This article was produced by Montana Natural Resources Conservation Service.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Montana and its conservation partners have joined forces to deliver conservation easements that give peace of mind and a financial boost to ranchers who want to pass on a legacy of big open country that’s vital to a thriving livestock industry in the West, and to the future of sage grouse. The recent success of the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) in Montana would not be possible without the incredible partners that are dedicated to putting conservation on the ground by pooling resources. This partnership-based, science-driven effort has resulted in more than 130,000 acres of sage grouse habitat permanently protected in Montana since 2015.

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Learn more about the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Agricultural Land Easements and the Sage Grouse Initiative.