The Wolsey Important Bird Area (IBA) in eastern South Dakota provides critical resting, refueling and staging habitat for over 150,000 Sandhill Cranes each spring including nearly 40% of all Greater Sandhill Cranes and over 23% of the global population of all six subspecies of Sandhill Cranes (Krapu et al. 2014). These majestic birds soar into

Audubon’s Conservation Ranching (ACR) program is the cornerstone of its Working Lands Initiative. It functions as market-based conservation, offering incentives for good grassland stewardship and “bird-friendly” management practices through a certification label on beef products. The program has evolved through a collaborative effort between beef producers, state and federal agency partners, industry experts, and other

For the last couple decades, a spring drive north of Gary, Minnesota on Highway 32 would have taken you by numerous rows of drainage ditches and vast, level expanses of black dirt. Going 60 miles per hour, it would be hard to imagine that the flat monotony might one day turn into potholes filled with

North Dakota Natural Resources Trust (NDNRT, the Trust) experienced a positive response to its Working Grasslands Partnership (WGP) program in Phase I and II. In fact, the reaction was so enthusiastic that NDNRT proposed Phase III – opening the program across half of the state (all within the PPJV landscape) – in the most recent

We find ourselves in a constant state of change within the Prairie Pothole Joint Venture, not only for priority species and the ongoing challenges of habitat conservation, but also in the partnership structure and opportunities. With recent turnover in PPJV Management Board co-chairs and partner representatives, and the impending transition to a new coordinator, it

The North Dakota Natural Resources Trust (Trust), along with their partners on the Outdoor Heritage Fund grant, are offering producers access to resources to keep their expired and expiring CRP acres in grass through the Working Grasslands Partnership Phase II (WGP II). The inaugural grant engaged more than 40 landowners to keep over 17,000 acres

The South Dakota Grassland Coalition and its partners (listed below) collaborated to produce and release a short video story each month during 2018 to promote healthy soils, grasslands, and ecosystems. The videos are beautifully filmed, depict real ranching families, and are well worth three minutes of your time. Click here to enjoy the Our Amazing

DU and NRCS grant helps landowners improve productivity and profitability of private lands Agricultural producers in eastern South Dakota can get financial assistance for a variety of conservation practices focusing on improving soil health. Ducks Unlimited, the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and several other partners developed the project under the Regional Conservation Partnership

Opening day of duck season is an exciting occasion, especially for youngsters hunting for the first time. During the 2017 North Dakota youth waterfowl hunting season, Ducks Unlimited volunteers took a group of kids hunting at the Coteau Ranch. The ranch, which is open to public hunting, is owned by Ducks Unlimited and located in

Multidimensional Conservation I think most successful partnerships, particularly those within the joint venture community, adapt and change over time. In such a dynamic, partners work together with incredible ingenuity and commitment to accomplish something greater than themselves or any one organization. They think beyond today, next month, or even 10 years from now since the

Farming, ranching, hunting, and wildlife management go hand-in-hand at Daybreak Ranch in central South Dakota. Located north of Highmore, family-owned and operated Daybreak Ranch comprises 8,000 acres of private land consisting of native grassland, cropland, wetlands, food plots, and tree belt plantings. These diverse habitats support wildlife in abundance, especially ring-necked pheasants, white-tailed deer, pronghorn,

Deuel County, South Dakota, is home to some of the most productive breeding waterfowl habitat in the Prairie Pothole Region – reason enough for several partners to work with the Even family to restore 32.5 acres of wetlands on their farm. Add upland nesting bird habitat to the mix, and the project was a winner