Tri-State Neighbor: South Dakota Farm Newspaper

Ranchers in western South Dakota should finally see some relief from prairie dog encroachment as the U.S. Forest Service announced recently their intention to begin a one-year process to amend the Forest and Grassland Plan to provide additional prairie dog management tools on the Buffalo Gap, Oglala and Fort Pierre National Grasslands.

The Forest Service plans to complete the Environmental Impact Statement and analysis by Oct. 1, 2007.

“The Forest Service realizes that even with the extended drought we have to manage for the long-term sustainability of the basic resources - soil, water and vegetation - in areas where black-tailed prairie dogs have long-established colonies, that sustainability is in question,” said Nebraska National Forest Service supervisor Don Bright.

South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association board member and Wall area rancher Myron Williams hopes this announcement will help ease the ongoing conflict between livestock producers, wildlife interests and Forest Service managers. Williams served on a focus group appointed by the Forest Service consisting of producers, environmentalists and county commissioners. This group gave recommendations on land management techniques to control the prairie dog population. Their recommendations are the basis for the U.S. Forest Service plan.

“Cattlemen realize the importance of overall resource management and prairie dogs are one piece of that puzzle in western South Dakota. We applaud the Forest Service for respecting the rights of private property owners and recognizing the need for additional prairie dog management tools,” said Williams.

SDCA members also appreciate the support of Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., on this important issue.

“I am pleased that the Forest Service has responded to my concerns about the environmental destruction being caused by the overpopulation of prairie dogs on our grasslands. This amendment process is crucial to giving the Forest Service the opportunity for further analysis and broader management tools to protect the soil and vegetation, which are being decimated by prairie dogs,” said Thune.

The review process will take one year to complete and hopefully ranchers will see tremendous improvements and new ways to prevent the environmental destruction caused by prairie dogs.

SDCA is working to advance the interests of South Dakota’s cattlemen through the representation and promotion of the beef industry.

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