South Unit General Management Plan

The National Park Service (NPS) and the Oglala Sioux Tribe are working on a General Management Plan (GMP) for the South Unit of Badlands National Park. Public comments on Newsletter #1 were submitted and reviewed by the GMP management team. Newsletter #2, issued Spring 2009, outlines updates on the process. Alternatives to managing the South Unit are currently being developed and will be included in the draft South Unit GMP, set to be released in early 2010. A public comment period will occur shortly thereafter to discuss the alternatives. Please continue to check this web page for updated information and a public meeting schedule.

Newsletter #1 Winter 2008 (693 KB PDF)

Newsletter #2 Spring 2009 (879 KB PDF)

In 2000, the NPS requested and received public comments on a GMP inclusive of both the North and South Units of the park. However, in 2004, the NPS decided to complete separate plans for each unit; the two GMPs together will describe a plan for management of Badlands National Park for the next 15-20 years.

Additional information on the South Unit GMP has been placed on the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website, including:

• Summary of comments received
• Matrix with all the comments from all sources presented in 5 general classifications
• Comments from mailings and website postings that correspond to the questions on the comment card contained in the first newsletter

Prairie Dog Management Plan and Environmental Assessment (Plan/EA)

Badlands National Park sought comments for this plan in spring 2007 and finalized the plan in August 2007. The National Park Service objective for the plan is to ensure the black-tailed prairie dog population remains a viable and key factor in the park ecosystem, while providing strategies for controlling prairie dog expansion to private lands along the park boundary.

Prairie Dog Management Plan and Environmental Assessment (Plan/EA) (6.41 MB PDF)