Photo: Noppadol Paothong
Great Plains
We provide scientific reports, project profiles, technical tools, videos, photos, field guides, and links that tell the story of how cooperative conservation is making a difference for working lands and wildlife across the West.
News
USDA Expands Conservation Practices Qualifying for Climate-Smart Funding
October 24, 2023
Learn about the USDA-NRCS's recent expansion of the list of practices and activities eligible for Climate-Smart funding through the Inflation Reduction ...
News
New “Pocket Guide” Provides Unified Planning Process for Reducing Woody Encroachment in Grasslands
July 18, 2023
New pocket guide details conservation planning guidelines for reducing woody encroachment in ...
Ask an Expert
To protect intact grasslands, start with the seed
June 26, 2023
Research highlights the importance of seed sources as a driver of grassland vulnerability to encroachment and how to best prevent manage seeds and seedlings to protect core ...
Publication Alert
More woody encroachment means more wildfire risk. Prescribed fire can lower it.
April 12, 2023
WLFW-affiliated research details the risk of increasing wildfire in the Great Plains due to woody encroachment and how prescribed fires help reduce that ...
Publication Alert
The Last Continuous Grasslands on Earth
March 3, 2022
New research details the largest and most intact grasslands on Earth. Two of the largest are located here in the U.S. -- the Sandhills of Nebraska and the sagebrush steppe of ...
News
“Defend the Core” — Fighting back against woody invaders on the Great Plains
February 24, 2022
NRCS’ Working Lands for Wildlife is investing in big-picture, proactive ways to keep from losing healthy grasslands to woody ...
News
Publication Alert: Large-scale fire management restores grassland bird richness
January 18, 2022
Research from the Loess Canyons Experimental Landscape shows that strategic use of prescribed fire boosts grassland species ...
News
The Story of Saving the Loess Canyons
October 20, 2021
A new report highlights how landowners in the Loess Canyons of Nebraska have successfully reversed tree encroachment in grasslands while also facilitating co-produced science ...
News
Study Demonstrates Importance of Voluntary Conservation for Grassland Birds
July 1, 2021
Study highlights how voluntary conservation protected habitat for 4.5 million grassland songbirds, and boosted populations by 1.8 million ...
News
Great Plains Grasslands Framework in Focus: Wildlife Conservation Through Sustainable Ranching
April 22, 2021
Dig into the Framework for Conservation Action in the Great Plains Grasslands ...
Ask an Expert
Fire and the Great Plains
August 11, 2020
Fire used to play a big role in shaping the Great Plains. Does it today and how do the Plains recover from fire? Dr. Victoria Donovan answers these and other questions in this ...
Science to Solutions
Woody Invasion in the Great Plains Diminishes Water Resources
March 26, 2019
Research details impacts to water from encroaching eastern redcedar and other conifers on landscapes in the Great ...
News
Woody Invasion Impacts Water on Great Plains
March 26, 2019
Science to Solutions - New research details impacts to water from encroaching eastern redcedar and other conifers on landscapes in the Great Plains. Similar impacts occur on ...
News
Conservation Insight Report Confirms LPCI Projects Benefit Birds and Ranchers
March 21, 2019
New Conservation Insight Report Confirms LPCI Projects Benefit Chickens and ...
News
New Technology For Landowners And Resource Managers Revolutionizes Rangeland Monitoring
September 18, 2018
by Justin Fritscher, NRCS | New free app provides the first-ever vegetation cover maps for rangelands from the Great Plains to the Pacific ...
News
Research Says, Adjusting Grazing Practices Can Improve Prairie-Chicken Habitat
February 27, 2018
SCIENCE TO SOLUTIONS: A new study by researchers at Kansas State University identifies specific grazing practices that create the varied grassland habitat structure that ...
News
Prairie Grouse Meeting Showcases Latest Prairie-Chicken Research
October 25, 2017
LPCI PRESS RELEASE: Emerging research on lesser prairie-chickens took center stage last week at the 32nd annual Prairie Grouse Technical Council meeting in Dickinson, North ...