“My dad always said we’re just stewards of the land and that’s kind of how we approach it. We want to leave the land as good, orbetter, than how we received it. And so one of the things that my dad always did and I’ve continued that practice is trying to reserve someareas for wildlife the bird species. There’s nothing I enjoy more than seeing the deer, antelope, varieties of birds, upland grouse,and partridge as well as the ducks and geese that nest here.”Mel Dutton

In this eight and a half minute video, we visit with the Dutton Family in Faith, South Dakota. The Dutton family have been stewards of the land for many years. The  family wishes to leave the land better than they found it, both for their family and the wildlife on the landscape.

The South Dakota Grassland Coalition (SDGC) partnered with the organizations listed below to enhance the Grassland Planner with a release of a short video story each month during 2023, promoting healthy soils, grasslands, and ecosystems. Please enjoy the "Our Amazing Grasslands" feature story for May 2023.

2023 Grassland Stewardship Communications Project Partners:  SDGC, Audubon Dakota, Ducks Unlimited, Partners for Fish and Wildlife, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, The Nature Conservancy, Pheasants Forever, South Dakota Soil Health Coalition, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and South Dakota State University.

Original source can be found here.