Playa Country

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 Playa Country
Currently on broadcast hiatus. See the listings and links below to listen to archived programs.

Playas are shallow, seasonal wetlands that serve as recharge basins for the Ogallala Aquifer and provide critical habitat for hundreds of wildlife species.  The wetlands are unique to the High Plains region with more than 60,000 in a six-state area of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.  Playa Country focuses on the values of playas and efforts to conserve them, as well as other wetlands, rivers, streams and grasslands that support the rich High Plains wildlife heritage.  Shows feature interviews with landowners, biologists, resource managers, community leaders and others who are actively conserving wildlife habitat in the High Plains, and will provide listeners with local contacts and information on conservation programs, events and other opportunities to get involved.  Contact the Playa Lakes Joint Venture about the program.

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Listen to recent Playa Country episodes:
Noise in Nature  - How human-produced sounds can interfere with birds' normal mating, feeding and hunting behaviors.
(aired 4/27/09)
Going With the Grain? - Converting CRP land to grain crop production can pose many pitfalls and problems for farmers.
(aired 4/20/09)
Integrated Conservation - Examples of how bird conservation strategies also help other species.
(aired 4/13/09)
Unsettled Landing - What to do when endangered birds settle on your land.
(aired 4/06/09)
Lessening the Impact of Wind Industry - Learn what impact wind development is having on wildlife, especially the lesser-prairie chicken.
(aired 3/30/09)
Sustainable Economy II- Birds of the playas, such as ducks, geese and pheasants, are high value commodities.  hunters and wildlife watchers spend approximately $5 billion each year on this wildlife industry.
(aired 3/23/09)
Sustainable Economy I - Whether they realize it or not, playas are essential to a farmer's and rancher's bottom line and the lifeblood of the High Plains agricultural economy.
(aired 3/16/09)
The Playa Connection - Learn how everyone on the High Plains is connected through the Ogallala Aquifer.
(aired 3/9/09)
Playa's in Education -  Whiteface, Texas teacher Laura Wilbanks talks about playa education and how her students are helping conserve wetlands.
(aired 3/2/09)
Connecting Communities through Playas - It's a fine line between helping Prairie Chickens and running up against the Feds. Today we'll clear things up.
(aired 2/23/09)
Helping Prairie Chickens - It's a fine line between helping Prairie Chickens and running up against the Feds. Today we'll clear things up.
(aired 2/16/09)
Central Flyway Wetlands - Migrating waterfowl rely on stops along their way and playas play a major role.
(aired 2/9/09)
Cattleman and Conservationist - Ted Alexander talk about what it means to be a good steward of the land.
(aired 2/2/09)
New Incentives for Playas in CRP - Dedicating playa land as a CRP can be a pretty sweet deal as we find out today.
(aired 1/26/08)
Prairie Birds and CRP's - Priaire Birds often suffer when CRP land returns to crop production.
(aired 1/19/08)
Conservation Easements 101 - What is a Conservation Easement and how does it impact our High Plains Region and it's playas ?
(aired 1/12/08)
Waterfowl Count in OK - It takes a trained eye to keep count  of waterfowl in Oklahoma, we'll meet some of the folks who do just that.
(aired 1/5/08)
Friendly Fire - A new group og KS ranchers are working to promote public acceptance of prescribed fires and protect landowners' rights to use fire as a land management tool.
(aired 12/29/08)
How do Playas recharge the Ogalala Aquifer - It's a slow but substantial process, says Ken Rainwater of the Water Resources Center at Texas Tech.
(aired 12/22/08)
Research Round-Up Linking Playas to Ogallala - a round-up of research leaves no doubt that playas are the primary source of recharge for the Ogallala.
(aired 12/15/08)
Lessening impact of wind on Lesser Prairie Chickens - OK scientists have developed a method to help the wind industry lessen the impact of wind farm development.
(aired 12/8/08)
KS Landowners Urged to Enroll Wetlands in CRP - Landowners with experience in CRP contracts in WKS will soon recieve a mailing.
(aired 12/1/08)
Conservation Districts Working to Keep CRP in Grass - The Olney-Boone Conservation District in SECO is working to keep expiring CPR lands in grass.
(aired 11/24/08)
Walk-in Hunting a Boost to Rural Communities - Small business owner Scott Carlson of Atwood KS relates his experience with walk-in hunting and it's effects on small towns.
(aired 11/17/08)
FSA offers bonus - CRP landowners enrolled in a walk-in hunting progran may find extra money per acre from the Farm Service Agency.
(aired 11/10/08)
Playa Numbers in Kansas - A new KU study underway may indicate the number of playas in Kansas have doubled.
(aired 11/3/08)
T Boone's Take on wind and wildlife - How will the needs of wildlife be considered in the T. Boone Pickens plan to reduce US dependency on foreign oil?
(aired 10/27/08)
Plight of the Pintails linked to Playas - What can our Playa Country do for the Plight of the Pintail?
(aired 10/20/08)
Conservation Contagious among Colrado Landowners - Todd Swedeland recently enrolled this land into a conservation easement, now he's urging other landowners to follow his footsteps.
(aired 10/13/08)
Kansas Rancher Helps Bring Ferrets Back from the Brink - Kansas rancher Larry Haverfield fought the law and his neighbors for the endangered black-footed ferrets.
(aired 10/6/08)
What Landowners should know before leasing land for wind - Landowners, are you getting a raw deal on wind? Find out what you should know before leasing your land for turbines.
(aired 9/29/08)
Striking a Balance - CRP's work to strike a balance between commerce and nature.
(aired 09/22/08)
Land Trusts - We talk with Lynne Sherrod.
(aired 09/15/2008)
New Maps - New maps show Playa locations.
(aired 09/08/08)
Research Round-up - A round up of research on playas' role in recharging the Ogallala Aquifer.
(aired 08/25/08)
Keeping the Wildcat Hills Wild - the wildcat is under tremendous pressure from developers in W Neb.
(aired 08/11/08)
Panhandle Wind and Wildlife Confrence in the TX Panhandle - A preview of the conference in Amarillo this weekend.
(aired 08/04/08)
Bird Conservation Joint Ventures - The business and innovation of bird conservation collaboration.
(aired 07/28/08)
Investing in Social Capital - Steve Moran shares his decades of wisdom.
(aired 07/21/08)
Less Is More - Lessening the Impact of the Wind Industry on area wildlife.
(aired 07/14/08)
Farm Bill Delivery - Today we'll learn how this complex process impacts conservation programs in our playa lakes region.
(aired 07/07/08)

HPPR Partnerships

Playa Lakes Joint Venture
Playa Country is a partnership production between High Plains Public Radio and the Playa Lakes Joint Venture.  For more information abut the Venture, visit their website at http://www.pljv.org/.

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