Conservation

A new law in Illinois formalizes efforts to reintroduce native keystone species like bison and beavers in the state, which advocates say will help other species recover.

The new book, "Sea of Grass," traces the history and future of the American prairie, laying out the stunning loss of grassland in North America and meeting the people fighting to bring it back.

Across much of the Midwest, the atmosphere is becoming warmer and retaining more water, leading to heavier downpours. A two-crop system called relay intercropping could help farmers buffer weather whiplash and boost profits.

Missouri's bear population is increasing, meaning humans will likely continue to encounter bears more often. Several were sighted recently in the Kansas City area, including near a Taco Bell in Grandview.

Missouri lawmakers are making it more difficult to take water out of the state without a permit, after raising concerns about drought and water scarcity in the west.

AmeriCorps members were working on environmental education and habitat restoration at parks and nature centers in rural areas across the country. Now federal cuts have eliminated many of those positions.

The Dust Bowl led to the creation of what is now called the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Just as it celebrates a major milestone, the agency is dealing with job losses, massive proposed budget cuts and talk of consolidation.

The Conservation Reserve Program incentivizes farmers to take environmentally sensitive land out of production. Project 2025 says the Trump administration should champion its elimination.

Dry conditions and high winds have led to wildfires across Missouri. So far, there have been no reported injuries, but structures and vehicles have burned.

A federal freeze on certain USDA programs has held up billions of dollars for conservation and caused layoffs at a nonprofit in Iowa that supports soil and water quality.

After a historically warm winter last year canceled several events, Michigan’s sturgeon season came back in full swing earlier this month. It broke records with the most participants and the fastest timing, for what’s already known as the shortest fishing season in the state.

The monarch butterfly population continues to shrink due to factors such as climate change. People working to help the species say proposed federal protections could boost existing efforts.