A group of wildlife biologists from the Forest Service and FWP have compiled recommendations, along with a discussion of their conversations and the relevant literature, for elk habitat management.
2013 Forest Service/Montana FWP Collaborative Elk Habitat Management Recommendations (PDF)
The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks has long recognized the importance of sagebrush/grassland vegetative communities as wildlife habitat. Efforts to manipulate these communities concern FWP because of the potential implications to wildlife.
Some groups believe sagebrush control generally will have beneficial results for wildlife, even if the primary reason for a particular program is to produce more livestock forage. FWP has taken part in and endorsed programs designed to alter vegetation for wildlife habitat improvements. However, FWP takes strong exception to the generalization by some that mature sagebrush stands are even-aged monocultures lacking the diversity necessary for optimum wildlife habitat.
There are a number of questions regarding sagebrush control that need to be addressed. For example: (1) Do we need to regulate sagebrush stands to keep them productive for wildlife? and (2) What are the short- and long-term ecological consequences of sagebrush eradication practices (particularly burning) to the entire vegetative community?
In order to address these and other pertinent questions, FWP has referred to the literature on the major topics covered by this report.
A summary of research conducted by Richard Wallestad and others on sage-grouse from the mid-1960s through the early 70s in the Yellow Water Triangle of Petroleum and Fergus Counties, Montana.
Life History and Habitat Requirements of Sage Grouse in Central Montana (PDF)
The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Wilderness Reference Manual was developed to give guidance to FWP employees with wilderness area management responsibilities, an information guideline to pertinent federal laws and regulations as they interact with particular FWP management actions within those wilderness areas. Additionally, the current wilderness areas are identified along with their respective federal land managing agencies and any cooperative managing agreements or memoranda of understandings that may be in place. Learn more
Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks is responsible for noxious weed management on more than 508,000 acres spread across 491 sites in Montana. FWP uses the latest integrated noxious weed management methods to help protect Montana’s public lands, including herbicide application, mechanical control, biological control insects, and by managing for healthy plant communities through prescribed grazing. The following reports document and track FWP’s efforts to contain and eradicate noxious weeds.
The Montana Lake Book explains how lakes function, how they are threatened and how they can be protected. It also spells out simple actions you can take to help protect and preserve the lakes of Montana.
Montana Lake Book (PDF)
Wildlife Friendly Fences (PDF)
In the past 40 years, rural residential development has increased dramatically in the Rocky Mountain West. Development has diverse impacts on wildlife and has been linked to modified species behavior, such as avoidance of areas near development and human activity, interrupted dispersal and movement patterns, restricted distributions and population declines.
Urbanization is the primary cause of species endangerment and a leading threat to biodiversity in the contiguous U.S. This report reviews the relevant literature addressing how suburban and exurban growth influences Montana fauna, including fish, reptiles and amphibians, birds, and mammals.