Corn Ethanol And Wildlife
This report analyzes the current and potential impacts of increased corn ethanol production on wildlife and habitat in the states of Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, finding that populations of certain wildlife species are on the decline in areas with high increases in corn planting.
While many factors contribute to the change in land use over time, the relationship between ethanol incentives and habitat destruction are clear. Corn ethanol production is on the rise and the Renewable Fuel Standard (passed in 2007) requires ethanol production to increase from 11 billion gallons in 2009 to 15 billion in 2015. As production rises, more land is being converted from other uses to corn production.
Up to 75% of all North American waterfowl breed in the studied region, known as the Prairie Pothole Region. Of the 800 migratory bird species in North America, more than 300 rely on this area for breeding and nesting, as well as feeding and resting during migrations.
To better understand the effects of land-use changes driven by increased corn plantings on wildlife populations within the Prairie Pothole Region, researchers studied the relationship between corn plantings and grassland bird populations in the four-state study area. The results showed that the average number of grassland species in areas with low corn increases was not significantly different between 2005 and 2008. However, in counties with high corn increases, the average number of grassland species was found to decline significantly between 2005 and 2008.
Recommendations from the report:
- Reconsider government mandates and financial support for corn ethanol by allowing cellulosic ethanol to replace corn ethanol as technology improves and by phasing out federal and state incentives for corn ethanol production.
- Protect prairies and wetlands from conversion by disqualifying landowners who plow native prairie from receiving federal financial support on that land and by helping willing landowners preserve native prairie and wetlands in perpetuity.
- Strengthen the conservation reserve program by increasing the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acreage cap to prevent dramatic CRP losses and improve the flexibility and responsiveness of CRP rental rates.
- Pursue additional research by collecting and making available data to measure the conversion of grassland to cropland and by initiating a U.S. General Accountability Office study of the full cost of government incentives for corn ethanol.