2023-10-28 21:24:37
The continued loss of grasslands is accelerating, threatening an ecosystem essential for climate and biodiversity.
The magnitude of the situation
Every year, analyzes highlight a worrying reality for our planet. According to a recent report from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), 1.6 million acres of grasslands in the U.S. and Canadian Great Plains were destroyed in 2021. Since 2012, that’s 32 million acres, or 13 million hectares , which have been plowed and lost, an area greater than that of the State of Delaware.
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The main cause of the decline
The WWF Plowprint report identifies the expansion of row crops as the main driver of this destruction. Martha Kauffman, vice president of WWF’s Northern Great Plains program, highlights the importance of these grasslands in the fight against climate change: “They store and sequester carbon while providing irreplaceable habitat for wildlife and pollinators. ”
The irony of conversion
Despite the glaring need to protect these grasslands, government policies, often well-intentioned, encourage their conversion more than their protection. The report notes that much of the land most suitable for agriculture was already plowed decades ago. Thus, new plowed land is unlikely to produce significant yields.
A call to action
The need for urgent action is clear. “We can no longer ignore the fact that these landscapes, which have supported people and wildlife since the dawn of time, are being destroyed acre by acre,” insists Kauffman. But 2023 could be the year of change. With the reauthorization of the next Farm Bill and the possible passage of the North American Grasslands Conservation Act, resources could be allocated to support grassland preservation.
A hope for the future
By encouraging sustainable management of grasslands through sound policies, we can not only protect this valuable ecosystem, but also support rural communities, indigenous nations and wildlife. The future of the Great Plains depends on making wise decisions today.
Prairies are more than just a landscape; they are essential for our planet. Protecting these lands is a responsibility we all share.
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