American Prairie Reserve, Nature reserve in Montana, United States
The American Prairie Reserve is a nature reserve in Montana's Great Plains that connects over three million acres of grassland into one continuous habitat for native animals. The landscape includes rolling prairie, river valleys, and scattered woodlands where bison, elk, and wolves now roam.
This conservation project began in 2004 with a goal to restore the Northern Great Plains ecosystem to how it existed before European settlement. The landscape had been transformed over 2 centuries by ranching and farming, and recovery efforts focus on bringing back the original grassland character.
The reserve partners with Native American tribes to bring traditional ecological knowledge into prairie management and species protection. This work shows how conservation can grow from dialogue between scientists and local communities who have lived on these lands for generations.
Buffalo Camp provides 13 camping spots with tent platforms, basic facilities, and space for small groups. Bring water and supplies with you, as the nearest stores are far away and weather on the open prairie can change rapidly throughout the day.
In 2023, a grizzly bear was photographed on the reserve, a rare sign that large predators are returning to this grassland region. This sighting shows that restoring wild areas allows big animals to come back to places they had abandoned long ago.
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