Lisa Baril 
Opportunities, challenges, and benefits of virtual fencing for conservation Across the globe, livestock grazing is one of the predominant land uses, covering 25% of the Earth’s terrestrial surface. Well-managed grazing not only provides food and fiber but is also compatible with the production of numerous ecosystem services like wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, and more. Yet, … Read more
Uniquely situated where prairie, playas, and plains meet, southeastern Wyoming is home to a vibrant conservation partnership. On a hot, dry day in mid-July, I had the privilege to tour the region with some amazing partners, looking at success stories and talking about conservation opportunities. Ian Tator with Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) and … Read more
It’s a clear, May morning, on the plains of eastern Montana. The dawn chorus of birds welcomes the sun as it crests over hills of waving bunch grass. You can’t turn in any direction here without seeing a meadowlark singing atop a shrub or fencepost. You also can’t look anywhere without seeing, or hearing, cows. … Read more
A new survey finds that, after learning more, 68% of respondents now consider grasslands a critical ecosystem. Forty-seven percent of Americans are unfamiliar with grasslands—one of the nation’s most essential and most threatened ecosystems, according to new national survey findings released by the America’s Grasslands Coalition. However, after completing the survey, more than two-thirds ranked … Read more
South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) continues to make significant progress in improving wildlife movement across western South Dakota through its wildlife‑friendly fencing program. Since 2019, GFP and cooperating landowners have improved connectivity across approximately 200,000 acres of pronghorn habitat. Notably, 2025 marked the program’s most productive year yet, with more than 66,000 acres … Read more
Ducks Unlimited (DU) and the Northern Great Plains Joint Venture (NGPJV) are seeking a Science Integration Coordinator to work across the Northern Great Plains region. This is a new leadership position that will coordinate and support the NGPJV’s efforts to integrate social, economic, ecological, and traditional science into strategic habitat conservation outcomes. Rural, resilient communities … Read more
We are pleased to announce the expansion of our reach to include three counties in southeastern Wyoming: Platte, Goshen, and Laramie counties. Why the Expansion? Previously included in the Intermountain West Joint Venture, these counties feature predominantly grassland landscapes that more closely align with the NGPJV’s mission of grassland conservation. Protecting Critical Grassland Habitats: By … Read more
This year marks 40 years of partnership-driven bird and habitat conservation led by the North American Migratory Bird Joint Ventures! Since the North American Waterfowl Management Plan called for their creation in 1986, the Joint Ventures have become widely accepted as the model for cooperative conservation. Joint Ventures share a vision of a North American … Read more
Download As our planet starts yet another journey around the sun, I’ve been doing some reflecting. Change was undeniably a defining characteristic of 2025. But so was resilience—resilience in colleagues and friends, in conservation organizationsand agencies, and in our work together. The power of the Northern Great Plains Joint Venture (NGPJV) collaborative remains strong. I … Read more
The Northern Great Plains Joint Venture in collaboration with the South Dakota Grasslands Initiative sponsored the inaugural Grasslands Triple Crown Cycling Series in western South Dakota. The event drew 250 cyclists from 11 states. Each of the three events included a segment that passed through a USFS National Grassland: Fort Pierre, Grand River, and Buffalo … Read more
