Very little public land exists in the Great Plains. The National Grasslands have become increasingly important for prairie wildlife conservation. The National Grasslands began as a bailout program for Dust Bowl farmers who went bust during the drought of early 1930s. The Federal Government bought up failed croplands to restore and then lease back to livestock ranchers. Cattle ranching has been their dominant use ever since. The lands are also leased for oil and gas development, but the public has increasingly demanded more protection for the unique wildlife species that inhabit the Grasslands.

Kiowa and Black Kettle National Grassland

Forest Service Southwest Region Three manages Kiowa National Grassland in northeastern New Mexico and the Rita Blanca National Grassland located at the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles. Together these Grasslands make up a little over ¼ million acres. Much of the habitat on both of these grasslands includes large expanses of open shortgrass prairie and some piñon-juniper patches. The Canadian River Canyon cuts through the Kiowa close to Mills, New Mexico.

Management revision planning has begun for the Kiowa, Black Kettle and McClellan Creek National Grasslands. A proposed U.S. Forest Service land management plan would make all remaining unleased lands on federally designated National Grasslands available for oil and gas exploitation.

Cimarron and Comanche National Grassland

The Comanche National Grassland in southeast Colorado and Cimarron National Grassland in southwestern Kansas make up about ½ million acres of public lands in the heart of the Southern Plains. These Grasslands provide important habitat for imperiled species including lesser prairie-chickens, mountain plovers, burrowing owls, ferruginous hawks, an array of songbirds, swift foxes, black-tailed prairie dogs and the largest assemblage of preserved dinosaur tracks in North America.

A new Forest Service policy promises to severely weaken environment protections. Learn more about Forest Guardians' Sustainable Use Conservation Alternative.  To arm yourself about this issue and respond, click here.