Forest Service and Thunder Basin Grazing Association Sign Agreement Advancing Long-term Rangeland Collaboration

The U.S. Forest Service Wednesday announced a new shared stewardship agreement with Thunder Basin Grazing Association, the first of its kind specific to grasslands. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has the details.

The agreement establishes a 20-year collaborative framework to strengthen rangeland stewardship, ecosystem health, and sustainable working landscapes across the Thunder Basin National Grassland in the Powder River Basin. The Thunder Basin National Grassland is one of the nation’s most significant mixed‑grass prairie ecosystems, supporting livestock grazing, wildlife habitat, and multiple-use objectives. The agreement formalizes the commitment to this partnership.

Through the agreement, the Forest Service and the Thunder Basin Grazing Association will jointly identify priority areas for restoration, conservation, and treatment using shared data, monitoring, and local expertise. Together, the parties will support sustainable working landscapes by strengthening ecological resilience, and coordinating vegetation management through targeted grazing, mechanical treatments, and practices that reduce hazardous fuels.