Photos by Mark Sommer
RECIPIENT OF THE MONTANA WETLAND STEWARDSHIP AWARD in May 2009, the 2,300-acre Bird Creek Ranch in Cascade County is a model project that clearly shows the natural synergy of agricultural production and wildlife habitat conservation. The Ranch, in striving to conserve its colorful history as well as its rightful place in Montana’s future, has also conserved critically important wetlands and riparian areas as well as valuable open space. Through their current stewardship of the ranch’s resources, the Bird Creek Ranch owners are creating invaluable educational and recreational opportunities for people from places far and wide, now and into the future.
IN WORKING WITH ITS MANY CONSERVATION PARTNERS, the Bird Creek Ranch owners placed the entire property into permanent conservation status via easements completed in 2007.
In doing so, they conserved forever 300 acres of wetlands including a 118-acre oxbow wetland of the Missouri River; 3.3 miles of Missouri River frontage; four miles of Bird Creek riparian areas; and several hundred acres of cropland and grazing land. Habitat enhancement projects have included riparian fencing, development of off-site livestock watering areas, and wetland restoration and rehabilitation. These habitat enhancements have resulted in improved habitat for mule and white-tailed deer, pronghorn antelope, upland game birds, neotropical migratory birds, waterfowl, shorebirds, a pair of nesting bald eagles, and a host of other wildlife.
This vital piece of the Montana landscape and the Missouri River floodplain is now a living classroom, providing field experiences for education on a variety of historical, agricultural, and natural resource conservation topics. The Bird Creek Ranch is truly a model for conservation in Montana that the Montana Wetlands Legacy Partners are working to replicate in other conservation focus areas.
