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and intrinsic value of all species, which is necessary for 

 the health and harmony of the environment (i.e. 

 biodiversity). This traditional world view has become a 

 driving rationale for natural resource management espoused 

 by environmental experts across the world. The Cheyenne 

 River Sioux Tribe believes that they have an opportunity and 

 an obligation to exercise leadership in land stewardship. 

 The pilot project is an example of integrating Native 

 American values with scientific techniques to promote 

 restoration of prairie ecosystems. 



PRAIRIE DOG POISONING/OVERGRAZING 



For years, the federal government has promoted 

 agriculture (principally cattle production) on western 

 reservations as a means of economic development and 

 utilizing the prairie grasslands. This policy has been 

 successful in that grasslands are the most significant 

 natural resource, and ranching is the leading industry on 

 the Cheyenne River Reservation. It has been a historical 

 assumption of the ranching community that concentrations of 

 prairie dog colonies pose a problem by competing with cattle 

 for forage and detracting from grazing and cropland 

 productivity . 



In the past the BIA, states and individual cattle 

 operators have subscribed to poisoning efforts because of a 

 lack of understanding of ecosystem dynamics, as well as lack 

 of funding to implement long-term and capital intensive 

 range improvements. Until recently, for example. Congress 

 has appropriated approximately $400,000 per year to the 

 Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) for prairie dog poisoning. 



Studies indicate that poisoning of prairie dogs and 

 the type of poisons used has directly contributed to the 

 decline of the black-footed ferret. Black-footed ferrets 

 require a certain threshold size and occupancy of prairie 

 dog towns to survive. The extensive use of poisoning to 

 reduce prairie dogs, together with cultivation and 

 urbanization, have caused a lack of suitable habitat for 

 ferrets. 



Historically, prairie dog colonization (and associated 

 prairie ecosystem diversity) was dependent on the buffalo or 

 bison (Bison bison). Buffalo, following their circular 

 migratory paths, enhanced habitat for prairie dogs by 

 grazing grasses to suitable heights and creating dust 

 wallows. The survival of prairie dog towns depended on 

 buffalo or other grazers keeping grasses short. 



Over the years grazing practices (actually overgrazing 

 of certain areas) have degraded rangelands by reducing the 

 diversity and density of plants, the natural vegetative 



