It was just over a year ago that National Wildlife Federation, South Dakota State University’s Department of Natural Resource Management, and the North Central Sun Grant Center started talking about putting on a conference that would address the growing concerns surrounding the preservation of America’s grasslands – one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world. It is estimated that tallgrass prairies and savannas of the mid-western states have declined by as much as 99% as a result of habitat fragmentation, conversion to cropland, and undesirable habitat changes due to fire exclusion, improper grazing management, and use and spread of invasive and non-native plants, among other factors. The ecological and economic importance [...]
