Livingston, MT- December 9, 2021 – The Yellowstone Ranger District of the Custer Gallatin National Forest released the final decision notice for the East Paradise Range Allotments. Six livestock grazing allotments make up the East Paradise Range Allotment Plan, located in the Paradise Valley, east of Highway 89 and southeast of Livingston, Montana.
Currently, grazing occurs on Pine Creek, Elbow Creek, and North Sixmile allotments, and with this decision, grazing will continue under a new adaptive management framework. Grazing is a multiple use on National Forest System lands that supports the livelihoods of local permit holders and agricultural producers across Montana. The Forest works with grazing permittees actively ensuring ecosystem and rangeland health and contributing to local economies. To promote ecosystem recovery and reduce use conflicts, Suce Creek, South Sixmile, and Mill Creek allotments will remain vacant.
“The Absaroka-Beartooth Mountain Range is a complex and ecologically diverse landscape, with wilderness at its core and many multiple uses occurring in its frontcountry landscapes, said Alex Sienkiewicz, Yellowstone District Ranger. “My decision reflects ecological values, as well as a balancing of multiple uses on the landscape. The Pine Creek, Elbow Creek, and North Sixmile allotments have been grazed for years and show good range health. These allotments have co-existed with wildlife and recreation with minimal conflicts. In contrast, the South Sixmile, Mill Creek, and Suce Creek allotments have been vacant for many years, and each have unique management issues that should be mitigated before livestock grazing is authorized.”
The decision to continue to authorize livestock grazing is not expected to displace or outcompete native species, including elk which MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks have monitored in the area since 2013. Due to the low livestock numbers and the rugged nature of the allotments, the decision is not expected to largely impact grizzly bears or other species. Additional project information can be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=41485.
