Grassland Conservation Program

[Wirehairs]

HURON -- A federal wildlife agency is taking comment on its proposal to keep 2 million acres of grassland and potholes from being turned into farmland in the Dakotas and part of Montana.

One of its public meetings on the Dakota Grassland Conservation Area is planned in Huron Thursday evening.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service would spend about $588 million over the next 20 to 30 years on conservation easements. Landowners who agree to participate would be paid to keep the land undisturbed.

The Dakota Grassland area is a prime breeding area for ducks and includes all of South Dakota east of the Missouri River.

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[UGUIDE]

Wirehairs, I just signed a USFW wetland easement on my whole farm. Good partnership for sure. Thanks for the info.

 

[UGUIDE]

Wirehairs, maybe the future of pheasants is ducks! At least in SD and ND thanks to the prairie pothole region.

Here is the link to thier website and like I said "I am in"! I got my whole farm in a no drain/no fill easement.

http://www.fws.gov/audubon/dakotagrassland.html

The target area covers about 1/2 of SD and about 2/3 of ND.

http://www.fws.gov/audubon/grasslands/dgca_lpp_fact_sheet_web.pdf

The no drain no fill easement is way better than the WRP thru USDA. I did not care for that at all.

 

[birdshooter]

Pheasants Forever emailed me this today.

Voice Your Support for the "Dakota Grasslands Conservation Area" Today

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has an aggressive plan to protect 1.7 million acres of grasslands and 240,000 acres of wetlands in North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana. That's great news for pheasants, prairie grouse, waterfowl and hunters. But your help is needed to make this plan a reality.

Simply send an email in support to dgca_comments@fws.gov. The length of your email is not important, but having your voice heard is critical.

Learn more at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Dakota Grasslands Conservation Area website. ACT NOW! Your input must be received by Dec. 31, 2010.

Example email
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service,

I am a hunter and understand the value of critical habitat. I am in full support of the Dakota Grasslands Conservation project. - John Q. Sample

 

[VZWman]

Dang Birdshooter, you beat me to the punch. The email address again, just because I had trouble reading it, is dgca_comments@fws.gov. There is an underscore between the dgca and comments, so dgca_comments.

 

[Augusta]

Do the easments allow public access?

 

[Augusta]

Oops, just read where the easments do not allow for public access.