Comprehensive Conservation Plan

The comprehensive conservation plan sets the management and use of Bear Butte National Wildlife Refuge for 15 years. The refuge is in northwest South Dakota. Despite its name, the refuge does not contain Bear Butte, which is a sacred place to several American Indian tribes.

The refuge is a limited-interest (easement) national wildlife refuge, where the State of South Dakota owns in fee title nearly all of the refuge as part of Bear Butte State Park. This easement is almost identical to other easements the Service acquired during the 1930s that established the right to impound water and close areas to hunting.

The purposes of the refuge are (1) to serve "as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wild animals"   (Executive Order, August 26, 1935), and (2) "for use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for any other management purpose, for migratory birds" (Migratory Bird Conservation Act).

• Established in 1935.
• Comprises 374 acres of easements.
• Located 6 miles northeast of Sturgis, South Dakota, in Meade County.
• Part of the Lacreek National Wildlife Refuge Complex, headquartered in Martin, South Dakota.

The following are major actions in the comprehensive conservation plan:

Comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and environmental assessment (EA)
CCP and EA 2007 (12 MB PDF)

By section, for faster download:
Approval, contents, summary (1 MB PDF)
Chapter 1, introduction (PDF)
Chapter 2, the limited-interest refuge (6 MB PDF)
Chapter 3, alternatives (1 MB PDF)
Chapter 4, affected environment (1 MB PDF)
Chapter 5, environmental consequences (1 MB PDF)
Chapter 6, comprehensive conservation plan (PDF)
Appendixes (1 MB PDF)

Draft CCP and EA
Draft CCP and EA 2007 (2 MB PDF)