CONFLICT PREVENTION PROJECT:

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

Removing bear attractants along the Little Blackfoot Valley and Rocky Mountain Front.

Grizzly bear in sagebrush
Photo of Montana prairie and fence

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks PROJECT BRIEF

We partner with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) on everything from conservation easements to habitat restoration projects. More often than not, they’re also the state’s first responders when grizzlies and people are having trouble staying out of each other’s way.

Last year, we helped FWP equip a new central Montana bear specialist for their vital outreach work with agricultural producers. As more bears follow river corridors out of the mountains and onto the area’s working landscapes, quick and effective incident responses by FWP can prevent food rewards and habituation while encouraging landowners to implement mitigation strategies. In 2022 our collaboration kept bears out of trouble by expanding carcass pickup across 10 ranches in the countryside between the Blackfoot and Little Blackfoot rivers.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

  • State wildlife agency works to promote coexistence across Montana
  • Frequent Vital Ground partner on both habitat protection and conflict prevention
  • Little Blackfoot Valley program will improve recycling of livestock carcasses, a frequent bear attractant
  • Rocky Mountain Front program will equip landowners with nonlethal resources to scare bears from potential problem areas