South Dakota

American Bird Conservancy
Leveraging Grassland Conservation for Birds and Rangeland Resiliency (MT, ND, SD, WY)
Leverage two NRCS partner positions to increase the impact of Working Lands for Wildlife initiatives for Greater Sage-grouse and the Northern Plains Grassland in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Project will provide technical assistance and planning on NRCS practices to improve management on at least 15,500 acres of land, while fostering landowner trust and interest in grassland conservation, to ultimately provide more high-quality habitat and build rangeland resiliency.
$205,095

Ducks Unlimited
Supporting Climate Resilient Habitats and Increasing Grassland Carbon Sequestration (MT, ND, SD, WY)
Provide technical assistance and incentives for on-the-ground conservation projects on private lands through the Northern Grassland Incentives Program which offers landowners financial assistance to voluntarily restore and enhance native grasslands, shrublands and mesic habitats. Project will improve or restore nearly 10,000 acres to help build rangelands that are resilient to climate change, drought, and invasive species, and which have improved capabilities to sequester carbon.
$296,988

Mule Deer Foundation
Improving Conservation Coordination and Implementation in the Dakota Grasslands (MT, ND, SD, WY)
Increase capacity for a habitat partnership coordinator to be the key position for increasing the capacity to identify, plan, coordinate and implement conservation projects that restore key habitats in the Dakota Grassland region. Project will improve derelict fencing to wildlife-friendly specifications, restore sage-grouse habitat through invasive species treatments, improve mesic habitat hydrology through seedyk structures and improve rangelands through modified grazing plans.
$364,717

National Audubon Society
Technical Assistance for Pollinator Habitat on Working Lands in the Eastern Dakotas (ND, SD)
Support a Range Ecologist to advance technical assistance for private landowners and promote conservation practices that benefit the monarch butterfly, Dakota skipper, regal fritillary, and other pollinators in eastern North Dakota and South Dakota. Project will improve 7,480 acres, restore 2,600 acres, develop 32 conservation plans, host 4 workshops, and engage 120 people.
$262,409

Pheasants Forever
Using Decision-Support Tools to Strategically Deliver Grassland Bird Conservation – Phase 3 (SD)
Develop a tract prioritization protocol based on the new grassland bird decision-support tools to identify grassland tracts on private land in western South Dakota with the highest value to grassland nesting passerines. Project will enroll 14,000 acres of highest priority grassland habitat into improved grazing management systems.
$345,090

Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory
Expanding the Great Plains and Chihuahuan Desert Motus Network to Inform Migratory Bird Conservation (multiple states)
Expand efforts to build a network of automated radio telemetry stations (Motus) throughout the Great Plains and Chihuahuan Desert that will help fill demographic knowledge gaps, characterize stop-over and migratory connectivity, and strategically inform full annual cycle habitat conservation for steeply declining grassland birds. Project will install 10 new Motus stations and deploy bird tags to inform future conservation delivery for grassland birds.
$250,000

South Dakota Grassland Coalition
Adoption of Regenerative Practices on Prairie Pothole Working Grasslands (SD)
Promote regenerative agriculture principles and conservation practices with ranchers in the Prairie Pothole Region of eastern South Dakota. Project will improve grassland health, promote long-term ranch sustainability, promote water conservation, improve water quality, enhance soil health, increase carbon storage and enhance wildlife habitat on an estimated 75,000 acres of grassland.
$408,919

South Dakota Grassland Coalition
Enhancing Grasslands by Promoting Regenerative Practices in the Northern Plains Grassland (SD)
Promote regenerative agriculture principles and conservation practices utilizing cost share programs on working grasslands by working with ranchers in western South Dakota. Project will promote long-term ranch sustainability, protect grasslands from conversion, improve grassland and soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat for priority species of concern including chestnut-collared longspur, Baird’s sparrow and Sprague’s pipit on 75,000 acres of grasslands.
$181,325