff, tourism activities, equipment and supply purchases, payments to local contractors and real estate taxes. APR is committed to supporting and taking part in discussions about how resources associated with the Reserve can infuse and sustain the local economy. For more information, please see our Economic Impact Brochure: EconomicImpactBrochure.2011.WEB.
Additionally, APR studies the relative success of wildlife reserves around the world and gathers best practices applicable to our project that can help us to make a positive contribution to surrounding communities. We have found that similar projects have had an overwhelmingly positive impact on their communities, serving to stimulate and diversify the local economy.
Dave M. Shumway
Community Involvement Program
We have also established the APR Community Involvement Fund, which supports local communities through financial assistance to area non-profit organizations with projects related to
1) educational initiatives,
2) conservation and
3) historical and cultural preservation.
With input from local residents, a committee at APR awards grants of up to $1,000 to organizations meeting these criteria.
Another part of our Community Involvement Program is to create opportunities to invite people in the local area to learn about our work through events such as BioBlitz and casual open houses that bring local residents onto the Reserve to meet Reserve staff and see the project firsthand. We hold events each year such as community barbecues and dinners to share our project with the community.
Next Steps
APR will continue to be actively involved in the local community with the goal of contributing to a strong, viable and sustainable quality of life for all residents. We believe it is important to practice good citizenship, and we are dedicated to furthering our outreach efforts through varied and diverse projects tailored to meet the needs of our neighbors. Through our long-term regional initiatives and the Community Involvement Program, we will continue our longstanding commitment to make a positive impact on the communities we touch.