Dave Crasco: American Prairie has proven to be a good neighbor and steward

As a life-long rancher, I’ll admit that when I first heard of American Prairie, I assumed the worst about them and wanted nothing to do with them. A decade later, I’m glad to have become a supporter, friend, and partner.

I’ve been a member of American Prairie’s Wild Sky program since nearly the beginning of their partnerships with local ranchers, enrolling 1,000 acres of my family’s tribal trust land in this program.

Their Cameras for Conservation project writes checks to my family every year to pay for photos of wildlife we are living with on our lands. Wild Sky has also provided us with funds to replace traditional fences with wildlife-friendly fencing, and to support coexistence with carnivores here in the Little Rocky Mountains, where bears and cougars are plentiful.

As an enrolled member of the Fort Belknap Indian Community, I appreciate American Prairie’s approach, which emphasizes stewardship and rangeland health, whether that land is grazed by bison or by cattle. They have been consistently supportive of both.

I’ve attended their bison handling, and know them to have the utmost respect for the safety of their staff, bison and neighbors.

I’ve also spent more time on American Prairie properties than almost anyone other than their staff — as a fencing contractor. I bid on and built more than 10 miles of the fence that contains bison on their White Rock property, which the BLM approved for bison grazing in 2022.

I’ve seen firsthand their commitment to keeping those bison healthy and home on that property, which they do through low stocking rates and rotations that support healthy rangelands and wildlife populations, and by building high-quality, electrified fences that are also wildlife-friendly.

I am a recent graduate of Montana State’s University REAL (Resource Education and Agriculture Leadership) program. I entered into this program so that I could use my voice to advocate for my community, and for agriculture.

I am pleased to use it now to encourage you to learn more about American Prairie’s team, their work and good stewardship.