[The Nature Conservancy Feb. 2004 Press Release]
The Nature Conservancy, an international non-profit conservation organization, is seeking broad participation in an effort to develop a map of the priority areas for stream and river conservation in the Northern Tallgrass Prairie Ecoregion (NTPE) [see links to maps below]. The effort will focus on the major drainage basins that intersect the ecoregion, including the Red River, Minnesota River, Big Sioux River and Upper DesMoines River basins. The map of priority conservation areas will serve to focus and guide the efforts of The Nature Conservancy in the ecoregion, and will also be available to conservation partners in the region for use as a planning tool.

To launch this effort there will be two workshops to gather aquatic experts and conservation partners in the ecoregion, discuss strategies for selecting priority aquatic conservation locations, and begin identifying these locations. The meetings are being held in Brookings, SD on March 23 and 24, 2004, and in Grand Forks, ND on March 18 and 19, 2004. Each meeting will include the same discussions and topics - they are simply being held at different times and places to accommodate broad participation.

If you would like to participate, please contact Paula Gagnon, Aquatic Ecologist, The Nature Conservancy; pgagnon@tnc.org; 708.484.3594

Map 1
Map 2

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