Glacier-Two Medicine Alliance PROJECT BRIEF

Living on this landscape since the times when grizzlies numbered in the tens of thousands and roamed all the way to the Mississippi River, members of the Blackfeet Nation are now witnessing the great bear’s expansion back onto these historic prairie homes. Along the northern end of the Rocky Mountain Front, the Glacier-Two Medicine Alliance is helping increase access to bear safety resources so communities there can coexist with these pioneering bears.

Cattle country with plenty of livestock attractants, the area is also seeing an increase in new residents and short term vacation renters who are not always educated about best practices for being in bear country. The Alliance has distributed education flyers to address this issue and hosted other community outreach events. With support from Vital Ground’s grant program they have also hosted bear spray trainings and are providing bear spray to community members, especially focused on tribal hunters, youth leaders and those who cannot otherwise access this important tool. For ranchers and agricultural producers on the rural Blackfeet Nation, they are also helping with electric fencing to secure attractants.