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Welcome to Region 6
The Mountain-Prairie Region consists of 8 states in the heart of the American west including Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.
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Science
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a long tradition of scientific excellence and always uses the best-available science to inform its work to conserve fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitat for the benefit of the American public.
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National Wildlife Refuges
Where Wildlife Comes First
Created in 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt, today's National Wildlife Refuge System protects habitats and wildlife across the country, from the Alaskan tundra to subtropical wetlands. Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Refuge System's 560-plus refuges cover more than 150 million acres and protect nearly 1,400 species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fish.
While national wildlife refuges were created to protect wildlife, they are for people too. Refuges are ideal places for people of all ages to explore and connect with the natural world. We invite you to learn more about and visit the national wildlife refuges and wetland management districts in Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.
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Ecological Services
The Mountain-Prairie Region's Office of Ecological Services (ES) works to restore and protect healthy populations of fish, wildlife, and plants and the environments upon which they depend. Using the best available science, ES personnel work with Federal, State, Tribal, local, and non-profit stakeholders, as well as private land owners, to avoid, minimize, and mitigate threats to our Nation's natural resources.
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Migratory Birds
Providing leadership in the conservation of migratory bird habitat through partnerships, grants, and outreach for present and future generations. The Migratory Bird Program is responsible for maintaining healthy migratory bird populations for the benefit of the American people.
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Fish and Aquatic Conservation
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Fish and Aquatic Conservation Program in the Mountain-Prairie Region helps conserve, protect, and enhance aquatic resources and provides economically valuable recreational fishing to anglers across the country. The program comprises 12 National Fish Hatcheries.
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Law Enforcement
Law enforcement is essential to virtually every aspect of wildlife conservation. The Office of Law Enforcement contributes to Service efforts to manage ecosystems, save endangered species, conserve migratory birds, preserve wildlife habitat, restore fisheries, combat invasive species, and promote international wildlife conservation.
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External Affairs
External Affairs staff in the Mountain-Prairie Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides support to the regional office and field stations to communicate and faciliate information about the Service's programs to the public, media, Congress, Tribes, partners, and other stakeholders in the 8-state region.
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Land Protection Plan
Flint Hills Legacy Conservation Area—Kansas
LPP guidance | Documents | Open / close all
The Flint Hills Legacy Conservation Area is a landscape-scale conservation strategy to help protect a unique and highly diverse area of the United States known as the Flint Hills tallgrass region in eastern Kansas.
- Authorized in 2010.
- Comprises a 3.3 million-acre area where the Service will acquire conservation easements on up to 1.1 million acres of private land from willing sellers.
- Extends from the northern to the southern border in eastern Kansas. Covers part of 21 counties: Butler, Chase, Chautauqua, Clay, Cowley, Dickinson, Elk, Geary, Greenwood, Harvey, Jackson, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, Morris, Pottawatomie, Riley, Shawnee, Washington, Woodson, and Waubansee.
Completed Plan Contacts
The Service completed this plan in 2010.
Address
Flint Hills Legacy
Conservation Area
c/o Flint Hills National
Wildlife Refuge
530 West Maple Avenue
Hartford, Kansas 66854
Telephone
620 / 392 5553
Landowners interested in conservation easements may contact:
Flint Hills project leader
620 / 392 5553 extension 103
or
Service realty specialist
605 / 885 6357
Website
The conservation area is important for maintaining the integrity of tallgrass-prairie wildlife habitat, stream water quality, and the rich agricultural heritage of the Flint Hills. The Service will protect grassland by working with willing landowners to purchase perpetual conservation easements.
The Service looks forward to playing a role in keeping working ranches on the landscape while conserving habitat for wildlife and providing unique tallgrass vistas for future generations of Americans to enjoy.
Today, less than 4 percent of the once-vast tallgrass prairie remains, most (80 percent) of which lies within the Flint Hills of eastern Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma. The Flint Hills contain about 90 native grass species and more than 500 forb species—bluestem, Indiangrass, and switchgrass are species often associated with this prairie landscape. Ranching has historically played a major role in preserving tallgrass prairie, and by extension conserving valuable fish and wildlife habitat, through grazing and prescribed fire.
Birds dependent on large, unfragmented tracts of prairie would benefit from the easement program. Benefiting species include greater prairie-chicken, Henslow’s sparrow, upland sandpiper, and northern harrier. Additionally, conservation of these areas would help protect the freshwater fish and mussels found in many of the prairie streams.
The land protection plan sets the following guidance:
- Base acquisition priorities for conservation easements on the threat of development, connectivity to other protected lands, and quality of habitat for wildlife that depend on grassland.
- Acquire conservation easements from willing sellers only; use no fee-title acquisition.
- Closely cooperate with partners to ensure successful protection of wildlife habitat and natural resources.
- Manage the easement program as part of the Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge.
Easement contracts specify perpetual protection of habitat for trust species and limits on residential, industrial, and commercial development. Contracts prohibit alteration of the natural topography, conversion of native grassland to cropland, drainage of wetland, and establishment of game farms.
Easement land remains in private ownership. Therefore, property tax and invasive plant control remain the responsibility of the landowner, who also retains control of public access to the land. Contracts do not restrict grazing on easement land.
Land protection plan (LPP)
LPP 2010 (18 MB PDF)
By section, for faster download:
Contents (PDF)
Chapter 1, Introduction and Project Description (4 MB PDF)
Chapter 2, Area Description and Resources (4 MB PDF)
Chapter 3, Threats to and Status of Resources (PDF)
Chapter 4, Project Implementation (4 MB PDF)
Appendixes (5 MB PDF)
Environmental assessment (EA)
EA 2010 (14 MB PDF)
By section, for faster download:
Contents (PDF)
Chapter 1, Purpose of and Need for Action (4 MB PDF)
Chapter 2, Alternatives, Including the Proposed Action (PDF)
Chapter 3, Affected Environment (4 MB PDF)
Chapter 4, Environmental Consequences (PDF)
Chapter 5, Coordination and Environmental Review (PDF)
Appendixes (5 MB PDF)
Draft EA and LPP
Draft EA and LPP 2010 (2 MB PDF)
Planning process documents
Fact sheet 2010 (PDF)
Fact sheet 2009 (PDF)
Department of the Interior
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