For now, I’d like to accentuate the positive. NWF has been working hard to make sure wildlife is represented  - read our 2012 Farm Bill priorities to learn more. We were pleased that one of our priorities – protection for native grasslands through a Sodsaver provision – was included in the Senate Agriculture Committee’s bill. I have written before about Sodsaver, a provision that will limit federal subsidies on native grassland converted into cropland.

Native grassland is an extremely valuable and under-appreciated biome in the US. I grew up a stone’s throw away from the Appalachians, and I remember clearly the first time I drove across the plains states. I had never seen the horizon so far away before, and the land stretching out flat, or slightly rolling until it met the sky. I have only recently started to learn how many amazing plants and animals live in the grasslands – like prairie chickens and Sandhill cranes.

5 Grassland Species

Here are 5 species that can thank the Senate Agriculture Committee for protecting their homes by including a Sodsaver provision – how many of these species did you already know? How many more can you name?

Black-footed ferret. Photo by Ryan Hagerty for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Prairie kingsnake. Photo: Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Snakes are key predators and an important part of prairie ecosystems. Prairie kingsnakes are common grassland snakes that come in a variety of shades of grey to brown. They are non-venomous and they don’t usually bite, but they shake their tales if they feel threatened.

Pronghorn antelopes. Photo: US Fish and Wildlife Service

Regal fritillary butterfly. Photo: flickr, Bill Bouton

Butterflies that depend on prairie habitat are in decline, in Europe as well as the US. Many insects, including important pollinators, depend on grasslands to survive.

Burrowing owl family. Photo: flickr, Annette’s photography

 Burrowing owls, like prairie dogs and ferrets, live in underground burrows (hence the name). Burrowing owls are also unique because they are often active during the day.

Did you already know these animals?  Can you think of any more?  If so, send us a comment through the feature below!

Photo: Susan Lehman

Oil and natural gas may be valuable resources out West, but so are the area’s wildlife and outdoor heritage. Increased energy exploration, however, could make certain species much harder to find.

Mule deer, pronghorn antelopes, greater sage grouse, raptors and songbirds that depend on the sagebrush in the region are just some of the wildlife that could be seriously affected by oil and gas drilling.

Oil and Gas Companies Need to Disclose “Fracking” Chemicals

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a natural gas drilling process raising concerns about the health and safety of people and wildlife across the country.

Not only is the process highly destructive to wildlife habitat, but it can potentially leach toxins into rivers, lakes, streams and groundwater.

Unfortunately, in most cases, oil and gas companies don’t have to disclose the chemicals they use during fracking, which can include nasty ingredients like diesel fuel. Furthermore, the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal authorities can’t fully regulate oil and gas companies because of exemptions in laws like the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Water Act.

Members of Congress from Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania and other states are trying to pass legislation to close loopholes that allow fracking chemicals to remain a mystery and a threat to animals, people and the environment. The National Wildlife Federation is also working to mitigate the impacts of energy exploration on America’s valuable natural landscapes before oh deer turns into no deer at all.

Help Protect Wildlife From Fracking

You can speak up to protect wildlife from the dangers of fracking or support National Wildlife Federation’s work on this and other important wildlife issues.

I’m looking forward to joining the Montana Wildlife Federation Saturday April 17 to celebrate 75 years of success. National Wildlife Federation shares Montana Wildlife Federation’s conservation values and history. At the first gathering of the North American Wildlife Conference in 1936, where National Wildlife Federation was formed, Montana sent five delegates to that meeting. They went back and started Montana Wildlife Federation.

Montana Wildlife Federation has been fighting for Montana’s wildlife ever since, which is a good thing since Montana’s wildlife is facing some of their toughest challenges ever:

Due to warmer winter temperatures and less precipitation, most Montana rivers are at 50% of their snowpack.

Fishing restrictions in Montana are expected to start as early as July this year. This has happened in five of the past seven years. This is no longer the trend but the norm.

The current drought in the West is the worst in 500 years.

Warmer, drier conditions have caused a fourfold increase in the number of wildfires in the West. The acreage burned by wildfires will double by 2100. Montana will be particularly hard hit. One doesn’t have to look far to see red and dying trees caused by mountain pine bark beetles. Upwards of 70% of some Montana forests have been affected.

Big sagebrush habitats could decline by almost 60%.

This will have devastating consequences on sage grouse, mule deer, and pronghorn antelope.

Higher stream temperatures could reduce cold water trout habitat up to 50% percent in Montana.

Up to 90 percent of Prairie Potholes would be destroyed by global warming. The Prairie Potholes are America’s “duck factory.”

Montana’s youth are facing the indoors deficit facing children across the country – the typical child today spends over seven hours a day in front of a screen and only four to seven minutes a day in unstructured playtime outdoors.

Montana’s outdoors industry is threatened as wildlife is on the frontlines. Over half of Montanans hunt and fish, and outdoor recreation results in $1.1 billion in consumer spending and 21,755 jobs created.

I’m looking forward on Saturday to joining the courageous men and women of Montana Wildlife Federation who are “mapping out a course of action and following it to the end” to protect Montana’s most special places and get Montana’s kids outdoors to inspire a love of nature.