PLJV Timeline and History:

1988

  • Playa Lakes Joint Venture Concept Plan drafted in August.

1989

  • NAWMP recognizes PLJV as seventh official habitat joint venture.
  • Harvey Miller of USFWS serves as PLJV Coordinator and interim chairman.
  • Bruce Morrison of New Mexico Game and Fish takes over as PLJV's first chairman in October.

1990

  • ConocoPhillips signs 5-year agreement donating $625,000 to PLJV projects.
  • Armstrong Playa, TX – PLJV's first habitat project – dedicated March 15.
  • Kansas Dept. of Wildlife and Parks awarded first NAWCA grant in PLJV region for $100,000 Playa Lakes project.

1991

  • PLJV receives President's Environment and Conservation Challenge Award for outstanding partnership work.
  • Joe Kramer of Kansas Dept. of Wildlife and Parks elected PLJV Chairman.

1992

  • PLJV receives Certificate of Environmental Achievement from Renew America.
  • PLJV Accomplishment Report published, detailing $966,522 in projects on more than 9,700 acres involving 44 landowners.

1993

  • PLJV Communications Committee receives commendation from the Association for Conservation Information/USFWS for outstanding communications in support of NAWMP.

1994

  • First PLJV Implementation plan approved.
  • Vernon Bevill of Texas Parks and Wildlife elected PLJV Chairman.
  • Leslie Dierauf of USFWS hired as PLJV Coordinator.

1995

  • Playas: Jewels of the Plains, a coffee table book written by PLJV board member Jim Steiert, is published; receives Texas Outdoor Writers Association's top award for outdoor books.
  • Work begins on Hackberry Flat, a 4,000-acre project site in Oklahoma; site awarded $2.5 million in NAWCA grants over four years.
  • Kathy Wood of USFWS hired as PLJV Coordinator.

1996

  • ConocoPhillips receives NAWMP's National Great Blue Heron award for long-term partnership with PLJV.
  • Richard Hatcher of Okla. Dept. of Wildlife Conservation elected PLJV Chairman.
  • Board members Dr. Loren Smith and David Haukos recognized as "Conservationists of the Year" by the Texas Outdoor Writers Association.

1997

  • Common Flora of Playa Lakes, written by Dr. Loren Smith and David Haukos published.
  • Okla. Dept. of Wildlife Conservation and PLJV receive "Excellence in Wetland Conservation" award from EPA for Hackberry Flat.
  • PLJV Evaluation Plan approved.

1998

  • ConocoPhillips hosts forum to drive corporate support of JVs in November.
  • Ross Melinchuk of Ducks Unlimited elected as PLJV Chairman.
  • PLJV boundaries in Colorado and Kansas expanded.

1999

  • Hackberry Flat, Oklahoma, dedicated May 7.

2000

  • PLJV expands boundaries to match Bird Conservation Regions south of the Kansas/Nebraska state line.

2001

  • Mike Carter hired as JV Coordinator and establishes PLJV as non-profit organization.
  • Ducks Unlimited begins work on $185,000 GIS playa lake inventory project.
  • Kansas receives $557,135 NAWCA grant for McPherson Valley Wetlands.
  • The Nature Conservancy of Colorado awarded $1 million NAWCA grant for Playa/Riparian/Wetland Colorado Partnership Project.
  • Ducks Unlimited presented Diamond Legacy Award to ConocoPhillips for commitment to waterfowl and wetlands conservation.

2002

  • Debbie Slobe hired as Communications Team Leader.
  • Brian Sullivan hired as Biological Team Leader.
  • New PLJV headquarters open in Lafayette, Colo.

2003

  • Christopher Rustay is hired as Shortgrass Prairie Bird Conservation Region Coordinator.
  • PLJV web site launches in January.
  • PLJV expands boundary into Nebraska along BCR 18 and welcomes new partner the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
  • Board approves PLJV Master Plan.
  • Bob McCready of The Nature Conservancy elected PLJV Chairman.
  • PLJV GIS Phase I is completed.

2004

  • Karin Callahan is hired as GIS Analyst.
  • Great Plains GIS Partnership formed in Grand Island, NE.
  • PLJV staff conducts Phase II state planning meetings.
  • Nebraska receives $855,000 NAWCA award for North Platte River project; three small NAWCAs totalling $116K are awarded to Texas partners.
  • PLJV develops integrated biological planning process for all bird species in the region.
  • Conservation Reserve Program initiative for playa lakes launches in August.
  • Kansas awarded NAWCA grant for McPherson Valley Wetlands phase VI.
  • PLJV partners garner eight Private Stewardship Grants worth $750,000.

2005

  • PLJV Board Member Barth Crouch receives National Wetlands Award.
  • PLJV partners garner three Neotrop Act Grants worth $350,000.
  • PLJV partners garner seven Private Stewardship Grants worth more than $700,000.
  • PLJV/ConocoPhillips Grants generate $800,000 in habitat, research and education projects.
  • ConocoPhillips receives National Great Blue Heron Award.
  • PLJV expands Colorado boundary north to include the South Platte Focus Area and the entire BCR 18 portion of the state.

2006

  • PLJV/ConocoPhillips Grants generate $430,000 in habitat, research, education and outreach projects.
  • Playa Country Radio Series begins broadcasting throughout region.
  • PLJV releases film “The Playas – Reflections of Life on the Plains.”
  • Jeff Ver Steeg of the Colorado Division of Wildlife elected PLJV Chairman.
  • Kansas partners receive $50,000 NAWCA Small grant for Frazier Park wetland project and $999,345 Standard NAWCA grant for Jamestown Phase I.
  • PLJV conducts 'High Plains Landowner Survey: Farmers, Ranchers and Conservation'.

2007

  • Megan McLachlan hired as GIS Team Leader.
  • PLJV/ConocoPhillips Grants generate $1.7 million in habitat, research, education and outreach projects.
  • Debbie Slobe elected as Chair of the National Joint Venture Communications and Education Team.
  • Brian Sullivan elected as co-Chair of the NAWMP National Science Support Team.
  • PLJV partners awarded record five Standard NAWCA grants in one year: Drummond Flats Phase I (OK), Jamestown Wildlife Area Phase II (KS), Platte River Confluence Phase I (NE, WY), Platte River Wetlands Partnership (CO, NE), and Steel's Fork Playas and Prairie (CO).
  • PLJV partners awarded three Small NAWCA grants: Shaffer Playa (OK), Lower South Platte River Wetland Initiative and Huerfano Lake Conservation and Restoration Project (CO).
  • PLJV works with USDA to complete a Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) to assess the benefits of CRP on Mixed Grass Prairie Birds in BCR 19.

2008

  • PLJV awarded a Wildlife Action Opportunities Fund grant to hire a Director of Conservation Policy.