Working Lands for Wildlife

Lesser Prairie Chicken, Credit: Steven WallingPhoto: Steven Walling
Historic Agreement Extends Wildlife Conservation on Working Ag Lands

Sep. 17, 2012 - Just announced… an innovative, long-term approach to help more farmers, ranchers and forest landowners take action to improve habitat for seven at-risk species, including the lesser prairie chicken and sage-grouse. Participants in NRCS' Working Lands for Wildlife Initiative receive regulatory predictability for up to 30 years. Find out more about this major move from regulation to cooperation.

More information:
WLFW Focus Area Map

Click Map to Enlarge
 For more information:

  Regional Conservationists Office
    (202) 690-2196
    (202) 690-2197
    (202) 690-2198
 
  Quick links:

Working Lands for Wildlife

The nation’s rural landowners, its farmers, ranchers, and forest owners, provide not only food and fiber for the world, but also a host of environmental benefits, including habitat for wildlife.  Nearly two thirds of all species federally listed as threatened or endangered exist on private lands.  Conservation efforts on these lands generate outdoor recreation and economic activity that result in sustained growth for local communities and landowners.  

usfws logo

Working Lands for Wildlife is a new partnership between NRCS and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to use agency technical expertise combined with $33 million in financial assistance from the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program to combat the decline of seven specific wildlife species whose decline can be reversed and will benefit other species with similar habitat needs.  

Through Working Lands for Wildlife landowners can voluntarily participate in an incentive-based efforts to:

  • Restore populations of declining wildlife species.
  • Provide farmers, ranchers, and forest managers with regulatory certainty that conservation investments they make today help sustain their operations over the long term.
  • Strengthen and sustain rural economies by restoring and protecting the productive capacity of working lands.

Species Selection Criteria

WLFW Brochure CoverThe Working Lands for Wildlife project (PDF, 2.8 PDF) will target species whose decline can be reversed and will benefit other species with similar habitat needs.

Seven species were identified during a collaborative process with partners for inclusion in the project:  Lesser Prairie Chicken, New England Cottontail, Southwestern Willow flycatcher, Greater Sage-Grouse, Gopher Tortoise, Bog Turtle and Golden-Winged Warbler.


Thumbnail of Lesser Prairie ChickenLesser Prairie Chicken

States within Priority Habitat Areas: Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas
NRCS Species Page  |  Priority Area Map (PDF, 413KB)

Thumbnail of Northeast CottontailNew England Cottontail

States within Priority Habitat Areas: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island
NRCS Species Page  |   Priority Area Map (PDF, 312KB)

Thumbnail of SW Willof FlycatcherSouthwestern Willow Flycatcher

States within Priority Habitat Areas: Arizona, California,Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah
NRCS Species Page  |   Priority Area Map (PDF, 335KB)

Thumbnail of Greater Sage GrouseGreater Sage-Grouse

States within Priority Habitat Areas: California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
NRCS Species Page  |   Priority Area Map (PDF, 410KB)

Thumbnail of Gopher tortoiseGopher Tortoise

States within Priority Habitat Areas: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina
NRCS Species Page  |   Priority Area Map (PDF, 661KB)

Thumbnail of Bog turtleBog Turtle

States within Priority Habitat Areas: Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania
NRCS Species Page   |   Priority Area Map (PDF, 333KB)

Thumbnail of Golden-Winged Warbler Golden-Winged Warbler

States within Priority Habitat Areas: Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia 
NRCS Species Page  |  Priority Area Map (PDF, 467KB)