The Buffalo Bill Center of the West's Youth advisory board has received a grant from the Smithsonian Institute for sage grouse conservation.
The museum youth advisory group consists of Cody high schoolers. As a Smithsonian affiliate, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West was asked to participate in the Earth Optimism Teen event. The event, which usually takes place in person, focuses on global conservation movements and identifies a problem and tries to create a solution.
Instead of participating in the event, Nathan Doerr, the Draper Natural History Museum curator, said youth were asked to come up with a project that looks at climate change, habitat and wildlife conservation. Doerr said they came across a project that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is working on in northwest Wyoming.
"They'll work in collaboration with BLM to diversify an area of sagebrush steppe with or by planting buffalo berry seedlings," said Doerr.
The goal is to help diversify the sage grouse chicks diet. Doeer said the board was awarded a $500 grant. They will start the project later this spring.