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Sustaining Bird Habitats & Rural Communities
2023 CottonwoodDrawHMA ERoth
Cottonwood Draw Habitat Management Area in Platte County, WY. Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

The Northern Great Plains Joint Venture Expands Grassland Conservation Efforts into Southeastern Wyoming

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. 

A map of the NGPJV administrative boundary with a callout for the three new counties in southeastern WY.
  • Protecting Critical Grassland Habitats: By expanding into Platte, Goshen, and Laramie counties, the NGPJV is prioritizing the conservation of ecologically significant grasslands that are core to the Central Grasslands biome. This helps safeguard vital habitats for native wildlife and plant species, supporting the overall health of the ecosystem.
  •  Addressing Threats to Working Lands: These counties face increasing challenges from subdivision development and land conversion. Through this expansion, the NGPJV will assist with proactive conservation strategies to help landowners and managers conserve productive, intact grasslands.
  • Expanding Opportunities for Landowners: Landowners and other partners in the newly added counties will gain access to technical resources, opportunities for collaboration, and access to funding through the NGPJV (e.g., N-GRIP) and its partners. This empowers landowners who voluntarily want to enhance stewardship, improve wildlife habitat, and benefit from sustainable land management practices.

What’s Next?

  • New Partnerships: We are actively seeking new partnerships in southeastern Wyoming. If you would like to partner with us or learn more about what we do please visit our website or contact us directly (see Inquiries below).
  • Updating Our Web Tool: NGPJV staff are working on updating our web tool to include the new region. The spatial planning web tool was developed to help landowners and conservation practitioners better understand and visualize conservation opportunities and challenges. The web tool focuses on spatial data that may not be easily accessible elsewhere, including priority species ranges, priority areas for conservation, and local project data. Learn more about our web tool here.

Inquiries

For more information about the Northern Great Plains Joint Venture, please browse our website or contact NGPJV’s coordinator Catherine Wightman at cwightman@ducks.org.