the lesser prairie chicken and private conservation

the lesser prairie chicken, an odd bird with an even stranger courtship routine, once roamed the western plains in flocks as large as 1,000 (a frightening prospect). hunting, overgrazing, and plowing destroyed their habitat, and in the last 100 years the lesser prairie chicken population has plummeted to just 3 percent of its former glory.

the nature conservancy, a nonprofit based in arlington, virgnia, recently purchased nearly 20,000 acres of prime prairie chicken habitat in new mexico. although the ranch’s former owners will retain a limited livestock operation, the land will largely serve as a preserve for this and other imperiled prairie creatures. the acquisition is seen as a coup for prairie chicken preservation efforts, and benefits the ranchers as well. it will also presumably benefit taxpayers by halting many of creamer ranch’s usda subsidies.

the nature conservancy’s mission has always impressed me as being respectful of private citizens as well as the environment, two forces that need not always be at cross purpose. the conservancy strives to preserve habitat and species not by forcing others to conserve, but by simply purchasing and managing critical lands. since the land is then the conservancy’s alone, they can be confident that lands are treated in an ecologically sensitive manner. this method comes at no expense to taxpayers and to the mutual benefit of both the former land owner and the conservancy. many times the organization is able to purchase conservation easements at a lower cost, allowing owners to maintain usage of their lands while ensuring their preservation.

although i’m concerned with the conservancy’s recent direction, including an increasing reliance on governmental mechanisms for securing and maintaining lands, they’ve got the right idea in general for preserving critical habitat for endangered species.

Labels: social, well being