Prairies Conservation Campaign

U.S. U.S.Fish Fish & Wildlife & Wildlife Service Service Prairies Conservation Campaign Prairie potholes / USFWS Background The vast grasslands and wetlands of the dependent birds relying on these Northern Great Plains are often grassland and wetland complexes to regarded as one of our most diverse meet their seasonal needs. History has ecosystems and one of America’s proven that once native prairie is plowed national treasures. Despite substantial up and temporary and seasonal wetlands change since the Homesteading era, are drained, it is impossible to return more than 1,600 species of plants, 300 these areas to their original state. Since birds, 200 butterflies and nearly 100 very few of these large, intact landscapes species of mammals still call this region still remain in North America, it is home. critical that solutions are discovered and implemented as soon as possible. Cattle grazing at Lake Ilo National Within the Northern Great Plains lies Wildlife Refuge in North Dakota / the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR), A Larger Connection to the Prairie USFWS arguably a landscape with one of the Pothole Region These blooms in turn diminish the most unique wetland resources found Functional grassland and wetland dissolved oxygen in the water, which has anywhere in the world. The U.S. portion ecosystems not only protect the created this hypoxic zone. Commercial of the PPR covers approximately watersheds in which they occur, but also and sport fish species such as grouper, 185,000 square miles or 118 million acres protect downstream waterways and red drum, and red snapper – and the (1 square mile is 640 acres) and includes communities. Together, prairie industries and livelihoods that depend parts of Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, grasslands interspersed with wetlands upon them – have been heavily impacted South Dakota, and Montana. Despite provide numerous societal benefits, as a result. historical losses, the PPR contains 26 including filtering water, reducing million acres of grass cover, (excluding erosion and sedimentation, and Solutions Conservation Reserve Program grass absorbing flood waters. When these It is critical that we raise public cover), 3.44 million wetland basins and grasslands and wetlands are lost, serious awareness about these issues that are more than 300 species of birds. This area impacts are felt further downstream in occurring across the PPR. We are is commonly referred to as America’s the Mississippi River Basin. Such habitat working with our partners to find “duck factory” because it is the most losses in the PPR have been linked to conservation solutions, additional productive area for nesting waterfowl on creation of the hypoxic area, or “dead resources, and win-win solutions for the continent. More than 50% of North zone”, which currently exists in the landowners. In order to do this, one of America’s ducks depend on the vital mix northern Gulf of Mexico adjacent to the our primary goals is to increase of wetland and grassland habitats found Mississippi River. Nitrogen used as a opportunities for voluntary incentive- across the PPR. fertilizer in commodity production in the based tools to keep cattle producers PPR drains into the Mississippi River profitable. This will ensure that the In recent years, grassland and wetland basin and ultimately into the Gulf of region has healthy fish and wildlife losses have continued to expand Mexico, where it fuels huge algal blooms. populations, healthy soil and water westward across the PPR. Emerging resources, and an assurance that ranch research indicates that in many portions families will always be an integral and of the PPR, grassland loss is approaching profitable component of the region’s rates not seen for nearly a century. economy. Visit www.fws.gov/ Compounding this problem is the fact prairiesconservation to learn how you that the rates of grassland and wetland can be part of the solution and follow and loss are greatest in the areas where the participate in the most productive wildlife habitat still conversation online using remains. These areas host incredible the #ConserveThePrairies wildlife diversity with shorebirds, hashtag. waterbirds and many grassland- Northern shovelers / USFWS .

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