CONSERVATION
THROUGH
PARTNERSHIPS

Partnerships are the key to our success. We facilitate cooperation among a broad coalition of partners — on the national, regional, state and local levels — to fund and implement on-the-ground habitat
conservation projects.

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CONSERVATION
THROUGH DESIGN

Effective conservation — from planning to implementation to monitoring — relies on having accurate, informative maps and spatial data. We create geospatial tools and data products, including interactive maps, source code for geospatial models, and downloadable data, to help guide conservation efforts within our region.

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CONSERVATION ON
WORKING LANDS

In our region, agricultural producers have the ability to effect the biggest change on the landscape and, therefore, provide the greatest benefit to birds and bird habitat through their conservation efforts. We are deeply invested in helping to make sure producers stay on the landscape so this stewardship may continue.

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CONSERVATION ON
PUBLIC LANDS

While public lands, managed for the public good, are used differently than working lands, managers often need the same conservation tools developed for private landowners. We work with public land managers to maximize benefit on lands that often act as anchors for large bocks of habitat that is important for many species.

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CONSERVATION FOR
ENERGY
DEVELOPMENT

Many of the same tools we use for biological planning can be adapted to help energy developers site new projects to minimize impacts to birds and their habitats. We believe a proactive and collaborative approach is the best way to share knowledge and guide energy development for long-term wildlife conservation.

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Habitat Conservation that Benefits People

Our purpose is to find solutions to address habitat conservation challenges in the western Great Plains so that birds and other wildlife, agricultural producers, and local communities all prosper and thrive in this landscape.

BIRD DATA

BIRD DATA

We collect information about bird species, and the habitats they use, to inform habitat goals and evaluate conservation strategies. LEARN MORE >>

PLANNING TOOLS

PLANNING TOOLS

Our Implementation Plan and other tools guide the partnership’s conservation strategies and develop projects to meet our habitat goals. LEARN MORE >>

HABITAT WORK

HABITAT WORK

We help partners and producers do habitat conservation work by providing science-based information, funding, and other resources. LEARN MORE >>

Why Playas Are Important

Learn why agricultural producers and rural communities are restoring and preserving their playas. These videos feature farmers, ranchers, and community members talking about the benefits they receive by enrolling their playas in conservation programs — from financial returns, hunting habitat, and groundwater recharge to preserving history and leaving a legacy for future generations.

Putting Money in My Pocket Putting Money in My Pocket
Water for Communities Water for Communities
All Sorts of Wildlife All Sorts of Wildlife
Putting Money in My Pocket Putting Money in My Pocket
Making a Difference for Future Generations Making a Difference for Future Generations
Leaving a Legacy Leaving a Legacy
Texas Playa Conservation Initiative Texas Playa Conservation Initiative
Playa Education in the Classroom
Playa Education in the Classroom

Water — both quantity and quality — are extremely important to the people living in western Kansas, and water conservation is often a hot topic of conversation. For Andi Bauck’s fourth grade class, that conversation starts early. Bauck partnered with Abe Lollar, a Ducks Unlimited biologist in western Kansas, to create a lesson on the Ogallala Aquifer and water conservation for her students at Wichita County Elementary.

Texas Agricultural Land Trust Awarded Capacity Grant
Texas Agricultural Land Trust Awarded Capacity Grant

Texas Agricultural Land Trust (TALT), the largest state-based land trust in Texas, has been awarded a $125,000 PLJV ConocoPhillips Capacity Grant to support its grassland protection efforts in Texas and Oklahoma. While TALT is well established in Texas, its strong relationships with conservation organizations across Oklahoma — including the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, Farm Bureau, and the Noble Research Institute — make it well positioned to connect with landowners who engage across these groups.

PLJV’s Approach to Renewable Energy Development
PLJV’s Approach to Renewable Energy Development

Looking at PLJV’s interactive playa map, it’s easy to see how playas and renewable energy infrastructure are often found in the same locations — blue shapes marking playas and orange and green circles representing wind turbines often dot the same areas of the region. But why does this matter? The western Great Plains will be increasingly relied on to provide renewable energy. The region is also densely populated with playas; and the impact of energy infrastructure on these important wetlands, and the wildlife that depend on them, is not fully understood.