Sec. 7. North American Grasslands Conservation Strategy
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After the appointment of the first 7 of the initial members of the Council under section 5(b), the Director shall, in consultation with the Council— develop a coordinated strategy, to be known as the North American Grasslands Conservation Strategy , for the conservation, restoration, and management of grasslands ecosystems across North America; and support implementation, monitoring, and communication efforts relating to the Conservation Strategy. The Conservation Strategy shall draw from existing local, State, regional, and international conservation plans and frameworks, conservation plans of Indian Tribes, and State wildlife action plans, with an emphasis on supporting existing science- and ITEK-based frameworks.
The Conservation Strategy shall— identify key areas with— grasslands at high risk of— conversion to cropland or residential or commercial development; shrub or woody encroachment; or invasion of annual grasses or other undesired vegetation; the highest potential of conserving native grasslands, restoring grasslands, and reducing fragmentation; ecologically and culturally significant grasslands remnants; populations of grasslands-dependent species of greatest conservation need, as identified in— State wildlife action plans;
Tribal conservation plans; the report of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service titled Birds of Conservation Concern 2021 Migratory Bird Program (published April 2021), or a successor document; or other appropriate science-based grasslands conservation plans; and grasslands habitats important to the recovery of species listed as a threatened species or an endangered species under section 4 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 ( 16 U.S.C. 1533 ) or identified by a State or Tribal fish and wildlife agency as a species of greatest conservation need; identify specific goals for North American grasslands conservation, including goals for— conserving grasslands identified under paragraph (1)(A); increasing grasslands acreage through the restoration of marginal cropland and pastureland to native grasslands in areas that were historically grasslands; and enhancing existing grasslands, primarily through incentivizing the voluntary restoration of degraded grasslands and the management of native prairie or sagebrush shrublands through conservation practices including— advanced grazing management or other prescribed grazing management that meets the objectives of the Conservation Strategy; beneficial fire, including prescribed fires and cultural burning practices; invasive species management; and removal of encroaching woody vegetation; identify key grasslands conservation, restoration, and management strategies for each of the grasslands regions identified by the Director; examine existing funding sources and identify gaps from current Federal, State, Tribal, or local conservation programs as such programs relate to grasslands conservation, restoration, and management needs, including— conservation programs under the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 ( Public Law 115–334 ) and amendments made by that Act; conservation programs under the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act ( 16 U.S.C. 669 et seq. ); and any Federal, State, Tribal, or local plans, programs, or initiatives that support grasslands conservation, restoration, and management; and develop— baseline inventories and population estimates of key indicator birds, pollinators, and other wildlife species at risk; goals to increase the population size and resiliency of such species, including through ensuring grasslands habitat connectivity; and a tool to track county-level aggregated conversion of native grasslands to cropland, residential and commercial development, and other uses that shall— protect the personally identifiable information of producers and landowners; be made publicly available; and be updated on an annual basis.
Not later than 120 days before the date on which the Program is established, the Conservation Strategy shall be finalized and made publicly available on the website of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to help target investments in grasslands conservation projects.
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Sec. 7
North American Grasslands Conservation Strategy
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