Protecting Native Mixed-Grass Prairie at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
Daw S and Borgman E. 2020. Protecting Native Mixed-Grass Prairie at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. National Park Service
The mixed-grass prairie is one of the most endangered habitats on the continent. Changes in land use and increasing human development have fragmented this prairie habitat into isolated protected islands across the Northern Great Plains. Invasive plant species have spread into the prairie, threatening to replace native species, reduce their numbers, and make these plant communities less resilient. Future climate conditions may help spread some of the most problematic invasive species, adding to the challenge of conserving what remains. Fortunately, monument staff and partners are working hard to protect this special habitat. This resource brief describes the importance of mixed-grass prairie across its distribution and at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, where it is culturally significant. The brief also describes management actions to help address threats from invasive and exotic plants, the loss of natural disturbances, and climate change.
- Type
- Resource Brief
- Authors
- Daw, Sonya; Borgman, Erin
- Date of Issue
- 2020-09-11
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- LIBI , ROMN
- Keywords
- Climate Change, Exotics, I&M, Mixed-Grass Prairie, Monitoring, Natural Disturbance, VCSSBrief