

National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic Resources
The exhibit is sponsored by WLFW, the South Dakota Association of Conservation Districts (SDACD), South Dakota Association of Conservation Districts Employees (SDACDE), South Dakota Grassland Coalition (SDGC), South Dakota Soil Health Coalition (SDSHC), Pheasants Forever, Inc. and Quail Forever, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Welcome to the 2024 National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic, one of the largest conservation and hunting events of the season! After months of planning and preparation by a coalition of partners from South Dakota, please explore the resources behind our immersive exhibit celebrating the importance of grasslands and learning how to protect critical privately owned grasslands through voluntary, incentive-based conservation.

Take the Pheasant Phenom Quiz!
Our Amazing Grassland- The Migration, Edmunds County, South Dakota
The 2024 Grassland Stewardship Communications Project Partners: SDGC, Audubon Dakota, Ducks Unlimited, Partners for Fish and Wildlife, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, The Nature Conservancy, Pheasants Forever, South Dakota Soil Health Coalition, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and South Dakota State University. Explore the full playlist here.
Explore the Woody Encroachment Vulnerability Guide
"Reducing Woody Encroachment in Grasslands: A Guide to Risk and Vulnerability", produced through a partnership between public university extension programs in the Great Plains, the USDA-NRCS’s Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW), the USDA-NRCS’s Central National Technology Support Center (CNTSC), and various other conservation partners, provides the first-ever framework for addressing woody encroachment, now recognized as one of the top two drivers of grassland loss in the Great Plains. Check out the guide!
NRCS Offers Programs to Help Conserve Grassland Resources
December 1, 2022
Farmers and ranchers often deal with challenges that can have a negative impact on their grass, including encroachment by brush and trees. One important ally is the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service. Karen Woodrich, NRCS Deputy Chief for Programs, explains some of the technical and financial assistance that is available to help protect and improve these valuable resources. Segment Length: 4:55.
Sandhills Task Force: Helping People Help the Land
September 16, 2022
Protecting and improving the environment has long been the focus of America’s foremost land stewards: farmers and ranchers. That’s also the mission of the Sandhills Task Force, which works to enhance grassland ecosystems while sustaining profitable ranching. Segment Length: 3:11.
Fighting Against Woody Plant Encroachment in South Dakota
May 22, 2023
Farmers and ranchers often deal with challenges that can have a negative impact on their grass, including encroachment by brush and trees. We visit South Dakota to see some of the strategies landowners and conservation partners, like USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, are using to keep grasslands healthy and productive. Segment Length: 6:54.
Dealing with Woody Encroachment in the Great Plains
May 22, 2023
It's well documented how valuable good grass is to a cattle operation, but farmers and ranchers often deal with challenges that can have a negative impact on their grass, including encroachment by brush and trees. We talk with a group of experts about some of the strategies landowners and conservation partners are using to keep these important grasslands healthy and productive. Segment Length: 8:04.
NRCS Helps Implement Good Conservation Practices
September 19, 2023
The USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service is a key partner for farmers and ranchers trying to achieve their sustainability goals. Jeff Nichols, rangeland specialist for Nebraska NRCS, explains how the organization can help producers implement conservation practices and stay economically viable. Segment Length: 4:14.
How NRCS Helps Protect Grasslands in the Great Plains
September 27, 2023
The USDA's Natural Resources and Conservation Service offers farmers and ranchers the technical and financial assistance they need to protect and improve the resources in their care. We have a look at the work NRCS is doing to help producers in the Great Plains states manage their land and water resources. Segment Length: 2:03.
Virtual Fencing as a Climate Adaptation Strategy
September 28, 2023
Virtual fencing, a relatively new technology, allows ranchers to control livestock distribution in rangeland landscapes without physical fences. We look at how the USDA's Natural Resources and Conservation Service is helping farmers in Kansas learn how to use virtual fencing to balance the nutritional needs of their cattle while preserving the health of grasslands. Segment Length: 2:33.
USDA NRCS: Working Lands for Wildlife
October 18, 2023
It’s been proven time and again that is what is good for the bird is good for the herd, meaning that cattle and wildlife can co-exist and thrive on the same landscape. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service has an approach called Working Lands for Wildlife, which is aimed at conserving habitat, while also keeping working lands in the hands of ranchers and other landowners. We have a look at how this program is making a difference for producers in the Great Plains Region. Segment Length: 7:00.
Find a USDA-NRCS Service Center
We’ve made it easy for you to find the right person who knows your local area and can help with your questions.
Simply visit the NRCS Service Center Locator, click on your state, and then your county.
