Montana's comprehensive conservation idea is based on two simple and well-accepted notions:
- living things affect other living things in shared habitats;
- no state, no matter how well intended, has the funding to conserve all species one by one, place by place, year by year.
Montana's Comprehensive Fish and Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CFWCS) is an exhaustive analysis of more than 600 species of birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians, crayfish and mussels and the places where they live. Montana's strategy is among 56 prepared by state and territorial wildlife agencies. Each outlines actions developed by scientists, anglers and hunters, conservationists and communities working together.
Montana's strategy helps fulfill a responsibility to conserve fish and wildlife and the places they live for future generations. It also brings Montana a step closer to securing permanent federal State Wildlife Grant (SWG) funding.
SWG is the nation’s core program for keeping common species common and preventing rare species from becoming endangered. About $7.5 million has been delivered to Montana since 2000.
By showing where species are doing well and where more attention is needed, the strategy lays the groundwork for long-term and affordable conservation partnerships in Montana.
On August 22, 2005, along a large, reed-ringed marsh just a few miles south of Canada and west of North Dakota, two Montana State University fish and wildlife undergrads discovered an animal no one had ever before documented in Montana.
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For Kelsey Dalton this summer is filled with traps. Kelsey and other crews throughout the
state are collecting a variety of small mamals. [View Video]
Most people are familiar with the types of fish in Montana's rivers. But in this weeks Outdoor Report, Winston Greely, tells us about one you might not know about and the study that is trying to find out more. Copies of the study are available through Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
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Researchers david schmetterling and mike young were studying fish when they stumbled onto something that changed the current thinking of an entire species.
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Click here to veiw more videos in the FWP Video Library
While Montana's much admired big game species get all the attention this hunting season, deer mice are everywhere, busily preparing for winter. Why should we care? Deer mice are small but mighty. These mice, weighing in at about half the weight of a penny at birth, are an important food source for many of the animals Montanans like to watch in the outdoors. (October 05)
For the first time, the 2007 Montana Legislature delivered general fund financial support for a new management plan that seeks to include all of Montana's fish and wildlife. Governor Brian Schweitzer requested the one-time-only $1 million appropriation of a projected $1 billion surplus in the general fund to help match Montana’s share of federal State Wildlife Grants funds. (July 13)
Montana’s first comprehensive assessment of its fish, wildlife, and habitats was submitted for federal approval this week. The assessment is the state's contribution to a national effort to keep species from being listed under the federal Endangered Species Act, and its completion keeps Montana in line to receive federal funding to conserve species in need within its borders. (September 30)
Standing dead trees, or snags, may seem to be scraggly eyesores, of value only as firewood. But snags are important pieces of the natural world. Sparing some larger dead trees from the chain saw preserves habitat for a community of cavity-dwelling birds and other wildlife species. (September 15)
A Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks crew prospecting for small mammals made a landmark discovery earlier this month, documenting an animal previously unknown in Montana. The big short-tailed shrew, a voracious insect-eating predator that could easily fit in a shirt pocket, was discovered on a federal waterfowl production area northeast of Plentywood, about 90 miles farther south and 60 miles farther west than its previous known range in North Dakota. (September 02)
A songbird survey of the lower Missouri River is just one of dozens of federally funded wildlife projects underway in Montana. A July 14 public meeting in Glasgow provides an opportunity to view and comment on a wide assessment of Montana's fish and wildlife that might benefit from other federal funding. (July 12)
A draft of Montana's contribution to a nationwide assessment of America's fish and wildlife was released today for public review by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. (July 06)
A national wildlife conservation group recently recognized Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) for his leadership in championing federal funding for state-based wildlife conservation under the State Wildlife Grants program. The Teaming With Wildlife Coalition honored the Montana senator for advocating state wildlife conservation funding and for his commitment to America’s wildlife. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks presented the award to Burns at the Teaming With Wildlife summit in Washington, D.C. (March 19)
New federal funds amounting to nearly $1.1 million will flow into Montana as its 2004 share of State Wildlife Grants, a national program aimed at funding state fish and wildlife efforts to manage species in the greatest need of conservation. “We’re grateful for the efforts of our Congressional delegation and our many supporters in securing this important fish and wildlife funding during these difficult budget times,” said FWP Director Jeff Hagener. (November 14)
There are about 18,000 miles of prairie streams in Montana but few state fisheries biologists couldn’t say for certain what’s in them. The contents of these 4,200 warm water prairie streams were only an educated guess until this summer when Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks fisheries crews began to survey these waters. FWP randomly selected 305 sites in 240 drainages in the Great Falls, Billings, Glasgow and Miles City areas this summer. (October 17)
