Restoring and Enhancing Rare and Declining Habitats on Private Land

Farmer Jeff Pudenz and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Darrick Weissenfluh share strategies for restoring rare and declining species on private working lands.

Jeff and Darrick cover a variety of habitats, including oxbow restorations, in-stream habitat improvements, prairie establishments and fen enhancements.

They also discuss the public-private partnership that made habitat conservation possible on Jeff’s farm. Jeff is a farmer and businessman from Greene County, Iowa, who has been active in conservation since 1970.

Jeff has received Iowa Farm Environment Leadership and Blackhawk Watershed Conservation awards, and has experience with a wide array of conservation programs and practices.

Darrick is a fish and wildlife biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program stationed in Kossuth County, Iowa. Through the program, Darrick provides technical and cost-share assistance to private landowners in the Des Moines Lobe.

From our 2020 annual conference: Reclaiming Resilience.