by Kelly VanBeek
Despite significant advances in conservation policy and land-use practice, stewards of Midwest grasslands face persistent challenges in sustaining the ecological and economic values of pasture, hayfield, and prairie ecosystems. The Midwest Grasslands Network with support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Midwest Division of Migratory Birds introduced a newly developed resource to support grassland stewardship in the Upper Mississippi River and Great Lakes Region and adjacent Joint Ventures. The Conservation Atlas for Midwest Grasslands is an online mapping and data-sharing platform, hosted by Data Basin, which features spatial information about bird populations, ecosystem services, and conservation opportunities. It also synthesizes strategic guidance generated by regional and international initiatives. Program leaders and field personnel from the public and private sectors may find these tools useful in promoting the wildlife, water-quality, and agricultural benefits of grassy landscapes.
Click Here for the Conservation Atlas for Midwest Grasslands
To view a recording of a webinar introducing the Conservation Atlas, click here.