Northern Great Plains Steppe, Idaho Batholith, and Canadian Rockies Ecoregion

General description

Pine Butte Swamp Preserve is located at the boundary of the Northern Great Plains and the Northern Rocky Mountains, and encompasses a broad range of habitat types, including mixed grass prairie, fescue prairie, fen and aspen wetlands, and montane forests. Management on the preserve focuses livestock grazing, weed control, prescribed fire, and the maintenance of plains grizzly bear habitat. The fens are minerotrophic, boreal, patterned peat lands occurring in a relatively dry climatic region, and make up approximately 2,000 acres of the 15,500 acre preserve. Several other fens occur along the mountain front to the north, but are generally much smaller (5-100 acres).

General location

The preserve is west of Chateau in north central Montana, approximately 47°50'N, 32°30'W. 

Highlights

Some of the best remaining plains grizzly bear habitat in North America  Top priority site for state, active protection efforts in 4 millionaire area Educational outreach program, guest ranch facility, paleontology field school

Grizzly bear, 2 species of rare fish, 15 species of rare plants. Of these, the bear, one fish, and 9 plants are associated with the fens. Most populations are in good condition.

Major threats to fens

While invasive species are not currently a major problem in the fens, there are areas dominated by exotic grasses, Canada thistle, and leafy spurge. The hydrology of the system currently appears stable, although irrigation and ditching altered the fens significantly in the recent past. Current irrigation may be affecting the hydrology, although there is no data to document this. Future changes in irrigation projects may also significantly change hydrology.

Major science and stewardship activities in fens

· Working to set up meaningful long-term hydrologic monitoring program

· Rare plant population monitoring

· Ecotone monitoring to determine shifts in community distribution over time

· Heavily restrict human activities/presence in fens to allow grizzly bear use

References

 
• Lesica, P. 1986. Vegetation and flora of Pine Butte Fen, Teton County, Montana. Great Basin Naturalist 46: 22-32.
• Lesica, P. and D. Hanna. 1996. Vascular plants of Pine Butte Swamp Preserve: an annotated checklist. The Nature Conservancy, Helena, Montana.
• Lesica, P. and P. B. Kannowski. 1998. Ants create hummocks and alter structure and vegetation of a Montana fen. American Midland Naturalist 139: 58-68.

For more information, please contact David Hanna, dhanna@3rivers.net