Over the last century, most of the prairie pothole region has been converted to intensively cultivated cropland and heavily grazed or hayed grasslands.  Farmers and ranchers produce an abundance of wheat, barley, alfalfa, sunflowers, hay, corn, soybeans, cattle and sheep that feed people in this nation and abroad.

As a result, many wetlands were drained and cultivated, and native prairie grasses were either plowed or extensively utilized.  This loss of habitat has had tremendous impacts on prairie wildlife.  Grassland birds, for example, have suffered steeper, more consistent and more widespread declines over the past 25 years than any other North American bird group.

PPJV believes that the key to slowing and reversing this trend is the protection and restoration of wetland and grassland habitats throughout the region.  Since most of the remaining wetlands and grasslands are found on private land, cooperative partnerships that benefit ranchers and farmers as well as wildlife are essential.

PPJV Wetland Protection Objective:           

Protect in perpetuity 1.4 million acres of high priority wetlands at risk (small and shallow wetlands less than 1 acre in size that are totally or partially embedded in cropland and which are currently unprotected).

PPJV Grassland Protection Objective:

Protect in perpetuity 10.4 million acres of priority (over 55 acres in size) grassland

PPJV Implementation Plan

For specific, detailed information on PPJV Goals and Objectives to date, click on Implementation Plan and go to the respective Waterfowl, Shorebird, Waterbird and Prairie Landbird sections.

Click here for an Executive Summary of the Implementation Plan.