NRCS Conservation Practices and Materials

Hellbender Proposed for Endangered Species Act Protection: A Call to Action for Aquatic Conservation

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has proposed to protect the Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. This proposal addresses the dramatic decline in Hellbender populations due to habitat loss, water pollution, and other factors. The proposal builds on years of collaborative conservation work and scientific study, highlighting the need to safeguard this species to maintain the health of freshwater ecosystems. This proposed rule would extend protection to hellbenders across their range, from New York to Georgia.

Aquatic Connectivity Framework (ACF) Fact Sheet

The Aquatic Connectivity Framework (ACF) is a WLFW partnership effort that brings together public and private partners to tackle critical threats to watersheds across 16 states in the eastern and central U.S.

Kenai Peninsula Salmon

Salmon are anadromous, which means they divide their lives between freshwater and the ocean. This annual return of salmon to freshwater is economically and culturally important to Alaska.

Hawaiian Nene

The official bird of Hawaii, the nene is found in the wild on the islands of Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Molokai and Hawaii.

Golden-Winged Warbler

The Golden-Winged Warbler Partner website was funded for NRCS and its partners to collaborate in support of private landowners to implement Working Lands for Wildlife partnership

American Black Duck

The American Black Duck Partner Website was funded for NRCS and its partners to collaborate in support of private landowners to implement the Working Lands for Wildlife partnership.

Northeast Turtles

To help reverse the decline of these turtles, NRCS is working with private landowners in the Northeast to increase available high-quality habitat to support these species’ recovery through land protection as well as restoration and enhancement of habitat

Blanding's Turtle

To help reverse the decline of these turtles, NRCS is working with private landowners in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan to increase available high-quality habitat to support these species’ recovery through land protection as well as restoration and enhancement of habitat.

Conasauga River Aquatic Species

The Conasauga River teems with biodiversity. The river in southern Tennessee and northern Georgia is known for its exceptional mussel, snail, crayfish and fish biodiversity. This river system supports 10 fish and mussel species that are federally listed as endangered or threatened and 20 other aquatic species that are either listed by the states or at-risk of federal listing. The holiday, bridled, and trispot darters are among those fish facing declines and at risk of being listed. Many of these species are imperiled because of sediment, nutrient and pesticide pollution. NRCS is working with private landowners in the Conasauga River watershed in both states to improve water quality to support the species’ recovery.

Colorado River Mussels

With about 95 percent of Texas under private ownership, private landowners have a tremendous opportunity to help mussels and other wildlife species through conservation. NRCS is working with private landowners in the Colorado River basin in Texas to improve water quality to support the species’ recovery.

Yazoo Darter

The Yazoo darter (Etheostoma raneyi) is a small fish that is found only in two watersheds – the Little Tallahatchie and Yocona River watersheds in northern Mississippi. In recent years, Yazoo darter populations have been on the decline, largely because of poor stream health and barriers in streams. To help reverse population declines, NRCS is working with private landowners in targeted areas to increase available habitat and improve water quality to support the species’ recovery.

Shorebirds of Louisiana Wetlands

Birds like the lesser yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes), buff-breasted sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis), stilt sandpiper (Calidris himantopus) and short-billed dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus) use Louisiana’s wetlands as pit stops during their annual journeys south. Those birds use a variety of wetlands along the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico coast, and they’re good barometers of quality and abundance of wetland habitat. The loss or degradation of wetlands because of development, agriculture, subsidence and erosion impacts many wildlife species, and NRCS is working with Louisiana producers to make wildlife-friendly improvements on working lands.