•	 Last April, 129 sixth graders attended the first annual Sharing Trails event

in Lewistown, Mont. It was a cooperative effort among the BLM Lewistown 

Field Office and multiple stakeholders including the Judith Basin Back Country Horsemen, Lewistown Honda, Little Belts Snowmobile Club, Montana 

Wilderness Association, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, 

Fergus County Weed District, and Central Montana Search & Rescue. The 

event’s main purpose was to educate about trail etiquette and safety.

•	 The Malta Field Office installed traffic counters at the Camp Creek and Montana Gulch campgrounds and Cottonwood Riparian Area. All the campsites 

at the Horse Corral camping area were leveled and repaired. One site was 

moved and expanded to accommodate longer trailers. In addition, the route

inventory was completed for the Little Rockies travel planning area and a 

National Public Lands Day cleanup project was held in Camp Creek and the 

town of Zortman.

•	 The Miles City Field Office hosted five Montana Conservation Crews (MCC).

The first crew arrived at Pumpkin Creek Ranch in March to plant willow 

cuttings along the creek to decrease erosion and restore stream side vegetation, benefiting wildlife and riparian functionality. Another crew received 

chainsaw training and certification by cutting down select Russian olive trees 

at Matthews Recreation Area as part of a joint BLM and Pheasants Forever 

habitat improvement project. This crew also completed work at Pumpkin 

Creek Ranch and cut burned ponderosa pine for a fence maintenance project 

near Ekalaka, Mont. An MCC crew camped at the Moorhead Campground

about two weeks while it sprayed invasive species on more than 200 acres, 

inventoried 3,000 acres in the Buffalo Creek Wilderness Study Area, and 

completed site maintenance at the campground. In July and August, two additional MCC crews assisted with trail and site maintenance at Howrey Island 

Recreation Area. One of these crews moved and re-built the main kiosk at 

Glendive Short Pine OHV Area and completed other site maintenance. 

•	 On September 18, the Missoula Field Office teamed up with the Blackfoot

Challenge to host a Youth Field Day at Garnet Ghost Town. About 250 

students (primarily 4th-5th graders) from nine area schools participated in 

six different stations including a tour of Garnet, a tour of the Sierra Mine, a

creative writing station, a water station, a scavenger hunt, and gold panning.

•	 The Schnell Recreation Area, managed by the North Dakota Field Office, provides 2,000 acres of non-motorized rangeland and continues to be a favorite 

setting for local horseback riding trail groups. The diverse vegetation is an 

excellent learning environment for teaching local students how to identify

native forbs and grasses and rangeland health.

•	 Pompeys Pillar National Monument conducted visitor satisfaction surveys

this year and attained a 100 percent satisfaction rating. Among the site’s 

numerous other success stories were a Boy Scout Camporee and several scout 

work days, which included more than 100 scouts working on several site 

improvement projects.

•	 The South Dakota Field Office hosted about 20 volunteers on National Public

Lands Day in September. Volunteers from the Backcountry Horsemen, Black 

Hills Bicyclists, and the local community installed three new walk-through 

gates and bike rollovers.

•	 The Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument capitalized on its

partnership with the Friends of the Monument during four National Public 

Lands Day events. Projects included the cleanup of two major recreation sites, 

the annual river cleanup, and a cottonwood restoration project. The Monument also honored local Montana rancher and BLM volunteer Illa Willmore 

with the Lifetime Achievement Award for 21 years of outstanding service and 

support.

•	 The Missouri Breaks Interpretive Center developed two EarthCaches to help

students and the public learn more about geologic features. One trail is on the 

Upper Missouri River; the other is on the Marias River and will be available 

in 2014. 

BLM

A Report to the Public

Caring for Our Natural Resources Montana/Dakotas and

Managing Lands for Public Needs

Montana/Dakotas

AN ANNUAL REPORT

PUBLISHED BY THE OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS

Bureau of Land Management

Montana State Office

5001 Southgate Drive

Billings, Montana 59101

(406) 896-5011

www.blm.gov/mt/st/en.html

Montana/Dakotas

Bureau of Land Management SALARIES BY COMMUNITY

(October 1, 2012, through September 30, 2013)

Belle Fourche, South Dakota $1,434,000

Billings, Montana $18,383,000

(includes Pompeys Pillar National Monument)

Butte, Montana $4,458,000

Dickinson, North Dakota $2,750,000

Dillon, Montana $3,248,000

Glasgow, Montana $686,000

Great Falls, Montana $930,000

Havre, Montana $973,000

Lewistown, Montana $6,509,000

(includes Fort Benton, Montana)

Malta, Montana $1,669,000

Miles City, Montana $8,684,000

Missoula, Montana $2,617,000

Total $52,341,000

Total Budget $67,381,000

ECONOMIC IMPACTS

Bureau of Land Management

Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument

Centennial Wilderness Study Area
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

 MINERALS

SUPPORT FUNCTIONS

PLANNING & ACTIONS the National Landscape

Conservation System (NLCS)

And Recreational Visitor Services

 LANDSCAPE

Bureau of 

Land Management Report to the Public 2013 Montana/Dakotas

 MONTANA/DAKOTAS BLM ACREAGE

Surface Acres

Montana 7,985,093

North Dakota 58,929

South Dakota 274,517

TOTAL 8,318,539

for breakdown by county, and other links contained in this report, go to 

http://www.blm.gov/mt/st/en/info/newsroom.html

 WILDLIFE

Fish and Wildlife Habitat

•	 600 species of fish and wildlife

•	 3,500 acres of lakes and reservoirs

•	 2,500 miles of streams

•	 More than 400,000 acres of grassland bird habitat of international importance

•	 3 Seeds of Success collections - focused on sage-grouse forbs

•	 41,400 native plant seedlings grown for habitat improvement projects

Threatened and Endangered Species

•	 3 threatened and endangered mammals

•	 3 threatened and endangered birds

•	 2 threatened and endangered fish

•	 1 candidate mammal

•	 3 candidate birds

•	 1 candidate fish

•	 1 candidate plant

Special Status Species 

•	 16 Mammals List updated in 2009

•	 38 Birds List updated in 2009

•	 8 Fish List updated in 2009

•	 105 Plants List updated in 2009

Wild Horses 

•	 Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range (PMWHR) consists of 39,651 acres of 

BLM, Forest Service, National Park Service and private lands in Montana 

and Wyoming. The appropriate management level is 90 to 120 adult horses. 

•	 6 Herd Areas closed to active wild horse management.

•	 3 long term holding facilities (2 in South Dakota, 1 in Montana) 

•	 1 population inventory flight.

•	 60 mares treated with fertility control by BLM, volunteers and NPS.

•	 9 range improvement projects maintained on the PMWHR.

•	 1 Herd Management Area (PMWHR) monitored for rangeland and wild 

horse health.

•	 32 compliance inspections completed for previously adopted wild horses 

and burros (24 in Montana; 5 in South Dakota; and 3 in North Dakota).

•	 1 wild horse adopted.

•	 2 law enforcement patrols.

•	 450 volunteer hours.

•	 1 Service First Agreement between the BLM and NPS.

Rangeland Management 

•	 4,063 cattle/buffalo operators; 1,193,107 animal unit months (AUMs) 

authorized

•	 159 horse/burro operators; 5,294 AUMs authorized

•	 190 sheep/goat operators; 33,078 AUMs authorized

Source: FY12 Public Land Statistics

Forestry

•	 400,000 acres of commercial forest land

•	 138,000 acres of non-commercial forest land

•	 8,562,000 board feet of timber offered by timber sale contracts

•	 1,190,000 board feet of timber offered by stewardship contracts

•	 1,024 cords of fuel wood sold

•	 1,250 posts/poles sold

•	 553 Christmas trees sold

•	 5,700 pounds of boughs sold

•	 106 transplants/ornamentals sold

•	 1,831 tons of biomass sold

Forest Development

•	 91 acres of reforestation

•	 90 acres of site preparation

•	 1,090 acres of site protection

•	 5 acres of Genetic Improvement Trees planted (whitebark pine rust-resistant)

•	 400 acres of stand release

•	 1,134 acres of pre-commercial thinning

•	 807 acres of commercial thinning

•	 96 acres of forest stand conversions

Noxious Weed Management

FY2013:

•	 36,363 acres of noxious weeds treated using integrated weed control methods (chemical, physical, mechanical, and biological weed control agents, 

and sheep/goats).

•	 174,569 acres inventoried and mapped for noxious weeds.

•	 10,820 acres monitored for Integrated Weed Management evaluation.

•	 More than 200,000 biological control agents distributed to 39 sites.

•	 About 600,000 biological control agents collected for redistribution to

public and private lands.

To date:

•	 Biological weed control agents established on more than 274,000 acres.

•	 79 weed management areas in our three states.

•	 Interagency agreements in place with Agricultural Research Service and

Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service for biological control.

•	 Cooperative agreements in place with 3 researchers from Montana State

University and one from the University of Idaho for biological control.

•	 Cooperative agreements in place with 34 county weed districts.

•	 Cooperation and funding to Montana Education and Awareness Committee results in hundreds of public and agency contacts for weed education 

opportunities.

•	 Cooperation and funding to the Montana Bio-control Working Group to

facilitate information exchange, coordinate collections and releases, and

increase awareness about bio-control efforts in Montana.

•	 Continued cooperation with the Center for Invasive Species Management

for regional invasive species management and research as well as dissemination of current research methods and information

•	 Work closely with Montana Department of Agriculture, Montana Weed

Control Association, Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Fish 

and Wildlife Service, and the Forest Service

Cultural and Paleontological Resources

•	 1.4 million acres inventoried to date

•	 11,447 cultural properties recorded to date

•	 3,500 paleontological localities recorded to date

Solid Minerals

Montana

•	 16 producing federal and Indian coal leases on 43,094 acres

•	 24,073,030 tons of coal produced, generating $43,766,587 in royalties

North Dakota

•	 5 producing federal and Indian coal leases on 7,453 acres

•	 4,491,780 tons of coal produced, generating $1,887,515 in royalties

Locatable Minerals

• 2,628 new claims recorded

•	 1869 claims closed

•	 1,761 claims covered by 460 small miner waivers

•	 16,293 unpatented mining claims

•	 57 claims relinquished

•	 0 claims patented

•	 230,726 active and closed unpatented mining claims on record

Fluid Minerals

Federal Oil and Gas Leases Issued in FY 2013

 Competitive Noncompetitive Total

 Number Acres Number Acres Number Acres

Montana 113 26,737 125 68,287 238 95,024

North Dakota 66 8,928 0 0 66 8,928

South Dakota 57 17,038 0 0 57 17,038

TOTAL 236 52,703 125 68,287 361 120,990

Federal Oil and Gas Leases in Effect as of 9/30/13

Producing Non-producing Total

 Number Acres Number Acres Number Acres

Montana 1,440 765,312 2,023 1,944,626 3,463 2,709,938

North Dakota 1,136 557,656 929 468,487 2,065 1,026,143

South Dakota 79 44,589 222 114,876 301 159,465

TOTAL 2,655 1,367,557 3,174 2,527,989 5,829 3,895,546

 Oil and Gas Lease Sales

• 4 competitive oil and gas lease sales held

• 214,948.59 acres in 561 parcels offered

•	 52,542.59 acres in 235 parcels received bids

•	 $64,402,370.75 bonus bids received

Federal Total Reported Royalty Revenues 

Oil 

Sales Volume Sales Value Revenues

(barrels)

Montana 2,337,260.51 $210,733,309.67 $25,158,260.56

North Dakota 14,212,130.31 $1,281,134,765.97 $173,575,608.23

South Dakota 191,733.56 $16,798,616.51 $2,121,861.43

Total 16,741,124.38 $1,508,666,692.15 $200,855,730.22

Conventional “Wet” Natural Gas 

Sales Volume Sales Value Revenues

(thousand cubic feet) 

Montana 10,608,166.17 $30,538,582.22 $3,961,152.61

North Dakota 9,779,988.76 $52,012,868.70 $6,228,670.73

South Dakota 143,622.88 $399,845.48 $46,490.95

TOTAL 20,531,777.81 $82,951,296.40 $10,236,314.29

Coal Bed Natural Gas 

Sales Volume Sales Value Revenues

(thousand cubic feet) 

Montana 1,046,733.96 $2,660,826.32 $330,847.22

North Dakota 0.00 $0.00 $0.00

South Dakota 0.00 $0.00 $0.00

TOTAL 1,046,733.96 $2,660,826.32 $330,847.22

All FY 2013 FEDERAL TOTAL REPORTED ROYALTY REVENUES figures from 

the ONRR website at: http://statistics.onrr.gov/

Hazardous Materials Management

•	 Completed follow-up CASHE audits (internal environmental audit program) as scheduled by the CASHE audit team (every office gets a follow-up

on a 3-year cycle). For the third consecutive year, all 10 BLM Montana/

Dakotas organizational units were rated in good condition. 

•	 BLM Montana/Dakotas continues as the lead agency on the Department of 

the Interior’s team for the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) 

of the Silvertip Oil Spill on the Yellowstone River. Settlement discussions in 

conjunction with the Montana State NRDA team and the company began 

in 2013 and will continue in 2014.

•	 Completed the Class V Underground Injection Control Wells, Septic Systems, and Pit Toilets inventory that was required by the Department of the

Interior in response to an Office of Inspector General report.

•	 Disposed of hazardous unused and waste products from the field offices

and state office.

•	 Completed environmental site assessments for several land acquisitions/

disposals. 

•	 Provided necessary hazmat training for staff statewide. 

•	 Completed several dump cleanups in partnership with adjacent local landowners in the Butte Field Office.

Land Use Planning and Environmental Coordination

•	 12 resource management plans (RMPs) cover Montana, North Dakota and 

South Dakota

•	 4 planning efforts in progress: Miles City, HiLine, South Dakota, and Billings/Pompeys Pillar resource management plans

Areas of Critical Environmental Concern

•	 54 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern

Lands Casework

•	 93 rights-of-way and amendments issued; 28 renewed

•	 14 permits/leases (includes film) issued

•	 596 patents issued for Bureau of Indian Affairs

•	 161 patents issued for special legislation sales (Fort Peck cabin sites)

•	 1 Forest Service exchange patents and 2 quit claim deed issued for 1,945

acres

•	 2 BLM FLPMA exchange patents issued for 244 acres

•	 1 FLPMA exchange warranty deed to BLM for 100 acres

•	 1 acquisition (transfer) from Bureau of Reclamation to BLM for 9.4 acres

•	 3 withdrawal cases processed, 2 new withdrawals and 1 extension, for

891,497 acres

Fire Management

•	 The BLM was involved in the management of 109 fires in Montana and 

the Dakotas during 2013. Out of the total of 2,760 acres burned, 808 acres 

were BLM land.

•	 The BLM dispatched tactical firefighting resources to 91 of the 109 fires.

Thirty-six of these fires started on BLM land; 31 started on other land that

is protected by the BLM under agreement; and 11 started on other land but 

were considered a threat to BLM land. BLM assistance was requested on

the remaining 13 fires, though they did not involve BLM lands.

•	 Cooperating agencies, under agreement, responded to 18 fires that started

on BLM land. These fires burned 718 acres, of which 654 were BLM.

•	 Human-caused fires accounted for 478 BLM acres burned, or about 59

percent of the total 808 BLM acres burned.

•	 A total of 38 fuels treatments were accomplished on 6,540 acres: 16 prescribed burns on 3,417 acres, and 22 mechanical treatments on 3,123 acres. 

•	 The Community Assistance program maintained 32 agreements with nonprofit cooperators to help reduce the threat of wildfire to communities. 

BLM funding was used to hire 4 military veteran crews to complete fuels 

reduction work this year. Several veterans found permanent careers as a 

result of this program.

Volunteers

•	 833 volunteers contributed 46,372 hours valued at $1,026,676; the cost to 

Montana/Dakotas BLM was $56,741.

fACILITIES MANAGEMENT

Construction/Maintenance/Engineering

Condition assessments performed on:

•	 46 administrative sites and recreation sites

•	 44 hazard class dams

•	 2 bridges

•	 185 miles of roads

Annual maintenance performed on:

•	 287 administrative site and recreation site buildings

•	 870 lane miles of road

•	 225 recreation and administrative site projects

•	 4 bridges

•	 308 miles of trail

Deferred maintenance and/or construction performed on:

•	 91 recreation and administrative site projects

•	 19 miles of trail

•	 9 road projects

•	 1 dam project

Other work completed: 

	767 facilities surveyed, designed or constructed

	12 architectural and engineering task orders issued

CADASTRAL SURVEY

•	 203 miles resurveyed

•	 84 miles approved

•	 262 survey monuments set

•	 216 survey monuments approved

•	 22 plats approved

GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATED DATA BASE

•	 631 townships collected

•	 255 townships maintained

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS/MAPPING SCIENCE

•	 Provided visuals and analyses for public meetings and briefings

•	 Provided GIS data, analytic, mapping and presentation support for the

Billings, South Dakota, Lewistown, HiLine, and Miles City resource management plans

•	 Provided GIS data, analytic, mapping and presentation support for the

North Dakota Sage-grouse EIS/Greater Sage-Grouse Initiative

•	 Provided GIS data, analytic, mapping and presentation support for 7 Environmental Assessments

•	 Provided statewide map production and updates

Subsurface Acres

Montana 37,748,688

North Dakota 5,593,410

South Dakota 3,771,657

TOTAL 47,113,755

In 2013, Montana/Dakotas BLM hosted more than 5.2 million public visits 

and collected more than $482,051 in recreation fees. These funds are used to 

improve facilities and visitor services at developed recreation sites. 

Our top six recreational activities in 2013, listed from highest to lowest in

participation, are:

•	 Interpretation/Environmental Education/Nature Study

•	 Non-motorized travel (hiking, walking, snow shoeing, skiing, etc.)

•	 Camping/picnicking

•	 Hunting – all types

•	 Driving for pleasure

•	 Fishing

Montana/Dakotas BLM lands provide a diversity of settings: 

•	 8.3 million acres of varied landscapes and opportunities

•	 2,500 miles of streams

•	 60,000 acres of lakes and reservoirs

•	 32 boating access sites

•	 19 Watchable Wildlife sites

•	 5 Outstanding Natural Areas

•	 5 Backcountry Byways (185 miles)

•	 100+ miles of groomed snowmobile/cross country ski trails

•	 400+ family camping units

•	 15 day-use sites and 24 developed recreation sites

•	 400+ undeveloped recreation sites

•	 27 miles of mountain bike trails in the Blackfoot River corridor

•	 Cabin rentals in Axolotl Lakes, Henneberry House, and the Garnet Ghost

Town area.

•	 Two state-of-the-art interpretive centers at Upper Missouri River Breaks

and Pompeys Pillar National Monuments. 

•	 Garnet Ghost Town and Visitor Center (Missoula Field Office)

National Monuments

•	 Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument (374,976 acres);

 http://www.blm.gov/mt/st/en/fo/umrbnm.html

•	 Pompeys Pillar National Monument (51 acres);

 http://www.blm.gov/mt/st/en/fo/billings_field_office/pompeyspillar.html

National Trails

•	 310 miles of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail

•	 13 miles of the Nez Perce National Historic Trail

•	 10 miles of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail

•	 30 miles of the Garnet Winter Trail

•	 9 miles of the Bear Trap Canyon Recreation Trail

•	 12 miles of the Centennial Trail (South Dakota)

National Historic Landmarks

•	 Pompeys Pillar

•	 Wolf Mountain which includes the Battle Mountain ACEC (2,850 acres, of

which 120 acres are BLM)

Of special interest, our public lands offer:

•	 Upper Missouri National Wild and Scenic River (149 miles) 

•	 Bear Trap Canyon Wilderness (6,347 acres)

•	 Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range (about 38,000 acres)

•	 Two interpretive/educational centers and many interpretive wayside exhibits

Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas

•	 One 6,347-acre designated wilderness: the Bear Trap Canyon Unit of the

Lee Metcalf Wilderness (Montana’s first and only designated BLM wilderness area)

•	 39 Wilderness Study Areas totaling more than 450,000 acres

Recreational Achievements and Events in 2013

•	 The Billings Field Office Recreation program continued to expand the

youth outdoor education program through partnerships with Billings 

Audubon Education Center, City of Billings, Laurel Schools and Get Outside Montana. The recreational staff also began to develop a comprehensive non-motorized trail system in several high use areas such as Sundance 

Lodge Recreation Area, Acton Recreation Area, the Pryor Mountains, Lilly 

Pad Lake, and Four Dances Natural Area/ACEC.

•	 The Butte Field Office implemented its Resource Advisory Councilapproved revised fee systems at eight sites, generating about $265,000 in 

revenues or $100,000 more than the previous year. These fee funds are 

leveraged with partnership contributions to complete numerous improvements at our sites on Holter and Hauser Lakes. Projects completed in 2013 

include: two new information kiosks, a new administrative house, picnic 

shelters, two new chlorination water systems, a new potable water well, 

shoreline stabilization and chip sealing asphalt services. These increased 

revenues and ongoing partnership contributions will help meet backlog 

maintenance needs and reduce future dependency on appropriated funds.

•	 The Dillon Field Office completed restoration work on the Henneberry

House and the process to identify it as a fee site now that it is now available 

for the public to rent. This historic homestead has provided another great 

recreational opportunity for the public to enjoy in southwest Montana. 

Several successful projects were completed with the Montana Conservation Corps ranging from weed spraying in the Bear Trap Wilderness to 

recreation project work on the Lower Madison River and back country 

trail work in the Snowcrest and Centennial mountains. It was the 30th anniversary of the dedication of BLM’s first wilderness area -- the Bear Trap 

– which is managed exclusively by the BLM in Montana; that was also the

last BLM land in Montana to be designated as wilderness.

•	 The Glasgow Field Office continued to replace boundary and primitive route markers in the Bitter Creek WSA with help from the Montana 

Conservation Corps. Traffic counters were installed at Glasgow OHV and

Paulo Recreation Areas and a safety barrier constructed around the restroom and family picnic area at Glasgow OHV.

•	 The Havre Field Office replaced boundary markers, installed new directional and informational signs, constructed a new entrance gate, and put in 

a traffic counter at the Fresno OHV recreation area. It also developed and

installed new visitor information signs at Moffat and Pugsley Recreation 

Sites along the Marias River.