Landscape Restoration Potential
Arguably, the richest most productive land in the prairie pothole region of Minnesota and Iowa is drained and being farmed. The lands that are left in a more natural condition for wildlife could be considered marginal. Conservation agencies have a tendency to concentrate their efforts in areas where existing habitat remains in the landscape because those areas are less degraded and working in these areas seemingly are less expensive. Whether wildlife agencies are working in the best possible areas has always been a concern. Estimating the potential of a landscape for productivity has been a concept in the back of our minds over the years. The current availability of various data layers and GIS tools has made it possible to develop a method to measure or estimate the potential of a landscape for duck production.
Landscape Restoration Potential Product Summary
For additional information about landscape restoration potential contact:
Dan Hertel
Wildlife Biologist
Habitat and Population Evaluation Team
Dan_Hertel@fws.gov
