The America’s Grasslands Coalition and GlobeScan hosted a webinar exploring how Americans perceive, value, and connect with grasslands, and what drives support for their conservation.
The session opened with remarks from Martha Kauffman, Senior Advisor at World Wildlife Fund. Daniel Bergin, Principal at GlobeScan, then presented findings from new public opinion research examining Americans’ awareness of grasslands, the benefits they associate with them, and opportunities to build broader public support for grassland conservation across the United States.
Key takeaways from the webinar discussion:
- Grasslands are overlooked: Many Americans know little about grasslands despite their environmental, economic, and cultural importance.
- Awareness drives support: Support for grasslands grows significantly when people learn about their benefits.
- People connect in different ways: Recreation, ranching, wildlife, culture, and community all provide pathways to engagement.
- Diverse voices matter: Inclusive storytelling can help broaden support for conservation.
- Collaboration is essential: Protecting grasslands will require coordinated action across sectors, organizations, and communities.
The discussion was moderated by Clay Bolt (Grasslands Communications, World Wildlife Fund) and featured a panel of experts from the America’s Grasslands Coalition. Panelists explored how these insights can inform conservation efforts and support the launch of the US Grasslands Campaign this summer.
Speakers included:
- Brian Obermeyer, Great Plains Grasslands Strategy Director, The Nature Conservancy
- Alexis Bonogofsky, VP, Great Plains Program, World Wildlife Fund
- Rodrigo Sierra Corona, Executive Director, Borderlands Restoration Network
- Dwayne Estes, Co-founder, Southeastern Grasslands Institute
- Shaun Grassel, Chief Executive Officer, Buffalo Nations Grasslands Alliance
