A study by an environmental group is analyzing the vulnerability to climate change of more than 500 species of birds across the Midwest. The Environmental Defense Fund is working with teams of biologists in Nebraska, Illinois and Iowa. Alicia Hardin, an administrator with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, says some birds are becoming scarcer across the region.
Hardin says many farmers and ranchers are already taking step to help preserve or restore those and other populations.
Hardin says there are fewer numbers of certain species..
Farmers and ranchers can manage and restore habitat in ways that can help offset the ecological and agricultural impact of drought and floods. That includes restoring wetlands, floodplains and grasslands, the use of cover crops, no-till agriculture, and buffers to provide shade and improve water quality.
