Today, a coalition of conservation organizations is celebrating the launch of MapforGrasslands.Org as illustration of the need for the North American Grasslands Conservation Act. The first-of-its-kind website documents the loss of grasslands in North America, the subsequent impact on iconic wildlife species, and the need for grasslands-specific legislation – the North American Grasslands Conservation Act (Grasslands Act) – to address upland habitat loss.
The new website demonstrates the significant loss of America’s prairies, savannas, glades and sagebrush over a thirty-year period (1992-present). Fifteen individual species are also highlighted within the project, showcasing population declines in some of America’s iconic wildlife — including the northern bobwhite quail, monarch butterfly, and bobolink. Produced by Cornell Lab of Ornithology in collaboration with the coalition, the project is a valuable tool for legislators, hunters, and conservationists to better understand the habitat and species loss in their own backyards while empowering individuals to act.
To see the full interactive map, learn more about the Grasslands Act, and how to get involved, head to the link mapforgrasslands.org
Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, Ruffed Grouse Society, National Wildlife Federation, World Wildlife Fund, North American Grouse Partnership
