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many other wildlife species to coexist with livestock 

 production. 



Benefits of the "Prairie Management Plan" will include 

 the following: reduce the need for poisoning prairie dogs 

 every three to five years; allow for the coexistence of 

 prairie dogs with livestock; provide for the potential 

 reintroduction of the black-footed ferret by compensating 

 landowners for retaining prairie dog towns; maintain and 

 enhance wildlife diversity, including those species 

 associated with prairie dog towns; aid the recovery of 

 threatened and endangered species; enhance populations of 

 candidate species to prevent listing; and, increase the 

 overall productivity of the range resource. 



The management techniques proposed in the pilot 

 project have been successfully demonstrated by private 

 landowners, but the Tribe and individual Indian cattle 

 operators are unable to implement these strategies due to a 

 lack of funding. If funded, this project will encourage the 

 application of these management techniques on all lands 

 within the reservation boundary, and on other reservations 

 with similar management challenges. Thus, in addition to 

 the compelling Endangered Species Act requirements for the 

 project, there is considerable potential to demonstrate that 

 improved management of prairie ecosystems is not only 

 environmentally desirable, but also economically beneficial. 



Funding of $10,390,960 is required for a period of 

 five years to achieve range restoration. This proposal, 

 which not only includes range improvements (dams, wells, and 

 fencing), but also management of endangered species and 

 public education, costs only $7.00/acre for 1.4 million 

 acres over a five-year period; poisoning is about 

 $12.00/acre in reoccuring costs. Specific objectives for 

 the first year cost $1.45/acre, or a total of $2,220,192. 

 After the prairie ecosystem is restored, the annual 

 management costs will be minimal. 



Because the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) lacks 

 funding, and the Tribe is ineligible for the funding granted 

 to states by the Endangered Species Act or the Federal Aid 

 in Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act, the project can only 

 be conducted with the support of Congress through special 

 appropriations. The Tribe suggests that funds be added to 

 and "earmarked" from the BIA's Range Management and Fish, 

 Wildlife and Parks programs. The project responds to the 

 Congressional appropriation directive to the Department of 

 Interior that the BIA reorganize its management efforts 

 whenever possible to suspend poisoning and develop other 

 alternatives for prairio dog management. More important, 

 however, it assures compliance with the Endangered Species 

 Act and the federal government's trust responsibility to 

 Indian Tribes. 



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