The Flint Hills region encompasses 4.5 million acres of tallgrass prairie spanning eastern Kansas and Oklahoma, making up approximately two-thirds of the remaining tallgrass prairie in existence. Within this unique landscape, one can find vital habitat for various grassland birds such as the greater prairie-chicken, upland sandpiper, Henslow’s sparrow, and numerous other species. Additionally, this area supports a rich diversity of wildlife, including the easternmost population of pronghorn, the fastest land animal in North America.

Ørsted, a leading clean energy company in the U.S., has donated more than $2 million to The Conservation Fund and The Nature Conservancy to support voluntary land conservation and restoration efforts in the Flint Hills region, near its Sunflower Wind Farm in Marion County, Kansas. Working together, we’ve designed a multifaceted conservation approach in the Flint Hills grassland, supporting both habitat protection and restoration. These efforts advance Ørsted’s commitment to developing clean energy projects in harmony with nature and achieving a net-positive biodiversity impact for all new projects beginning in 2030.

With Ørsted’s financial support, The Conservation Fund will work with local partners and landowners to develop and implement tailored conservation agreements that protect prairie habitat and biodiversity while supporting the long-term viability of ranching. These efforts will preserve critical tallgrass prairie while keeping these lands in private ownership and active use as working ranches.

Outcome Highlights

The Conservation Fund is thrilled to collaborate with Ørsted in preserving essential tallgrass prairie land, which not only sustains the region’s diverse wildlife and thriving ranching economy, but also presents the green energy sector with a collaborative framework for addressing its environmental footprint. 

Learn More

• News: “Ørsted Partners with The Conservation Fund and The Nature Conservancy to Protect and Restore Native Tallgrass Prairie near Sunflower Wind Farm”