JV8 Central Grasslands Conservation Initiative Unveils New Website

January 23, 2026 — The JV8 Central Grasslands Conservation Initiative is excited to announce the official launch of its newly redesigned website, now live at JV8.org. The JV8 Central Grasslands Conservation Initiative is a long-term collaborative effort by eight Migratory Bird Joint Ventures (JVs) working together to implement grassland conservation from Mexico to Canada. The … Read more

Small Art, Big Impact: Igniting Conservation Across Borders

Every spring, the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) teems with duck calls and wings splashing on water. Shallow ponds glisten amidst rolling grasslands and farmlands, filled with waterfowl returning from the south to nest and raise their young. Spanning Montana, the Dakotas, Minnesota, Iowa, and southern Canada, the PPR is often called the cradle of North … Read more

Four Square Mile Survey

The Four-Square Mile Breeding Waterfowl Survey (FSMS) is a targeted, long-term monitoring initiative established by scientists from the USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center to assess the contribution of National Wildlife Refuge System land in the U.S. Prairie Pothole Region (US-PPR). Initiated in 1987 and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Habitat … Read more

Restoring Minnesota’s Wetlands

Minnesota’s wetland restoration efforts are working to address the loss of critical habitat across the Prairie Pothole Region, with key projects at Butler Lake, Moore Slough Wetland Protection Area (WPA), and Herberger Lake Wetland Management Area (WMA). These initiatives, driven by partnerships among federal agencies, non-government conservation organizations, and private landowners, restore vital ecosystems that … Read more

The Nature Conservancy Reaches 1 Million Acres of Land and Water Protected across Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota with Partners

Thanks to the help of partners and supporters, TNC has reached a major milestone in conservation. The Nature Conservancy (TNC)—a conservation organization committed to building a future where both people and nature thrive—announced a significant milestone: 1 million acres protected across Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. For more than 65 years, TNC’s Minnesota, North … Read more