Summary

Description

The grassland management objectives for Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge are: 1 to provide secure nesting cover for ground nesting waterfowl. The refuge objective for ground nesting waterfowl is 3,200 ducklings fledged; 2 to restore and enhance native prairie; 3 to provide quality grassland habitat for game and nongame wildlife species which inhibit grasslands; and 4 to promote public understanding of grassland ecosystems and grassland management. This plan will delineate those portions of the refuge that are to be maintained as grasslands and discuss methods by which this will be accomplished. It will differentiate between native prairie and seeded grasslands both domestic and native. Because they are in a constant state of flux, the specifics of seeded grasslands, i.e., seed bed preparation, field size, location, species composition, etc. will be maintained in the refuge files. The refuge has 378 acres of goback which cannot be economically maintained as grasslands due to the high water table, annual flooding, etc. This acreage is composed primarily of the transition zone between grasslands and lower habitats. Goback will not be addressed in this plan.