Getting Closer to the Little Missouri River

Getting Closer to the Little Missouri River by Mark Strand, PhD

Hiking Bullion Butte with the friends of the Badlands Conservation Association was a fantastic way to spend Memorial Day.

I am a North Dakota native, but lived away from North Dakota from age 18 to 47. Since returning I have devoted myself to better understanding North Dakota – her people and her spaces. That has meant reading a lot and visiting many of North Dakota’s most treasured places. This is what led me to bring my family of five on the BCA Memorial Day hike, and it far exceeded my expectations, which were already pretty high.

I have wanted to get closer to the Little Missouri River for a long time, in particular the areas that have no roads. I happen to be a conscientious environmentalist, and I believe there are a lot of places on earth that need to be protected from human modification. One of those places is the Little Missouri National Grassland. It is an important place for the preservation native grasses, thus providing habitat for wildlife, managing water, and improving air quality through natural carbon and oxygen exchange.  Being able to hike to the top of Bullion, and get a view of 40 miles of the Little Missouri river basin was both aesthetically break-taking and also informative environmentally. I understood the role of natural water flows, without intermittent dams, in reforestation. 

I happen to disagree with American philosopher and writer Ayn Rand, who considered nature to have no inherent value apart from how humans manipulate it, use it, and tame it. Rather, I see our relationship with nature from a stewardship perspective. We are called to use the natural world for our sustenance in a symbiotic and sustainable way. We are called to use science to understand the natural world, so that we can be gardeners in this world. We are sustained by the fruit of the earth, and the earth thrives with our scientifically informed stewardship.

Western North Dakota is a national treasure. I am thankful for the chance to explore new parts of it on the BCA-led hike up Bullion Butte.

Dr. Mark Strand is a Professor in Pharmacy Practice and Master of Public Health Programs at North Dakota State University in Fargo, and was recently appointed by Gov. Doug Burgum to serve on the North Dakota State Health Council.