The Modern Midwest Prairie: How Ranching and Native Grasslands Can Thrive Together in a Changing Climate
By Sarah Dodgin, Ecological Analyst
Sarah on a visit to Mount Rushmore National Monument in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The Black Hills are an important historical, cultural, and spiritual site to many Native Tribes in the region, including the Nakota, Lakota, and Dakota people.
It’s August in South Dakota and a weeklong heat wave where temperatures surpassed 100 degrees has just ended. Thankful for a reprieve from the stifling warmth, I head out early on my day off to explore Badlands National Park. I’ve been staying in Fort Pierre, which is situated on the Missouri River, just across from the capital city of Pierre.
The river splits the state in half from east to west, the former being the more wet, humid and lush side of the state, and the latter more arid. These stark differences in climate make for a surprisingly ecologically diverse state, the more unique features being the Badlands and Black Hills of southwest South Dakota. Full of colorful and dramatic outcroppings, this landscape contains stunning features to ponder the geology, evidence of how the continent has transformed over millions of years. One thing that consistently unites South Dakotans more than anything, however, is agriculture.
Journey through the grasslands
A “game trail” carved by mule deer and white-tailed deer follows a fence line that marks the boundary of a rancher’s field near Ideal, South Dakota.
The journey from Fort Pierre to the Park begins by passing through the 116,000-acre Fort Pierre National Grassland, which hosts many eastern and western species of birds since the grassland is on the boundary of both range limits. The drive is undulating, climbing and descending rolling hills of crops like sorghum, wheat, and corn. Fenced grasslands that appear empty at times are home to thousands of cattle that roam for miles within the confines of massive ranches. A few settlements that declare populations in the single digits, grain silos, and lone churches are beheld on the two-hour drive to the west. Oh, and lots of billboards.
An obligatory stop along I-90 if you’ve never been before, which I hadn’t, is Wall Drug. Located in Wall, South Dakota, this “drug store” is advertised for hundreds of miles along highways throughout the state. The main street of the town is an attraction unto itself. Old western style facades of stores, lined with wooden boardwalks beckon to tourists to buy souvenirs and look inside the famous Wall Drug. This establishment spans an entire block and consists of not only a small namesake shop where you can buy travel sized shampoo and Tylenol, but also a miniature chapel, signing animatronic cowboys, art and jewelry stores, and of course fudge.
Before you arrive in the bustling downtown, however, a less boastful US Forest Service building quietly welcomes travelers to the National Grassland Visitor Center. Inside, banners representing all of America’s 20 National Grasslands adorn the walls, each depicting something unique to the area. The talisman of the Buffalo Gap National Grassland which surrounds the Badlands National Park, is the black-footed ferret. Together, these grasslands make up an area smaller than New Jersey, around 3.8 million acres.
“To love and appreciate the mountains, you only open your eyes, but to love and appreciate the prairie, you must open your soul.” (Louis Toothman, 1961).
I didn’t come across this quote until I stopped at the National Grassland Visitor’s Center, but it perfectly encapsulates exactly how I’ve felt since I started studying grasslands in 2016 for my Master’s. The first time I stepped foot in a prairie, my heart and soul were forever changed. Eight years later, I would find that same feeling again when I returned to grassland research through BRI in collaboration with South Dakota State University and the United States Department of Agriculture.
During late summer, the Yellow Mounds Formation in Badlands National Park seamlessly blends into the golden hues of the dry, native grasses. North American bison (Bison bison) didn’t appear on the continent until around 20,000 years ago.
In the mountains, your visual senses are finely tuned to the grandeur of the peaks towering above. In a prairie, it’s a full body sensory experience. A gentle, enduring breeze, the songs of birds and insects, the rustling of grasses, and the vast expanse of hundreds of acres before you, meeting the horizon miles away. Enormous puffy clouds transform into shades of blues, pinks, and yellows—the sky becoming a watercolor work of art in the setting sun.
The role of grasslands in climate change
Beyond its beauty and serenity, grasslands are important for maintaining a stable climate. Native grasses and forbs reduce the effect of climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the air and storing it in the soil, a process called soil carbon sequestration. Trees do the same thing, but in the plains, there is not enough rain to sustain dense forests.
Grassland plants are resistant to drought, providing refuge and food for birds, jackrabbits, bobcat, coyote, elk, and pronghorn antelope year round. The most iconic feature of this ecosystem however, the bison, which used to roam in the millions across North America, is now replaced primarily by cattle. Over the last two centuries, prairies in the Midwest were converted into impervious surfaces due to urban sprawl and farm fields for crops and livestock grazing. This massive conversion resulted in the loss of over 140 million acres of prairies. Less than 5% of the original area remains.
Cattle and bison ranchers today are known as excellent stewards of the land, soil, water, and livestock under their care, but there is no doubt that the alteration of this vast ecosystem for the past 200 years has consequences. Rather than working against nature, scientists at the United States Department of Agriculture and South Dakota State University partnered with ranchers across South Dakota and one ranch in Wyoming to implement climate-smart ranching practices.
BRI’s contribution to the grassland research
BRI was asked to conduct baseline biodiversity surveys to document the conditions of the ranches during the first year that climate-smart land management practices were implemented. Such practices include: prescribed grazing and burning; forage and range planting; wildlife habitat management; and promoting riparian herbaceous cover.
The anticipated outcome is that these practices will increase soil carbon storage, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increase biodiversity. All of which improves the quality of the rancher’s product (the beef and bison sold at market) and the sustainability of their practices to ensure their businesses will be passed on to the next generation in outstanding condition.
In three years, BRI will return to see what has changed. We will compare the data collected this past summer with the future data and decide if the climate-smart practices have any effect on the overall biodiversity of the ranchlands. From documenting the smallest insects, to the fiercest predators and the habitats they dwell in, our first-year assessment is a “before” snapshot of the entire grassland ecosystem. Only time will tell if our efforts pay off. It takes cooperation and trust for a partnership like this to be successful, and we are so honored to be part of this journey. A little piece of BRI’s heart, along with mine, now belongs on the prairie, too.
Data, Dawn Choruses, and African Skies
By Allison Foster, Science Communications Coordinator
Banding a Pygmy Falcon chick, her undergraduate study species in the Kalahari of South Africa.
“There’s a funny story about me eating a worm, you know, channeling my inner bird,” laughs Billi Krochuk, BRI’s data scientist. Growing up in the suburbs of Ontario, Billi spent a lot of time outdoors, traveling with family, but she always had an interest in African wildlife and birds. In high school, she participated in a trip to Africa to understand more about the conservation work that happens.
“Why aren’t people paying attention to Africa?” Billi wondered. She wanted to engage with the continent in a more open-minded and authentic way. She wanted to understand the conservation work and research taking place in Africa, and particularly the Congo Basin. What better way to do that, than by going there?
From the moment she stepped off the plane in Johannesburg, South Africa, she knew instantly, “Yep, this is a country and continent that I’m going to certainly keep coming back to.”
Billi completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Cape Town, where she conducted her undergraduate research at the Fitzpatrick Institute of African Ornithology. “I was very fortunate to be surrounded by researchers who valued creative thinking and fostered a supportive environment.”
After completing her undergraduate degree, she worked with Biodiversity Initiative in Equatorial Guinea. “I have a pretty all-in style of personality, and I try to bring that energy into my work”. Her previous work has created new opportunities to collaborate with existing research networks within the Central African research community.
Taking record photos of a White-bellied Kingfisher in Equatorial Guinea with biologists Ibon Malaxetxabarria (left) and Patrícia Guedes
Her training has instilled in her the importance of skills transfer, and when she’s out in the field, she works to train people so they have the autonomy to conduct their own research. “I try to make myself obsolete in a research group,” Billi says.
Her experience in Africa inspired her to highlight the positive stories about researchers, especially in the on-the-ground research that happens there. “I like to uplift other people’s stories because oftentimes in the media you only hear about the negatives coming out of Africa.”
At BRI, Billi works to manage complex datasets, with a focus on data quality and longevity. She sorts through thousands of data points to make sure they are recorded correctly. Scientific data can go back many decades and ensuring that things are as they should be on the data side helps to mitigate future issues. “Having the perspective of a biologist really benefits when designing and managing our database,” Billi remarks, noting the intricate connections between datasets. While her work time is split fairly evenly between data management and fieldwork, “I’m definitely a field biologist at heart,” she says.
Billi has been leading our biodiversity surveys in South Dakota and Wyoming, a project for which the team collected baseline data on soil carbon, vegetation, and wildlife populations as part of a larger project coordinated by South Dakota State University. This past summer, she coordinated the fieldwork logistics and survey design, as well as conducted bird point counts. “It’s exhausting, but worth it when you get to see beautiful sunrises and listen to the dawn chorus every morning”.
Between point counts in South Dakota
Working in the grasslands, Billi spent her days interacting with ranch staff, many of whom are working on multigenerational operations. “I try to approach any kind of interaction with as much humility as I can.” Billi acknowledges she is a visitor to these areas, and curiously seeks out the inherent knowledge of others, whether it’s the grasslands of South Dakota or the rainforests of Central Africa.
As she looks to the future, Billi is excited to return to the African continent to assist in fieldwork for ongoing BRI projects in early 2025.
The Eyes of Birds
By Deborah McKew, Director of Communications and Publications
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to hear Terry Tempest Williams speak at a local event. I don’t remember many details of her talk, but I do remember her passion, her commitment, and her dedication to being a voice for the environment. Her book, Finding Beauty in a Broken World has been a guidepost for me as a science writer and writing instructor. In this book, she uses the metaphor of a mosaic to illustrate how nature and humans collide and connect. She opens the book in Ravenna, Italy, where she learned first-hand the ancient art of mosaic. Her description of her experience there is so powerful, it inspired me to visit that city on the Adriatic Sea and literally follow her footsteps to understand how one can take something so broken, like the pieces of glass used to make a mosaic or, say, an environmental disaster, to create something whole and profound again.
That is the point of writing about nature—to inspire people to fall in love with the world around them, and to encourage them to take action to protect that which they love.
Since I began my tenure at BRI, I have produced several books highlighting our research on wildlife. The first, Journey with the Loon, chronicles the life history of the Common Loon, BRI’s signature research subject. Over the years, I have written quite a bit about these iconic waterbirds with the blazing red eyes. While working on this project, I was struck by this quote from Williams that we included in the book, “We miss the eyes of birds, focusing only on the feathers.”
Stop for a moment and read that quote out loud.
Nature writing begs us to pause, to notice, and to think. Nature writers learn to see more deeply, to listen more carefully, to experience more fully the myriad details of the natural world. The words of the nature writer help others to see the world with new, focused eyes.
The nature of nature writing
Nature writing has had a long and winding history, hugging the periphery of social norms and world events. At its roots, nature writing was a way of documenting the natural world— mostly through personal notes and sketches. These early writings were essentially biographies of nature, which described the lives and habits of birds and animals from observation only. Eventually, passive observation evolved into research because of those whose curiosity tugged at their instincts to understand the natural world and their place in it.
In the mid-1700s, the English clergyman and avid gardener Gilbert White noticed a group of house martins in his parish that confused his senses—it was far too late in the season for them to be there. This singular event sent him down a path into the world of nature.
Gilbert’s approach was very different from the naturalists who came before him. His curiosity prompted him to question what he observed; he wanted to know why animals behaved the way they did. He employed a scientific rigor to his approach in trying to answer these questions. He became fascinated with worms and somehow understood their importance in the web of life. His respect for nature was not the norm in his time.
His pioneering writings culminated in the publication of The Natural History of Selbourne and with that he became an early champion of the environment (although he probably had no idea at the time that he was doing so) and an inspiration to the likes of Charles Darwin, William Wordsworth, and others whose work would later lay the foundations for both scientific dogma and literary masterpieces related to environmental studies.
What made Gilbert’s writings about nature truly stand out was his use of language; his poetic style captured the reader’s attention, and he was able to paint with words in such a relatable way that he has captivated his audience for centuries—his beautiful treatise on the natural history of his hometown has never been out of print since its first publication in 1789.
Over time, the poets won over the skeptics and nature writing became popular as a literary genre. Passion, curiosity, and enthusiasm helped shape the thinking of the early nature writers and as they observed and explored the relationships between wildlife and their habitats, they began to see how these relationships could affect human beings.
Through the centuries, as human development changed the natural world, raw and captivating descriptions of nature began to have political and economic implications. Today, nature writers are vocal advocates for the health of the environment.
Although BRI stands firmly on the foundation of quantitative scientific research, we are also advocates for the environment in that we promote awareness and inspire the general public to act on behalf of the natural world, no matter how seemingly inconsequential. Remember, every drop of water helps create an ocean.
The most daunting challenge facing nature writers today is the vast amount of data bombarding the airwaves. Someone has to translate that information into feelings and vision, to make sense of it in a holistic way, and to communicate it to the world at large, especially to those in a position to make critical decisions regarding environmental policy.
So, yes, we are a group of scientists, but we are also nature writers who aim to inspire our readers to learn and care about the environment. We offer a reason for hope that the work we carry out around the world will result in a healthier earth for all its inhabitants.
Over the last decade, BRI has hosted ecotours and creative retreats, sharing our work with the general public. These are a few highlights from those events. Click to enlarge!
Photo 1: In 2019, BRI partnered with Tall Ships Maine to offer a weekend birdwatching cruise off the coast of Maine. Working alongside the crew, participants helped sail the 131-foot schooner Harvey Gamage and enjoyed time birdwatching and capturing their experiences through writing and photography.
Photo 2: The Cay Sal Bank, a remote, pristine group of islands in the southwestern corner of the Bahamas archipelago, is one of the largest atolls in the world—hundreds of natural rugged cays and rocks rise from a crystal-clear turquoise sea. In this wild habitat, thousands of seabirds find refuge to nest and breed. In 2012, BRI hosted an ecotour to offer the general public a rare opportunity to contribute new knowledge to the natural history of The Bahamas, working side by side with experienced seabird biologists and local naturalists. This book documented the week spent on this seabird expedition.
Photo 3: Thirteen miles off the coast of Rhode Island in Narragansett Bay lies a teardrop-shaped natural wonder—Block Island. In 2012, BRI biologists established a raptor research station on Block Island to band migrating raptors. In 2015, BRI hosted a unique week-long creative adventure for the general public to help build awareness of our research and conservation efforts on Block Island. Retreat participants observe BRI researchers band a Merlin falcon.
Biodiversity Policy in the United States
By Eleanor Eckel, Science Policy Coordinator
Biodiversity encompasses much more than the number of species—it includes the variety of ecosystems, the genetic diversity within and between species, and the interactions among species within ecosystems. Dramatic declines of biodiversity are taking place across the globe, and the continued loss of biodiversity disrupts critical ecological functions. The root causes of biodiversity loss are complex and often arise from a combination of factors, including habitat destruction, development, overfishing, invasive species, industrial activities, and pollution.
Currently, the United States does not have a national biodiversity policy, as it has not ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), an international treaty aimed at promoting the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. While the U.S. signed the CBD in 1992, it is not legally bound by the Convention’s goals. Without a formal biodiversity strategy, the U.S. lacks a coordinated national approach to addressing biodiversity loss.
However, despite this absence of a national policy, BRI has been actively conducting research to combat biodiversity loss. In early 2024, BRI launched its Biodiversity Research Program, which focuses on a variety of initiatives aimed at addressing biodiversity decline. These research projects span locations across Africa and the United States, and include biodiversity surveys that assess wildlife populations, soil carbon, vegetation, and ecological impacts.
A biodiversity survey on a ranch as part of the data collection in South Dakota
Most recently BRI staff have been conducting biodiversity surveys in South Dakota. These surveys include the quantification of soil carbon, vegetation, invertebrate and wildlife populations to establish baseline conditions. In South Dakota, the surveys aim to quantify the ecological and agroeconomic impact of climate smart practices, and the baseline established will be used in comparison to replicated surveys conducted in 2027. Staff conducted biodiversity surveys on six cattle and bison ranches across eastern Wyoming and South Dakota in 2024 (see The Modern Midwest Prairie). The overarching mission of the project is not only to promote biodiversity but also to create new market opportunities for ranchers who adopt climate-smart practices. By providing clear, data-driven information to private landowners, BRI hopes to encourage sustainable practices that benefit both the environment and the agricultural community. The future surveys will take place after grazing patterns for cattle have been altered to improve soil carbon sequestration and grassland habitat quality.
Elephants in Kenya
Meanwhile, in Kenya, BRI is in the second year of a long-term biodiversity monitoring project. Working with seven Maasai communities, researchers have surveyed 286 sampling sites across the savannah grasslands, an area crucial for biodiversity and carbon storage. BRI’s surveys are part of a broader effort to develop a consistent method for tracking biodiversity in these ecologically vital regions. The project has already identified 155 species and 143 genera of plants across 57 sites, thanks to partnerships with local organizations, including CarbonSolve and Soils for the Future Africa, along with local taxonomic experts. These findings not only help in protecting endangered species but also contribute to broader conservation efforts in Africa’s savannahs.
Despite the lack of a formal biodiversity policy in the U.S., BRI’s work demonstrates that significant strides can be made in understanding and addressing biodiversity loss without a formal policy in place. Our ongoing research projects offer a hopeful path forward, combining scientific rigor with practical applications to benefit both ecosystems and communities. No doubt, the policy will soon catch up to the research.
Photo Credits: Header photo © BRI
