Montana and the Dakotas encompass a large and diverse area from the Rocky Mountains to the Great Plains containing a wide range of vegetation communities. The Bureau of Land Management administers over eight million acres in Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota which include forest, desert, plains, and prairie grasslands. Riparian communities range from big rivers such as the Yellowstone and the Missouri Rivers in the east to the Big Hole and Bitterroot Rivers in the west to small alpine streams. As a multiple use agency, the BLM manages such diverse uses as energy development, grazing, and recreation. The botany program ensures that the plant resource is considered in management actions. Major program areas in the botany program are Native Plant Restoration, Seeds of Success, and special status species.
