Restoring the American Prairie in Montana

By funding this project you are contributing to their work. You will receive impact reports and measurements but you won't receive a carbon credit.

North America was once home to vast grasslands known as the ‘American Serengeti,’ where bison, elk, and countless other wildlife roamed across 240 million acres — nearly the size of Texas and California combined. For thousands of years, Indigenous Americans lived in balance with these rich ecosystems. But the arrival of European settlers shattered that balance. In just a few generations, one of the world’s most vibrant ecosystems was transformed beyond recognition, an ecological and cultural loss so vast it’s hard to imagine today.

Grasslands are an incredibly important ecosystem, as they’re among the most powerful and efficient at turning sunlight into food. Their root systems can extend up to 15 feet (five meters) below the surface and actually store more than a third of the Earth’s terrestrial carbon. But with more than 70% of America’s prairies destroyed, grasslands have become the most threatened yet least protected biome in the world. Today, only 4% of temperate grasslands are protected globally.

Planet Wild is joining forces with American Prairie to transform old cattle ranches into thriving natural sanctuaries. By reconnecting fragmented grasslands, they’re creating one vast, continuous prairie. But protecting these lands means more than just preserving habitat, it’s about restoring entire ecosystems and giving iconic species a chance to return. To make sure these species can once again roam these plains, Planet Wild is providing essential fence removal, pronghorn protection, prairie dog treatment and bison monitoring.

For more than 20 years, the American Prairie project has been building what’s been called “one of the most ambitious conservation projects in American history.” Through a combination of land acquisition, wildlife and habitat restoration, and working with local communities, they’ve already restored 400,000 acres of prairie—an area about the size of London. This proven track record shows that their model works. And by continuing to scale it, piece by piece, they will successfully bring back the American Serengeti.

Montana