Work in Progress
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Better Together

Work in Progress, also, Better Together. Theodore Roosevelt National Park. , Work in Progress , Did you know Theodore Roosevelt National Park is fenced? You can see the fence from here. The park's small size, unnatural barrier, and the mixed uses of surrounding land require park managers to play an active role in maintaining the park's health. With careful consideration of the latest science, park managers seek to restore the land's natural balance., Bison , In 1962 park managers reintroduced bison to the park's North Unit. Since then, bison have been doing their part to restore the prairie's health. Analysis of their DNA informs management decisions that impact the genetic health of the park's bison herd and the species as a whole., Bighorn Sheep , Beginning in 1954, the National Park Service partnered with the state of North Dakota to reintroduce bighorn sheep to the park and surrounding lands. Efforts to sustain the species are ongoing as the animals face natural and human caused hardships., Fire , Though once thought to be harmful, fire is now understood to be an important component of many ecosystems, including prairie. The park service regularly sets prescribed fires to mimic the patterns of natural fire that were long suppressed., Invasive Plants , Some plants introduced by humans damage native plant communities and deprive grazers of food they need to survive. Park mangers actively remove invasive species like leafy spurge (picture) with chemical spraying and the help of prescribed fire. , Better Together , Better Blooms , Bison only eat grass, leaving space for prairie flowers and other leafy plants to grow and flourish. In this way, their grazing benefits birds, small mammals, and other grazers that consume the leaves and seeds of non-grasses., Better Mixture , Bison graze some areas heavily while leaving others almost untouched. The resulting mixture of tall and short grasses makes the prairie suitable for animals that require differing plant heights for their life processes. , Sharp-tailed grouse nest in tall grass. They perform mating dances and breed in areas of very short grass., Better Burns , Bison's patchwork grazing ensures fire never fully consumes the prairie. Lightly grazed areas burn easily, rejuvenating the soil and clearing away old plant growth. Meanwhile, fire skips over heavily grazed areas where there isn't enough grass to carry the fire., After a fire, bison reverse their grazing patterns. They prefer the tender young grasses in recently burned areas which were once lightly grazed., Better Soil , Even a bison's waste sustains the prairie. Urine and solid waste restore nutrients to the soil wherever bison graze.