The American Prairie Reserve announced the purchase of the Blue Ridge ranch in southern Phillips County on Thursday.

The ranch is more than 14,000 acres in size and is comprised of more than 9,600 deeded acres and 4,400 leased acres. This is the nonprofit's 29th land acquisition and brings its total deeded and leased property to more than 419,000 acres.

"The Blue Ridge acquisition moves us one step closer to achieving our goal of building a refuge for people and wildlife preserved forever as part of America's heritage," said American Prairie Reserve CEO Alison Fox in a media release.

According to Beth Saboe, senior external relations manager with the American Prairie Reserve, the owner of Blue Ridge ranch contacted the organization a few months ago about selling the property.

The Blue Ridge ranch is located approximately 45 miles southeast of Malta and features diverse landscapes and wildlife, most notably, its resident elk herd.

"The topography and habitat of Blue Ridge are extremely important to the regional elk population," said American Prairie Reserve Superintendent Damien Austin in the release. "We feel very fortunate to be able to add such a wildlife-rich area to the reserve."

According to a press release from the American Prairie Reserve, the purchase will support the organization's mission to expand its habitat area to continue the restoration of ecosystem biodiversity.

That expansion is not met with universal enthusiasm.

Many area ranchers are skeptical.

In Phillips County, where the American Prairie Reserve has most of its land holdings and 86,000 head of cattle graze the land, many neighbors remain skeptical of the ambitious and groundbreaking conservation effort to save unbroken native prairie, viewing the growing reserve as a threat to a way of life and productive agricultural ground that fuels rural economies.

"I wasn't aware of this purchase, but I think the loss of a ranch, and especially the continuation of additional ranches, will have an effect on our county," said Phillips County Farm Bureau President Tom DePuydt.

DePuydt explained that it is difficult for agriculture producers in the county to compete financially for land with the American Prairie Reserve.

"We are seeing young families coming back to many of these places, but it's almost like there's a cloud hanging over their head," said DePuydt. "What's their future if these people keep coming in with that type of money? Are they just going to get squeezed out if they can't even compete for leases?"

The APR doesn't think that will be the case.

"We don't anticipate (this purchase) having any effect on farmers or ranchers," said Saboe. "There's so much that has to be evaluated and assessed."

According to Saboe, the American Prairie Reserve doesn't not have any plans to put bison on the land "anytime in the near future." There are just a little more than 400 head of cattle on the leased land and Saboe said that the organization plans to continuing leasing to the rancher.

The Blue Ridge ranch property shares a five-mile border with the nonprofit's Burnt Lodge unit and is also located near protected areas like the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge. According to the press release, the connectivity of the properties will foster migratory pathways for wildlife.

"We are very excited to add Blue Ridge to the reserve, and we anticipate reacreationists will be as well," Fox said in the release. "As we've done with past land purchases, we need to first take time to familiarize ourselves with the property prior to welcoming the public. The safety of our visitors is a primary concern of the organization."

The American Prairie Reserve will be doing an assessment of the property, during that time the deeded acres of the Blue Ridge ranch will not be accessible to the public. Saboe said that the organization isn't sure how long the assessment will take, but said it could take months due to the size of the property.

"The leased land that's part of this purchase has several other entry points from other people's property and or other public land," said Saboe about accessing the Blue Ridge ranch property for the time being.

The Blue Ridge ranch property will not be open for the 2019 hunting season due to the property assessments and evaluations, but Saboe anticipates the property will be ready for hunters in 2020. Hunters are welcome to the Burnt Lodge and Timber Creek properties that are adjacent from Blue Ridge ranch.

"Our hope is in the future we are going to provide for more public access," said Saboe about possible opportunities to hunt, fish, camp or hike on the Blue Ridge ranch property.