13. - Create a grasslands conservation initiative
Text from the Recreational Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Plan, 2008, Page 16
State wildlife agencies will work in consultation with federal agencies, the SCC, and conservation organizations to develop a grasslands conservation initiative or improve/expand existing programs like Sod Saver. The initiative would focus on building a private and sustainable infrastructure for delivery of technical and financial assistance to agricultural producers through a private-public partnership.
Framers of the initiative should:
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- Develop common metrics and priorities for each state to ensure that projects are targeted toward development of ecologically sustainable habitat.
- Develop a conservation funding source—federal, state, and/or private—to create and implement a grassland conservation initiative.
- Coordinate a model National Grassland/Shrubland Restoration Act prepared for federal public lands to address, among other things, the problem of invasive plant species, such as cheatgrass, overtaking areas of multiple native species and thereby eliminating a good food source for native wildlife.
Sub-actions for Create a grasslands conservation initiative
Assessment of Status: Partially Complete
Grasslands conservation initiatives have started to take root. A few examples include the Dakota Grasslands Initiative, the Flint Hills Legacy Conservation Area, the Grasslands Reserve Program and the Everglades Restoration. With the potential for decreased funding via the Land and Water Conservation Fund, questions do remain as to how to continue to fund these initiatives.
Supporting documentation and findings
