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| Query: Black grouse | Result: 47th of 58 | |
Lesser prairie-chickens sharing their breeding grounds with cows,
| Resolution: 2560x1920
File Size: 2764217 Bytes
Upload Date: 2008:02:28 21:48:09
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Private Landowner Agreement
Benefits Lesser Prairie-Chicken
The Service
worked the Ted Alexander Ranch in the midgrass prairie of the Red Hills in
south-central Kansas to conserve a candidate species for federal listing.
The less prairie-chicken occurs on the Alexander Ranch, but habitat was
compromised by ongoing ranching activities. Working the Mr. Alexander,
the Service identified practices which could benefit habitat for this
prairie grouse species. Through a Candidate Conservation Agreement
with Assurances, Mr. Alexander agreed to manage 2,232 acres of his ranch for
optimal lesser prairie-chicken habitat through grassland restoration,
prescribed burning, and implementation of alternate livestock grazing
schemes and stock watering locations.
This
Agreement is one of a series of activities occurring in Kansas and elsewhere
in the range of the lesser prairie-chicken that are providing benefits that
may hopefully result in population gains that will avoid a listing
under the Endangered Species Act. Other landowners in Kansas are
considering implementing conservation actions similar to those included in
the agreement.
Lesser prairie-chickens sharing their breeding grounds with cows,
Photo by Greg Kramos
Prairie Dog and Black-Footed
Ferret Conservation on the Shortgrass Prairie
The Service
has been cooperating with a group of six private landowners, including The
Nature Conservancy, who control over 41,000 acres of shortgrass prairie
habitat in western Kansas. Altogether, these landowners support
approximately 8,500 acres of black-tailed prairie dog colonies, and each is
interested in conserving this species and maintaining the biodiversity this
habitat type supports.. In addition, the Service has received a request from
each landowner to assess the status of the properties for the ability to
serve as a reintroduction site for the endangered black-footed ferret.
While this assessment is ongoing, preliminary indications are that a ferret
release may be possible on one or more properties in the near future.
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