Many agencies, conservation organizations, landowners and land managers recognize the ecological importance of the Northern Great Plains ecoregion and the unique suite of natural biodiversity it supports. Spanning some 250,000 square miles, the prairies of the northern United States and southern Canada represent North America 's most expansive tract of natural grassland habitat, and as such is the last, best hope for survival for many imperiled and endemic grassland species.

In recent years there has been increasing recognition of the power of the international boundary between Canada and the US to shape ecosystems and determine the fate of species and natural biological communities. Considerable cooperation now exists among government agencies and conservation groups in the United States and Canada and an integrated international approach is needed if we are to restore and conserve the habitats, species, and ecological processes of the North American prairie.

In 2006, several of the partners involved in the Northern Mixed Grass Transboundary Conservation Initiative met and formed the Crossing the Medicine Line Network . The goals of the Crossing the Medicine Line Network are:

•  To build a broader awareness and forge a deeper commitment to conserve the region's native biodiversity through the engagement of stakeholders, clarification of conservation priorities and stakeholder interests, development of trans-boundary partnerships, and coordinated program delivery;

•  To develop a collaborative environment that effectively balances conservation with the needs of human communities; and,

•  To ensure that important conservation advances occur through the action of staff and strategic investments made by the Crossing the Medicine Line Network partners.