uniBuyer Beware: American Prairie Reserve vs. Save the Cowboy

Truth, like gold, is a commodity hard to find in a world of deceit.

Disclaimer: The following editorial is framed by my opinion, but is also based on research from documents that can be found on mt.gov., Charity navigator, Cortera, AmericanPrairie.org, and stateparks.mt.gov

Environmentalists are being deceived daily. Who wouldn't love the romanticism of a wild buffalo herd. All one must do is cite a "study" and narrate it with the magic words "environment", and "conservation", file your 501c3 (code that allows federal tax exemption to non-profit organizations), and suddenly well intentioned nature lovers are throwing money your way. Yes, a foundation may be nonprofit, but that doesn't mean that plenty of cash isn't finding pockets.

True environmentalists, defined by Webster as: a person, or persons who are concerned with, or advocates the protection of the environment, are more truthfully known as farmers, ranchers, cowboys, hunters and fishermen. They live, breathe and eat nature. They are immersed with the coexistence of the land and animals. They are not planning their herd from an office somewhere in Bozeman and Missoula. They are learning the land, the animals, the waterways. When its broke they fix it, when it doesn't work they engineer it. They solve their own problems, daily tend to the animals in their care, and help maintain with nature while struggling against regulations, financial burdens, and deceitful narratives of a modern environmentalist think tank that knows how to leverage large amounts of money for causes cooked up in city universities, and aided by media.

The American Prairie Reserve (APR) has three main goals. First, to build a genetically pure, free roaming herd of 10,000 bison. Second, to consume deeded and government lands surrounding the CMR National Wildlife Reserve, till they have a 3.5 Million acre access of open range with the removal of interior fences. A "return to nature". Third, Money. Let's face it, this could probably be agenda number one. How?, through tourism, federal grants, and donations, and connected businesses. Ok, I added the third agenda, however, they are already advertising for tourism, already receiving grants and donations. They have an affiliated company called Wild Sky Beef who is contracting beef from local ranches, and a stated income from Montana Prairie Holdings LLC within their 2016 Financial Statements, so it leads to its own conclusion.

"America's Serengeti" It sounds ideal, right? The National Geographic thinks so, and has helped to spread the word. Many foreign entities have already sent piles of money to donate to such a worthy cause, as well as local supporters that you might not have expected such as Wheat Montana, who sponsored them during an educational event on "Preserving the prairie ecosystem in Montana", in Three Forks, Montana in July 2018.

In order for the American Prairie Reserve to pursue this dream, they must have "Special Variances". One such example is that much of the Public Lands that they are seeking access to are managed by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management). They would like the BLM to allow them to remove interior fences that have been put in place to better manage use of the public land, and protect it from overgrazing. They would like to remove said fences to allow the bison to "roam". So APR has sought special "Variance", which at this time has yet to be ruled on. Perhaps this delay is because of the diligence of a group of concerned ranchers.

Open grazing is a threat to the ecosystem that the APR is denying in letter and deed. In fact, they publicly declare the opposite. In their 2016 Request for Variance, p.5 (3.0) They claim that "The BLM concludes, regarding the various alternatives, including the change of use from cattle to bison, that: The proposed action and the alternatives considered would not affect rangeland vegetation. Its expected standards for rangeland health would continue to be met and no degradation to the resource would occur." However, according to House Joint Resolution NO. 28, there it is stated, "The existing BLM designation for managed grazing is what science dictates the rangeland can support", and" it is the responsibility of the BLM to ensure the future vitality of these public parcels is protected", and "the removal of interior fences will eliminate the ability of the BLM to control the access of bison to certain parcels to shorten grazing permits in response to drought or fire to protect the rangeland."

Open grazing will change the dynamic of the range, it is a threat to the existing wildlife, using its natural forage, and forcing the current resident wildlife to compete for the same opportunities, often pushing many animals onto neighboring lands. An influx of new animals to an area creates an issue with the carrying capacity of that area. Which is why the public lands are managed with many restrictions. The BLM requires a certain number of AU (animal units...animals) per acre for lease. They also require that it not be used year-round for grazing. "April through September, May through October" says Roger Siroky of Save the Cowboy group. Giving the land opportunity to revive after a grazing season. The BLM has used their own scientific studies to determine what a good rate of AU is to keep the range healthy. The BLM must not show favor in their standards and rules, and APR must be held to the same standard as any other lessee of BLM grounds.

Further, hard winters, drought, or other disasters will push the bison to find the nearest easy feeding opportunity, which could likely be the neighbor's hay stack. It is hard enough for a rancher to prepare and conserve for their own herds in difficult times, but knowing that a four strand fence is all that is between your herd and hungry bison twice the size of your cattle is daunting. The proposed fencing is enough for any neighboring ranchers to break out in a sweat. The intended fence is to be a mere 45 inches tall with only two strands of barbed wire, a middle strand of hot wire, and a smooth wire for the bottom. Not great for calves staying in, and mama bison will follow.

Open grazing was done before lands were homesteaded. However, the open range was everywhere, and the Native people and animals moved as the seasons changed and grazing and survival opportunities came and went. Just previous to the homestead era, those who were moving west with herd animals were continually with the herd, on horseback, cowboys, or shepherds, watched for predators, containing the herds in ranges, and moving them from area to area for fresh forage. The herd animals were never left to fend for themselves as the APR proposes to do with their bison. As more people moved into the area, the ranges became smaller. It became more efficient and fruitful to land, animal, and producer to fence "pastures". Using a rotation system, there would be continuous new grazing for herds while other pastures rested and regrew. Though the media would tell otherwise, this is environmentalism (taking care of your surroundings). Regarding the health and nurture of herd, and pasture. We are no longer a nomadic society, and therefore it is no longer functional to force herds back into a nomadic lifestyle that will likely include starvation and poor health.

Save the Cowboy is a group of concerned local land owners who are raising money to "Bring awareness to their (APR) donors" says John Rollyson. The fundraisers are used to raise funds to retain professionals who will help defend current management practices and prevent potential abuses by the APR, such as the "Variance"request to the BLM.

Save the Cowboy wants to be heard not just by locals living and working in the area, but to all who love the freedom of the outdoors and all it has to offer. Save the Cowboy considers APR a real threat to their livelihood, and to the outdoorsman community.

Another concern Save the Cowboy has with APR, is APR's commitment to having an unmanaged bison herd. Brucellosis being a main concern as it can be transmitted between bison, cattle, deer, and elk populations, and is a health risk to consumers. Diseases can spread rapidly and be hard to stop once spreading begins. Without herd management or a vaccination program, the APR bison could create an additional threat. Also, it is said that APR would like to introduce more predators, namely bear and wolves, as a natural population control to their herds.

As Roger Siroky states, "There's a thousand and one reasons why cattle ranching and the APR cannot coexist." "They are thinking they are going to get along and coexist with us, but it is going to be one or the other of us. We cannot coexist with wolves coming over into our cattle herds. It just does not work. They are not going to be able to fence them in."

John Rollyson asks, "How are they going to manage emergency and fire control?" Many other questions arise as time passes.

The CMR is one of the last best deer and elk populations. If APR takes the open range strategies of Yellowstone National Park, there would likely be "No hunting left" according to John Rollyson, on CMR, due to loss of wildlife caused by new predation and ecosystem change. There are already established buffalo ranges in the United States. Three of which are, Yellowstone National Park, The National Bison Range at Moeise, and in North Dakota Badlands, the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. One has to wonder why another is needed, when the CMR Reserve has long been a sanctuary for Elk and deer pushed out of other areas by predators.

In an attempt to "coexist", the APR has created relations with ranchers by offering premium beef prices through their Wild Sky Beef. Several ranchers are part of the program already. Perhaps they do not know what their beef is supporting, just as some donors may not know the true extent of a natural habitat that the APR will be changing.

So often things aren't as simple as face value. There are real lives and cultures that are about to be changed that you will never see from the cover page of a website. The next Save the Cowboy sign you see, consider the cost that the change the APR makes to the lives of many.

There are many facets to APR vs. Save the Cowboy. When terms like "conservation" and "environment" are used, it is often a sales pitch. Buyer beware. It's good to do research on this topic if it concerns you, and form your own opinion as you are consider either side of the coin you might donate.