About the Program
Photo of SGI’s Restoration team out in the field with key partners.
about
The Southeastern Grasslands Institute is working to bring back native grasslands across our focal area. The Southeastern U.S. has experienced widespread losses (90 to 99%) of its native grasslands. SGI works closely with partner organizations, agencies, funders, and a growing army of grassroots grasslands conservation volunteers to turn the tide on grassland loss. With the help of our partners and our expert staff, SGI is able to not only restore but maintain a growing and diverse amount of grasslands through sustainable and science-based stewardship. Our program leadership is headquartered in Clarksville, TN, and our grasslands restoration staff work in 17 states on multiple public and private land projects.
SGI’s restoration and stewardship program strategy has a three pronged approach and works closely with our other programs for sustainable long-term conservation success. Our team works to implement the following strategies:
Restore and Reconstruct: Where grasslands still exist, we work diligently to restore them. We utilize unique approaches and a surgical methodology to restoring grasslands which are considered among the most rare ecosystems on the continent. Where grasslands have been driven to functional extinction we are working to rebuild them through cutting edge grassland reconstructions.
Stabilize: Many grasslands that currently exist on public and private lands need advocacy to avoid outright destruction. Our goal for these grasslands is to raise awareness and serve as subject matter experts to ensure their continued existence through education on improved management.
Protect: Where it makes sense we mobilize and purchase land for both remnant conservation and rebuilding large landscapes. No parcel is too large or small.
Strategy
SGI’s Restoration & Stewardship Program uses science-based techniques to regenerate the health of our critically endangered southeastern grassland ecosystems.
Major projects
The work of the Southeastern Grasslands Institute spans SGI’s focal region. Please click here to view our main projects at this time.
“Grassland biodiversity loss is one of the most alarming challenges afflicting not only plants and wildlife, but also human communities. There is nothing more honorable than to give a voice to the voiceless, and grasslands in the Southeast have gone without a voice for too long. The legacy we want to leave with our grassland restoration and reconstruction work is for our grandchildren to not look back at our current grasslands as “the good old days”, but rather to look at the grasslands we have restored and rebuilt for their generation and know that because of our work, that they are able to enjoy the good old days of conservation well into the future.”
Ways to support
The Southeastern Grasslands Restoration team benefits from community support in many ways. We are grateful for every hour spent volunteering and every dollar donated! Please click here to learn how to support our restoration and land stewardship program.
