What is the Playa Lakes Joint Venture?
The PLJV is a non-profit partnership of federal and state wildlife agencies, conservation groups, private industry and landowners dedicated to conserving bird habitat in the Southern Great Plains. We provide science-based guidance and decision-support tools for all-bird conservation throughout the region, as well as outreach, coordination and financial support to our partners and local groups to conduct on-the-ground habitat work... (more)
Are you a landowner? Get Involved today!
What's New:
USGS Releases "Recharge Rates and Chemistry Beneath Playas of the High Plains Aquifer—A Literature Review and Synthesis"
By Jason J. Gurdak and Cassia D. Roe
Playas are ephemeral, closed-basin wetlands that are important zones of recharge to the High Plains (or Ogallala) aquifer and critical habitat for birds and other wildlife in the otherwise semiarid, shortgrass prairie and agricultural landscape. The ephemeral nature of playas, low regional recharge rates, and a strong reliance on ground water from the High Plains aquifer has prompted many questions regarding the contribution of recharge from playas to the regional aquifer.
To address these questions and concerns, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Playa Lakes Joint Venture, present a review and synthesis of the more than 175 publications about recharge rates and chemistry beneath playas and interplaya settings. Although a number of questions remain regarding the controls on recharge rates and chemistry beneath playas, the results from most published studies indicate that recharge rates beneath playas are substantially (1 to 2 orders of magnitude) higher than recharge rates beneath interplaya settings. The synthesis presented here supports the conceptual model that playas are important zones of recharge to the High Plains aquifer and are not strictly evaporative pans. The major findings of this synthesis yield science-based implications for the protection and management of playas and ground-water resources of the High Plains aquifer and directions for future research.
"Ode to the Lesser Prairie-Chicken" by Travis Erwin Listen Now
Wildlife Department Offers Tool for Developers to Protect Critical Prairie Chicken Habitat
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation today released its new tool designed to protect and conserve imperiled lesser prairie chickens affected by land development in western Oklahoma. Researchers have found that lesser prairie chickens, particularly nesting hens, avoid vertical structures because they are often used as perches by predators such as hawks, eagles and owls. Habitat fragmentation caused by a number of factors including transmission lines, roads and highways, buildings and tree encroachment into prairie habitats, as well as conversion of native rangeland to cropland or non-native vegetation, can all be detrimental to lesser prairie chickens. In addition to helping determine areas where development would least impact prairie chickens, the Spatial Planning Tool also can be used in assessing the cost of developments within the lesser prairie chicken’s range, as well as to prioritize areas and costs for prairie chicken habitat restoration and recovery efforts. If it is necessary to site a project or structure in an area that will impact lesser prairie chickens, the Department hopes developers will use the tool to determine a voluntary contribution to offset the impacts of that development.
The Oklahoma Lesser Prairie Chicken Spatial Planning Tool, available on the Wildlife Department’s Web site at www.wildlifedepartment.com/lepcdevelopmentplanning.htm, is provided in formats compatible with both GIS (.img) and Google Earth (.kmz). Maps in both 8.5” x 14” and 33” x 44” are also available.
Secretary Salazar Releases Study Showing Widespread Declines in Bird Populations, Highlights Role of Partnerships in Conservation
On Mar. 19, 2009, the Department of Interior announced the first ever “State of the Birds” report. Secretary Salazar announced that this was a combined effort by several federal agencies and conservation NGO’s, and provided both a sobering assessment of the bird conservation in the United States as well as reasons for hope, if Americans pull together.
Visit PLJV on Facebook
Have you joined the PLJV Facebook group yet? Join the cause today!
Playa County Maps Now Online
Wondering how many playas are in your backyard? New maps are available from the Playa Lakes Joint Venture that pinpoint the locations of more than 60,000 playas in 155 counties across six states in the region.
Wind Energy and Birds
In an effort to help the wind industry minimize impacts to birds, the PLJV conducted a spatial analysis of key wildlife habitats in the region and produced maps detailing where birds that may be sensitive to wind development may be found.