The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $197,878 Project Grant under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074) to Colorado State University to study the effects of reintroducing free-roaming bison to 26,000 acres of montane fescue grasslands on the Blackfeet Nation's tribal lands in Montana. The project, which will run from September 2024 to August 2025, involves establishing fenced exclosures to compare grazed and ungrazed grassland areas. Data will be collected on plant species, productivity, and nutrient levels to establish a baseline understanding of the grassland ecosystem prior to bison reintroduction, enabling the Blackfeet Nation to monitor the grasslands and researchers to examine the effects of the bison reintroduction over time. The research is being conducted in collaboration with the Blackfeet Department of Fish and Wildlife and Blackfeet Community College.
Generated 1/28/25, 9:48 AM