Almost $7 million of Inflation Reduction Act dollars will go to the Hi-Line Sagebrush Anchor which is home to sage-grouse, waterfowl, elk, deer and pronghorn, and a popular hunting and fishing spot in north central Montana.
Regional U.S. Bureau of Land Management project manager Matt Comer said the area saw a history of homesteading.
“Beavers were trapped off the landscape long ago too,” said Comer. “And with that, we lost lots of riparian habitats. So, we’re trying to get back some of those different processes. Similar to what beavers do, and hopefully beavers in places where they’re tolerated too, to get these wetlands back.”
He said management actions include building dams for beavers, thinning down clusters of trees for fire prevention and installing more wildlife-friendly grazing fences for easy animal thru-traffic.
The Blackfoot-Clark Fork and the Missouri Headwaters Restoration Landscapes in western Montana will each receive nearly $10 million dollars in funding. The Bureau of Land Management Montana/Dakotas will provide more information through a virtual public meeting Wednesday, October 18 starting at 11:30 a.m.
