Partners Help Landowner Restore Two Playas in Texas

When Jan Minton inherited her great-grandfather’s farm in Floyd County, Texas, she knew she was going to need some help. As a former Natural Resources Conservation Service biologist, she understands that ranching and protecting the natural ecosystem are not mutually exclusive. Wanting to restore the wetlands on the property, she reached out to the D.M Wood Foundation and Playa Lakes Joint Venture, who helped her acquire over $70,000 in funding to begin the much-needed improvements to her family’s farm.

"You guys are my heroes!" says Jan about the partners who helped make the playa restoration possible. "I couldn’t have done it without you." READ MORE > >

NRCS’ Ogallala Aquifer Initiative Helps Landowners Conserve Water and Playas

Water—or the lack of it—is of primary concern for many people living in the western Great Plains, especially as drought conditions continue. The effects of the drought can be seen across the landscape, but what isn’t visible is the steep decline in the Ogallala Aquifer—which underlies about 225,000 square miles throughout parts of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming—and the efforts to counteract it through irrigation system improvements as well as playa conservation.

"The water decline in the aquifer is extreme in some portions, especially down south in Texas and New Mexico," says Craig Derickson, State Conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Nebraska. READ MORE > >

2013 ConocoPhillips Grant RFP Announced

The Playa Lakes Joint Venture (PLJV) announces the availability of funding for habitat, research and outreach projects through the ConocoPhillips Grant Program. Those interested in applying should note that the application process has changed. Rather than sending them to state representatives first, proposals will be sent directly to the Joint Venture by November 1, 2012. PLJV will then work with states to make sure the project fits their priorities. READ MORE > >

PLJV Releases Playa Decision Support System for Siting Wind Farms in New Mexico

This month, Playa Lakes Joint Venture (PLJV) completed the first phase of the New Mexico Playa Decision Support System (DSS), which will help wind energy developers avoid playas when siting wind farms in the eastern part of the state. The Playa DSS provides three integrated tools: 1) spatial data layers representing playas prioritized for wind energy development, clusters of playas, large isolated playas, and saline lakes; 2) PDF maps displaying the above data layers for every county in the PLJV region; and 3) a User's Manual with written guidance on how to apply and interpret the data layers and maps. READ MORE > >

Alex Daniels Joins PLJV Staff

In July, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Technician Alex Daniels joined the Playa Lakes Joint Venture (PLJV) staff. With a background in wildlife biology, Alex has a broad range of experience using GIS for natural resource conservation applications including his thesis project, which investigated alternative methods of spatial analysis to better understand rates of habitat loss. He received his master’s degree in Forest Sciences with a specialty in GIS from Colorado State University and his bachelor’s of science degree in Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology from the University of California at Davis. READ MORE > >

Playa Country Radio Talks Invasive Plants, Grazing Management and Prescribed Burning

PLJV’s Playa Country radio show is back on the air. Each week, we talk to conservation and wildlife experts—as well as farmers, ranchers and land managers—about topics such as removing invasive shrubs to provide more water and forage, grazing management during drought, the impact of fire on the landscape, and the important role playa wetlands have in recharging the Ogallala aquifer. Listen to past episodes:

• What Are Invasives?
• Controlling Invasives in Oklahoma and Texas
• Controlling Invasives in Central Nebraska
• Managing for Drought
• Grazing Management on the Weaver Ranch
• Grazing Rotation and Patch Burning
• Benefits of Using Fire on the Landscape
• Ranchers Rediscover Burning
• A 'Prescription' for Burning