Conservation

Piping Plover experts say breeding pairs have more than doubled since being added to the endangered species list over three decades ago.

The stamps showcase wildlife artwork and are used as licenses for bird hunting, while also granting a free annual pass to national wildlife refuges.

A recent report shows bird populations are continuing to decline, and one third of birds need immediate conservation action.

University of Illinois researchers analyzed traces of DNA in rivers and streams to learn how strips of trees near water — called riparian buffers — impact land species.

Northern Michigan University criminal justice students are learning how to investigate and prevent poaching.

For the last 30 years, the Cadillac Area Land Conservancy has worked to protect and preserve land across the state of Michigan. The conservancy partners with landowners to preserve their land for future generations. The nonprofit provides landowners with the resources they need to identify the value of their land and protect it.

After the great “moose lifts” in the 1980s, researchers were confident Michigan’s moose population would continue to grow, with a projection that the population could reach numbers in the thousands within 15 years. Researchers from DNR, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community and Northern Michigan University are trying to discover why that hasn’t happened.

The money was slotted for stream restoration and farmland preservation across the region.

Soil and Water Conservation Districts have worked with farmers for decades in every U.S. state to reduce soil erosion and promote conservation. After two years of funding cuts in Illinois, conservation advocates worry that soil health could suffer – and dust storms could become a greater risk.

One has funding delayed on nearly half its projects.