States Strategize Promotion of Wildlife "Action" Plans
State wildlife agency communications professionals from around the U.S. took part in an outreach training workshop to raise public awareness and support for the soon-to-be-finalized State Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategies. The first item on the agenda was to drop the lengthy strategy name and simply call them "Action Plans" to make them more understandable for a general audience. The training was hosted July 12 by the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agency's Teaming with Wildlife program and The Nature Conservancy, and took place during the Association for Conservation Information annual conference that week in Ogden, Utah.

State wildlife agencies are putting final touches on their Action Plans which are due October 1, and are required from all states as part of the State Wildlife Grants federal funding program. The plans lay out a collaborative framework to conserve game and non-game wildlife species and associated habitats for the long term. Over the past several months, state wildlife agencies in the PLJV region have hosted numerous public and partner input meetings, and many states are still accepting comments on their plans. For more information on PLJV states' plans, visit:

> Colorado Division of Wildlife
> Kansas Dept. of Wildlife and Parks
> Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
> New Mexico Dept. of Game and Fish
> Oklahoma Dept. of Wildlife Conservation
> Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept.

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Festival Celebrates the Treasures of the Prairie
All the treasures of the prairie are packed into one-day celebration at the 2nd Annual Prairie Festival taking place August 27 in Lubbock, Texas. The festival is being hosted by the Llano Estacado chapter of the Audubon Society and features presentations, field trips and exhibits on everything from wildlife to wildflowers, plus musical entertainment, food and activities for kids.

"This festival is a fun way to experience the beauty and complexities of the prairie and to develop a greater appreciation for the place we live," said Jill Haukos, Llano Estacado Audubon Society Conservation Committee chairwoman and festvial organizer. "We hope this festival helps to increase peoples' understanding of this system we are all a part of."

Local scientists and authors will be giving talks on prairie birds, wildflowers, native grasses, High Plains geology, and prairie dogs and their burrowing owl neighbors. Field trips include a visit to a playa lake, Lubbock Lake Landmark native grassland site, Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge, a working ranch in native range, and a birding tour at Buffalo Springs Lake. Dozens of local and national organizations are sponsoring and participating in the event, including PLJV partners: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Ogallala Commons and Texas Prairie Rivers Region. Admission is free for the festival and between $10 and $30 for field trips.

Playa Post ©2003, 2004, 2005 Playa Lakes Joint Venture. Submission deadlines are the 15th of each month for publication the following month. Send press releases, comments and subscription inquiries to Debbie F. Slobe.

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Polishing Up Planning for Lesser Prairie-Chickens
The Lesser Prairie-Chicken (LPCH), found only within the PLJV region, is one of the highest priority birds for conservation work in the shortgrass prairie. The LPCH population, which used to be abundant throughout its range, has been declining since the early 1900s, and the LPCH has been a candidate on the Endangered Species List since 1998. Around that time, biologists from the LPCH native range states - Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas - formed a workgroup to address the species' conservation needs across state lines. Today, the LPCH Interstate Working Group is currently updating its species conservation assessment and is incorporating PLJV planning to come up with measurable LPCH habitat objectives by state.

"By tying population and habitat objectives, we can work toward keeping the Lesser Prairie-Chicken off the Endangered Species List, and implementing the objectives will contribute equally to the conservation of other important grassland birds," said Heather Whitlaw, the LPCH Interstate Working Group Coordinator who is based with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The planning effort has already contributed to the development of the North American Grouse Partnerships' LPCH conservation plan. The PLJV will also assist the working group by providing travel funds for the coordinator to visit and plan with biologists from each partner state. For more information, contact Heather Whitlaw.