Encompassing 130,000 acres south of Badlands National Park in southwestern South Dakota, Conata Basin is one of North America’s most intact remaining grasslands.

Among the most imperiled and least protected areas on Earth, grasslands are a priority for the Conservancy. Only a fraction of the once vast sea of grass that covered 95 percent of South Dakota remains, the majority having been plowed.

In November 2007, The Nature Conservancy purchased the 4,000-acre White Ranch, which is located along the western edge of Conata Basin. The ranch has been re-named the Double Bar Seven Ranch, which is also the name of the ranch's cattle brand.

The acquisition includes two federal grazing allotments totaling 16,000 acres. The allotments are significant because they are home to relatively large numbers of black-footed ferrets, one of the rarest mammals in North America.

With reintroductions of native wildlife such as bison, bighorn sheep, black-footed ferrets and swift fox, Conata Basin is now one of the most complete Great Plains ecosystems in the United States.

The area harbors rare and imperiled species like the fringe-tailed myotis bat, Barr’s milkvetch and Dakota buckwheat. The Basin contains black-tailed prairie dog towns as well. The “towns” are also home to 250 pairs of burrowing owls, more than the entire known population in the rest of the state.

Ranching in the Basin

The Conservancy’s goal in acquiring and managing Double Bar Seven Ranch is to work in partnership with landowners and others to help minimize the conflict in Conata Basin between prairie dogs and ranching. It will be operated as a working ranch.

In many places, grazing is compatible with the long-term health of these natural systems and the wildlife they sustain. The Conservancy is committed to conserving native grasslands across the Great Plains and around the world and, for more than two decades, we have been involved in raising cattle and grassland and rangeland issues in the region.

How the Conservancy Works in Conata Basin

The Conservancy is committed to exploring ways in which it can work with landowners and other stakeholders in Conata Basin to conserve wildlife habitat.

“The Conservancy’s acquisition of the ranch will help secure conservation of the rare black-footed ferret while addressing some of the ranchers’ concerns,” said Bob Paulson, director of the Conservancy’s Black Hills Area Program.

The Conservancy purchased the ranch based on an independent appraisal and will pay property taxes. In the Basin, we are working only with property owners who ask us to help them conserve their land. The Conservancy works with willing sellers only.

With the help of donors, local landowners and other partners, we will use our extensive expertise in grassland conservation and science-based planning to protect this vital piece of the Great Plains and its rare inhabitants and ensure that future generations will continue to experience South Dakota’s rich prairie heritage.

Donations are still needed to support the acquisition of the Double Bar Seven Ranch. To make your tax deductible contribution, or to inquire about this project. please contact Bob Paulson, Western Dakotas program director, at (605) 342-4040 or bpaulson@tnc.org.

Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photo © Bob Paulson/TNC (White Ranch aerial view); Photo © US Fish and Wildlife Service (black-footed ferret); Photo ©  Rick McEwan (cattle); Photo © US Fish and Wildlife Service (black-footed ferret); Photo © US Fish and Wildlife Service (Barr's milkvetch); Photo © DianeHargreaves.com (Bighorn sheep).