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WATFORD CITY - The Dakota Prairie Grasslands has announced Michael Engelhart has joined the organization as district ranger for the McKenzie Ranger District, headquartered in Watford City.
Engelhart comes to the Dakota Prairie Grasslands from the Moab/Monticello Ranger District on Utah’s Manti-La Sal National Forest, where he served as district ranger.
As district ranger, Engelhart will provide leadership for the McKenzie Ranger District portion of the Little Missouri National Grassland, the largest national grassland in the United States.
The Little Missouri National Grassland encompasses more than 1 million acres across McKenzie, Billings, Slope and Golden Valley counties in western North Dakota. The landscape includes expansive mixed-grass prairie, rugged badlands and the scenic Little Missouri River. The grassland also surrounds portions of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
The McKenzie Ranger District oversees a diverse landscape that supports local communities, outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, energy development and wildlife habitat. The district’s work focuses on balancing multiple uses while sustaining the long-term health and productivity of grassland resources.
The district administers some of the nation’s largest federal oil and gas and grazing programs. Key priorities include stewardship of natural resources, management of energy development and grazing allotments, recreation opportunities, wildlife habitat conservation, and collaboration with local communities, landowners and stakeholders.
One of the district’s recreation assets is the northern segment of the 144-mile Maah Daah Hey Trail, recognized as one of the nation’s premier long-distance trails. The McKenzie Ranger District manages the trail from the Ice Caves area north to CCC Campground, in addition to six designated nonmotorized trails and several developed recreation sites, including CCC Campground and Sather Lake Recreation Area.
Engelhart began serving as district ranger on Nov. 1 and is based in Watford City.
The McKenzie Ranger District is one of four ranger districts that help manage the Dakota Prairie Grasslands, which includes the Little Missouri, Cedar River, Grand River and Sheyenne National Grasslands, as well as the Denbigh Experimental Forest.