Saving Our Grasslands: Why They Matter, Why We Are Losing Them, and How We Can Save Them

Grasslands are critical for biodiversity and carbon sequestration, holding about one-third of global terrestrial carbon stocks, yet they remain vastly unprotected. In the U.S., over 70 percent of prairies have been destroyed, with 10 million acres lost in the Great Plains between 2016 and 2020. The document identifies federal crop insurance subsidies and the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) as policies that unintentionally encourage the conversion of grasslands to cropland. To reverse these trends, the author advocates for strengthening the "Sodsaver" program, ensuring energy crops from converted grasslands do not qualify for the RFS, and increasing investment through the 2023 Farm Bill and the North American Grasslands Conservation Act.

• Grasslands are vital for climate stability and biodiversity, containing roughly one-third of the world's terrestrial carbon stocks and offering resilience against wildfires, heatwaves, and droughts.
• Grassland loss is severe in the United States, where more than 70 percent of prairies are gone; specifically, the Great Plains lost 10 million acres between 2016 and 2020, including 1.8 million acres in 2020 alone, mostly for row crop agriculture.
• Federal crop insurance subsidies incentivize the farming of marginal lands and grasslands by reducing risk, a trend that could be mitigated by strengthening the "Sodsaver" program to remove subsidies for newly converted lands.
• The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has driven the expansion of biofuel crops like soybeans and corn into grasslands because land conversion prevention provisions are not being properly implemented.
• The 2023 Farm Bill and the North American Grasslands Conservation Act are identified as critical mechanisms for investing in sustainable grazing, wildlife habitat, and the inclusion of Native nations and marginalized communities in conservation.

APA

Friedman, S. (2023). Saving Our Grasslands: Why They Matter, Why We Are Losing Them, and How We Can Save Them. WWF International. https://www.worldwildlife.org/news/perspectives/sustainability-works-hub/sustainability-works-index/saving-our-grasslands-why-they-matter-why-we-are-losing-them-and-how-we-can-save-them/

Chicago

Friedman, Suzy. Saving Our Grasslands: Why They Matter, Why We Are Losing Them, and How We Can Save Them. WWF International, 2023. https://www.worldwildlife.org/news/perspectives/sustainability-works-hub/sustainability-works-index/saving-our-grasslands-why-they-matter-why-we-are-losing-them-and-how-we-can-save-them/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Friedman |first1=Suzy |title=Saving Our Grasslands: Why They Matter, Why We Are Losing Them, and How We Can Save Them |publisher=WWF International |date=12 April 2023 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/news/perspectives/sustainability-works-hub/sustainability-works-index/saving-our-grasslands-why-they-matter-why-we-are-losing-them-and-how-we-can-save-them/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{friedman2023saving, author = {Friedman, Suzy}, title = {{Saving Our Grasslands: Why They Matter, Why We Are Losing Them, and How We Can Save Them}}, publisher = {WWF International}, year = {2023}, month = apr, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/news/perspectives/sustainability-works-hub/sustainability-works-index/saving-our-grasslands-why-they-matter-why-we-are-losing-them-and-how-we-can-save-them/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }