Monday, June 20, 2022

MDF Receives Funds to Hire Dakota Grasslands Habitat Partnership Coordinator

“In the past five years the Mule Deer Foundation in North Dakota has been initiating projects with private landowners and bringing in partners from industry and volunteer workforces. As a result, 25 miles of fence have been removed or modified to wildlife friendly designs, and in 2021 a project to reduce juniper encroachment affected over 1,500 acres of habitat,” said MDF Director of Conservation Steve Belinda. “The Dakota Grasslands habitat partnership coordinator will be our first conservation staff person with an emphasis on the eastern range of mule deer, which is dominated by private land with intermixed federal and state lands. We are excited about the potential with federal, state, and private landowners on cross-boundary projects that improve the critical mixed-grass ecosystems found in the project area.”

The Dakota Grasslands is a key focal area for NFWF’s Northern Great Plains program and consists of grasslands and sagebrush dominated habitats that are highly productive for pronghorn, mule deer, sage grouse, and numerous other grassland and sagebrush obligate species. State and federal agency partners have highlighted the need for cross-agency, partner coordination and planning for cumulative efforts to occur in the region. MDF’s Dakota Grasslands habitat partnership coordinator will provide critical new capacity to network across state, federal, tribal, and private lands to implement landscape-scale habitat conservation in the region. Priority projects will include grassland habitat restoration through conifer removal, cheatgrass control/eradication, rangeland fire restoration, grazing management, and fencing modifications. Riparian restoration activities will focus on restoring wet meadow or riparian areas through structure placement (e.g., Zeedyk structures and beaver mimicry) and habitat improvements.

“Mule Deer Foundation chapters and partners have been active in the Dakotas for several years, organizing volunteer workdays to modify fencing to wildlife-friendly designs, remove invasive junipers, and restore riparian areas,” said Marshall Johnson, MDF’s director of field operations who also leads MDF’s efforts in the Dakotas. “Having an MDF habitat partnership coordinator in this region who can take the lead on developing and implementing these projects in coordination with our existing partners will significantly increase the amount of work we can get done together. This will benefit mule deer but also hundreds of other species that depend on our native grasslands.”

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About MDF
The Mule Deer Foundation is the only conservation group in North America dedicated to restoring, improving, and protecting mule deer and black-tailed deer and their habitat, with a focus on science and program efficiency. MDF is a strong voice for hunters in access, wildlife management and conservation policy issues. MDF acknowledges regulated hunting as a viable management component and is committed to recruitment and retention of youth into the shooting sports and conservation. Get involved in your state or become a member at www.muledeer.org or call 801-973-3940

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Contact: Marshall Johnson – marshall@muledeer.org or (701) 989-4488