Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks was awarded nearly $5 million by the U.S. Department of the Interior and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
The money will expand existing programs aimed at reducing conflicts between grizzly bears and landowners. Programs like electric fencing, carcass removals, bear-resistant containers and the use of range riders — people on horseback who closely follow livestock herds to deter bears.
These programs are all part of collaborative partnership between state and federal agencies, nonprofits and landowner groups to better address growing grizzly populations and their impacts on rural communities.
This funding will be pooled with another federal grant, for a total of $12 million to support cost-sharing for landowners interested in using these non-lethal techniques.
FWP is partnering with the Heart of the Rockies Initiative nonprofit to host community workshops across western Montana this winter and spring to connect landowners with this money.
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