Mountain-Prairie Region

Mission Statement:

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish and wildlife and their habitat for the continuing benefit of the American people.

Why "Mountain-Prairie"?

This U.S. Fish and Wildlife Region's nickname aptly describes the two most prominent physical features of the eight-state area. The eastern portion is comprised of the Great Plains, primarily the short-grass prairies. To the west rise the Rocky Mountains, and parts of the inter-mountain west beyond the Continental Divide.

The climate over much of the region is semi-arid to arid. Hence existing surface waters are all the more vital to wildlife. In the northeastern portion of the Region, in eastern Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota, is a physiographic area known as the Prairie Coteau, a land marked by small ponds and wetlands. Left by the last glacier, these "prairie potholes" are among the most important nesting habitat for waterfowl in North America.

The Regional Office, in Denver, administers federal fish and wildlife conservation activities in the eight states, through three "eco-regions" -- North and South Dakota; Montana and Wyoming; and Utah, Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas.

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