Comments Sought On Prairie Dog Plan

Comments Sought On Prairie Dog Plan

Fish, Wildlife & Parks is accepting public review of and comments on a
plan that outlines various objectives for prairie dog abundance and
distribution across northeastern and north-central Montana.

The plan was developed over the past three years by FWP and the Region
6 Prairie Dog Advisory Board, a group of ranchers, conservationists,
agency representatives and business interests. The board was tasked with
developing various management strategies within the region for black-
tailed prairie dogs, a former candidate for listing under the federal
Endangered Species Act. The purpose of the plan is to help assure the
long-term conservation of sustainable prairie dog and associated species
populations in Region 6 and to comply with the requirements outlined in
the statewide Conservation Plan for Black-Tailed and White-Tailed Prairie
Dogs in Montana.

The plan submitted for public review outlines five alternatives for future
prairie dog management in the region, ranging from relatively
conservative to relatively liberal populations of dogs in colonies of various
sizes and distributions. FWP welcomes comments indicating preference
for one or more of the alternatives along with information that supports
that preference. Comments must be received by Dec. 21 in order to be
considered in the final abundance and distribution plan and
accompanying implementation strategy, scheduled for release by FWP
next year.

Citizens can learn more about the plan and the various alternatives by
viewing an electronic version of the document and accompanying
environmental assessment (EA) at http://fwp.state.mt.us/publicnotices/
notice_983.aspx, by calling FWP at 228-3700 and requesting a hard copy
of the documents, or by attending a Dec. 13 public meeting in Malta.

Copies of the plan will be available for review and formal comments
accepted at the session, which runs from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Community
Room of the First State Bank on the corner of U.S. Highway 191 and 1st
Street South. The public may also comment by emailing jelletson@mt.gov.

Prairie dogs historically ranged across much of northeastern and north-
central Montana, but a combination of extensive poisoning, loss of
habitat and plague reduced both abundance and distribution. Currently,
Region 6 contains approximately 34,500 acres of prairie dogs,
concentrated mostly in southern Phillips County. The plan details various
abundance and distribution targets, ranging from a low of about 27,000
acres of prairie dogs to a high of 49,000 acres. The plan’s preferred
alternative suggests managing for occupied habitat ranging between
30,500 and 41,400 acres, with the actual upper limit determined by
landowner tolerance, and a distribution objective of one large complex of
prairie dog towns, six to eight mid-sized concentrations and smaller
colonies distributed across historic prairie dog range in the region.

Because prairie dogs are an important native component of prairie
ecosystems and provide unique habitat for a variety of associated species,
prairie dog conservation has been underway in Montana since the late
1980s. Concern for prairie dog abundance and distribution took on
renewed urgency with the reintroduction of black-footed ferrets in Region
6 over the last decade.

Prairie dogs tend to elicit strong responses, from ranchers whose stock
compete with prairie dogs for forage, from environmentalists who pin the
recovery of endangered ferrets, burrowing owls and mountain plovers on
healthy prairie dog populations, and from recreational shooters who
make annual journeys to prairie dog country.

Those varied perspectives were represented on the Region 6 Prairie Dog
Advisory Board, says Ryan Rauscher, FWP’s native species biologist who
assisted in guiding the regional planning process.

“The board worked through tough issues with a lot of conviction and
commitment before arriving at distribution and abundance standards that
should benefit prairie dogs and associated species while minimizing
impacts to rural economies and communities,” says Rauscher. “The plan
contains the tools that will guide implementation. I can’t say enough
about the work, time and dedication that the advisory board invested in
this plan.”

The Region 6 abundance and distribution plan is the first regional plan
that dovetails with the 2002 statewide Conservation Plan.