The U.S. Forest Service recently celebrated the acquisition of the Eberts Ranch with the public and numerous partners. These lands, once part of Theodore Roosevelt's Elkhorn Ranch, will now be part of the Little Missouri National Grasslands.

We are asking the public for their thoughts on how these lands should be managed. The only commitments that have been made for the management of these lands is that traditional uses, such as hunting, livestock grazing and oil and gas development, will continue, and grazing privileges will be retained with the Medora Grazing Association.

The way livestock are grazed on the Elkhorn Ranchlands, however, may have flexibility that heretofore has not existed on the national grasslands here. With only a few exceptions, all national grassland acres are allocated to a person or family to graze their livestock on through agreements with grazing associations. We now have a vacancy.

The Forest Service is committed to retain the animal unit months on the newly acquired lands and the grazing allotments associated with them with the grazing association. The question, however, is who will be given the opportunity to use these AUMs in the future? Rather than reallocating these AUMs to only a few individuals within the grazing association, I would suggest that all grazing association members have the opportunity to use the Elkhorn Ranchlands in times of need. It could be because of fire or drought or during restoration projects on an allotment. And, in those years when no emergency or restoration need for additional forage exists, the association could have a drawing to determine who gets use of the lands for the grazing season.

The question, therefore, is not whether the lands will be grazed, but rather by whom. It is important, on at least a trial or pilot basis, to take advantage of this opportunity. Not only will it allow the Forest Service and grazing association to demonstrate principles of restoration and protection on the national grasslands and private lands but will also provide more flexibility and options to ranchers during times of need. What better way to use the "vacancy" created by the public's purchase of Roosevelt's Elkhorn Ranchlands - the cradle of conservation.

(Pieper is the Dakota Prairie Grasslands supervisor for the U.S. Forest Service. The next public meeting will be 3:30-5:30 p.m. Sept. 25 in the Brynhild Haugland room of the state Capitol. - Editor)