Get reliable rangeland science

The Oaks and Prairies Joint Venture partnership has undertaken an ambitious effort to address declining grassland bird populations (e.g. Northern Bobwhite, Loggerhead Shrike, Eastern Meadowlark) in the central grasslands of Texas and Oklahoma. This effort includes development of shared biological objectives, landscape conservation design, focused conservation delivery, and intensive habitat and population monitoring. In addition to the existing partner led conservation delivery programs, the primary means of providing focused conservation delivery for this effort has been through the Grassland Restoration Incentive Program (GRIP) which provides private landowners with financial support for implementing costly habitat restoration practices on their property. Since the OPJV implemented the program 2 years ago, over 45,000 acres of grassland bird habitat have been improved on private working lands in Texas. The practices employed include brush management, prescribed fire, native grass reseeding, and prescribed grazing. 32,000 acres of GRIP habitat improvements have been through the adoption of wildlife friendly grazing practices. In return for adopting these practices, which often involve reducing stocking rates and in some cases destocking for a period of time, landowners have received as much as $25/aum from the program offsetting the opportunity costs of choosing not to graze a parcel. With its ability to assist landowners who choose to manage their property in a way that also provides for the needs of resident wildlife, the OPJV considers GRIP to be a mutually beneficial program for all involved.