Resources for Landowners
Explore financial incentives and non-lethal tools for living with prairie dogs
Recreating a connected range of habitat for prairie dogs would be impossible without the help of landowners like you!
We understand you may have some concerns or conflicts. Let’s move forward together and find tools that work best for your land and legacy.
Creating a Plan for Your Prairie Dogs
Creating a management plan can take patience and persistence. These guides aim to provide a framework for creating a plan that works for you, your land, and the wild animals that also call it home.
Part 1: Overview of Prairie Ecology & Conservation
Part 1 provides an overview of prairie dog ecology, discusses the importance of prairie dog conservation, explains why prairie dogs have declined, and clarifies the roles of federal, state, and local governments in prairie dog management.
Part 2: Developing a Plan That is Right For You
Part 2 describes the basic elements of a prairie dog management plan and provides direction for policy documents that can be customized to the needs of any community.
Appendices: Digging Deeper
Click on the following appendices to explore more in-depth information on:
Financial Incentives to Conserving Prairie Dogs
-
Farm Bill Options
The purpose of the special effort is to promote voluntary, incentive-based conservation on private and Tribal lands, with the primary objective of encouraging landowner participation in black-footed ferret (BFF) recovery while strengthening the productive capacity of working lands and rural economies. The Farm Bill Environmental Quality Incentives Program provides technical and financial assistance for this effort.
-
Land Easements
A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement that typically restricts development in order to forever protect and preserve conservation values, such as natural habitat, open space scenic views and agriculture, and outdoor recreation and education. In return, tax incentives are provided to offset some of the loss in property value and the legacy of your land is preserved. Various programs are offered federally, locally, and by state.
-
Habitat Credits
Habitat Credits or Exchanges allow landowners such as farmers and ranchers to create, maintain, and improve habitat on their property and earn credits for their efforts. Landowners sell these credits to industry to compensate for development, such as roads, transmission lines and wind turbines, that impact species and habitat. Various programs are offered by various land trusts and organizations.
What is Coexistence?
Coexistence is helping people share the landscape with wildlife and using innovative tools to reduce the conflicts that often occur with animals in their natural habitats. (Defenders of Wildlife)
Non-Lethal Tools are Available!
-
Vegetation Strategies
As grazing herbivores, vegetation can have a huge impact on prairie dog behavior, including the behaviors that may be sparking conflict. Taking inventory of what types of vegetation you have can open you up to vegetation strategies that may mitigate conflict with prairie dogs.
-
Barriers and Buffer Zones
The use of barriers for non-lethal control of prairie dogs has been at the forefront of best management practices for at least two decades. By constructing a man-made or vegetative barrier, you may effectively mitigate the spread of prairie dogs outside of designated areas.
-
Passive Relocation
Passive relocation is habitat-based strategy that manipulates the prairie dog burrow system, causing them to leave conflict burrows on their own. With this method, prairie dogs are not handled; instead they must acclimate themselves into territories with pre-existing burrows.
-
Active Translocation
Active translocation is a multi-step process involving the manual removal, transport, and release of prairie dogs. Proper site evaluation and acclimation monitoring are also essential to its success. When performed strategically, this can be a great tool for both conflict reduction and ecosystem restoration.
Planting for Prairie Dogs?
Try Prairie Dog Resistant, Resilient, and Barrier Plant Species
Struggling to maintain barriers and vegetation on your property with prairie dogs? They may be more predictable than you might think. We are compiling a growing list of plants that can serve as barriers, buffers, and ground cover for living alongside prairie dogs.
We want to help you!
Didn’t find the resources you were looking for? If you have ideas for how we can make this page more helpful for landowners like you, please submit this form! We are always looking to grow and improve.