Number: 1983-24
WHEREAS, hundreds of thousands of acres of shortgrass rangelands are being plowed in the Great Plains for conversion to unsuitable cropland; and
WHEREAS, much of the rangeland being plowed is not suitable for cultivation (primarily land capability class VI and VII, with none better than class IV); and
WHEREAS, this plowout of grasslands has caused serious wind and water erosion which is a result of the naturally low precipitation, high evaporation, strong winds, moderately shallow soils, and steep slopes of the area; and
WHEREAS, the change in land use will drastically alter nesting habitat for prairie birds, fawning areas for mule deer and pronghorn antelope and, in general, seriously impact both game and non-game species of wildlife; and
WHEREAS, the plowing of native grasslands usually results in an increase in animal species considered agricultural pests, and “go-back” vegetation would be different than the native grasslands resulting in different wildlife species; and
WHEREAS, subsequent erosion from these converted lands will increase the sediment load in streams and reservoirs, increase water temperature and destroy the fragile aquatic ecosystem, and cover fish spawning grounds with sediment; and
WHEREAS, this conversion results in severe consequences to the area’s residents, especially the neighboring ranchers, and thus the quality of life is reduced; public facilities (roads, culverts, bridges, water supplies, etc.) require costly maintenance and replacement; flood hazards are increased; the area’s economic base is weakened; management of the remaining grasslands is severely hampered by the covering and loss of forage by dust and mud; livestock ponds are filled with sediment; fences are lost by overtopping with blown soil, flattened by winds when covered with cropland weeds, or destroyed by flooding; and
WHEREAS, the restoration of plowed land to grassland is extremely difficult with successful establishment of grass occurring only one year out of many, depending upon precipitation; and
WHEREAS, the National Wildlife Federation is dedicated to conservation, management, and wise sustained use of grasslands and discourages conversions of grasslands to other uses where such conversion is likely to lead to long-term resource degradation or damage;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation, in annual meeting assembled March 17-20, 1983, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, deplores the massive conversion of grasslands to cropland in the nation’s western Great Plains; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation calls on all responsible federal and state agencies, especially the Soil Conservation Service, the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, and the state Cooperative Extension Services in each of the 10 Great Plains states, to initiate aggressive educational programs and any necessary changes in agency policies to slow or prevent such conversion; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation asks the U.S. Congress to conduct a full review of agency policies, tax and other monetary incentives, and other factors that may be encouraging or fostering such conversion and that legislation be introduced to seek necessary corrective action to halt such conversion.