WASHINGTON, D.C. — The continued loss of grassland habitat in the southern Great Plains due to climate change, development, and other factors has imperiled the lesser prairie chicken and underscores the need for collaborative solutions that work for people and wildlife. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposed listing for the lesser prairie chicken under the Endangered Species Act underscores the need for swift action and investment in tools to help farmers and ranchers conserve Southern Great Plains grasslands.

“The health of iconic bird species like the lesser prairie chicken depends on the health of their habitats and ecosystems – like the southern Great Plains grasslands,” said Collin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “Increased resources for collaborative conservation with farmers and ranchers to conserve and restore southern Great Plains grasslands through the creation of a new North American Grasslands Conservation Act and increased funding for Farm Bill conservation programs will not only conserve species like the lesser prairie chicken, but also will create jobs, strengthen climate resilience, and ensure cleaner soil and water in this beautiful and irreplaceable North American landscape.”

Learn more about the National Wildlife Federation’s plan to put Americans to work while saving wildlife and conserving and restoring habitats like the lesser prairie chicken’s.