LWCF Funded Units in South Dakota

Federal Program
Black Hills NF
Karl Mundt NWR
Missouri NRR
Wind Cave NP
Tallgrass Prairie Project
*Dakota Tallgrass Prairie
Approximate Federal Total	$20,000,000
State Program
Approximate Total Stateside Grants	$35,000,000
Approximate Total Federal and State	$55,000,000
*Multi-state project

LWCF Success in South Dakota

The Land and Water Conservation Fund has helped protect some of South Dakota’s most treasured places. South Dakota has received approximately $55 million over the past four decades, protecting places such as the Black Hills National Forest and the Missouri National Recreational River.

Dakota Tallgrass Prairie Wildlife Management Area

Tallgrass prairie once covered 90% of the Dakotas. Today, less than 3% of the native prairie remains in the 1,200,000-acre project area. The tallgrass prairie ecosystem harbors a rich variety of plant, animal, and insect species including the federally endangered western prairie fringed orchid. Over 147 species of breeding birds, including 40 species of neotropical migrants and 12 species of waterfowl, inhabit the area. LWCF funding ensures the protection of this vital ecosystem through acquisition and conservation efforts.

Economic Benefits

Active outdoor recreation is an important part of the South Dakota economy. Each year, 251,000 sportspersons and 432,000 wildlife watchers combine to spend $550 million on wildlife-associated recreation in South Dakota. This is an integral part of the greater American outdoor recreation economy, which contributes $730 billion annually to the U.S. economy, supports 6.4 million American jobs (1 out of every 20 jobs in the U.S.), and stimulates 8 percent of all consumer spending, according to the Outdoor Industry Association.