Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP), in collaboration with the Heart of the Rockies Initiative, has secured nearly $12 million in federal funds to assist landowners in preventing conflicts with grizzly bears over the next five years. This funding includes nearly $5 million from the Department of Interior through a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant and over $6 million from the USDA’s Natural Resources and Conservation Service’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program.
FWP Director Dustin Temple emphasized the importance of conflict prevention, noting that managing land around grizzly bears can be costly for landowners. The funding aims to support the use of non-lethal tools like electric fencing, carcass removal programs, range riders, and bear-resistant garbage infrastructure. These methods have proven successful; for instance, in the Blackfoot Watershed, landowners have reduced reported grizzly bear conflicts by 90% despite a growing bear population.
Nathan Owens, policy director for the Heart of the Rockies Initiative, highlighted the value of these resources in meeting the needs of landowners who share the landscape with expanding grizzly populations. The initiative, established in 2002, is focused on conserving critical habitats and working lands.
The Heart of the Rockies Initiative will host community workshops across western Montana this winter and spring to educate landowners on accessing these funds. More details are available at heart-of-rockies.org/ccr/grants.
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