More than 300 ranchers, tribal members, conservationists, researchers, federal and state agency officials gathered in Cheyenne last week to find ways to safeguard and restore the nation's grasslands.
Aviva Glaser, senior director of agriculture policy for the National Wildlife Federation, said grasslands are critical for rural economies and wildlife. However, in just the past few decades, millions of acres have been severely degraded or lost altogether.
"Whether it's conversion to crop land or development," Glaser outlined. "Some studies have shown that the loss of grasslands has actually been even faster than the loss of Amazon rainforest."
Colorado has been a leader nationally on protecting wildlife migration corridors, and Glaser said safeguarding and restoring grasslands is key for wildlife connectivity. Grasslands are home to thousands of species of birds, insects and other wildlife, and some species have become endangered or extinct due to loss of habitat.
Source: publicnewsservice.org
Photo Credit: pexels-jeffrey-czum
Categories: North Dakota, General