Conifer expansion across the Elk Basin on the Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Management Area. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is restoring the grasslands and removing ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir trees based on the prescription applied to three different stand types in the 3,000-acre Elk Basin Restoration Project beginning this winter.
SEELEY LAKE – This winter Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is starting the Elk Basin Restoration Project on the westside of the Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Management Area also known as the Game Range. The focus of the 3,000 acre project is grassland restoration and dealing with the conifer encroachment.
Historically in the region, the valley bottoms were expansive grasslands dominated primarily by rough fescue, Idaho fescue and bluebunch wheatgrass. Rough fescue has very high winter forage value for ungulates making it important to critical winter range.
As the valleys became more forested,...
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