High Plains Conservation District

10/30/2026

As we come to the end of bat week, we want to thank all those who went batty over pollinators with us. Our plantings are taking off just one week in. HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Have fun and be safe y’all!

10/30/2026

So cute!❤️

Frosted tip goals.

Hoary bats are one of North America's most widespread and striking bats. Their name comes from their distinctive, frosted-looking fur, which resembles hoarfrost. These bats make seasonal long-distance migrations, flying at night across vast landscapes. Hoary bats are also natural pest controllers, benefitting agriculture and our environment.

Photo courtesy of J. Szewzcak/Cal Poly Humboldt

10/30/2026

Learn the facts! Bats are our friends. Happy Bat week!!

Some of California’s most valuable farm protectors begin working when the farmers go to sleep! As darkness spreads across California's agricultural fields, thousands of bats take to the skies in search of insects.

These remarkable flying mammals hunt moths, beetles, flies, and other nighttime insects, including species that can damage crops.

Using echolocation, bats detect their surroundings and locate prey even in darkness. Interestingly, a scientific study published in 2025 found that bat activity over rice fields in California's Northern Central Valley was significantly higher than over other types of land.

Researchers found approximately 1.5 times more bat activity above rice fields than above any other land-cover category studied.

By feeding on agricultural pests, bats provide a natural service that can help farmers manage insect populations and potentially reduce pesticide needs.

Protecting bats and their habitats benefits much more than wildlife. It also supports healthier agricultural ecosystems.

Sources - California Department of Fish and Wildlife, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ecology and Evolution (2025).

Note: The image used in this post was created using AI for educational purposes only.

10/30/2026

It was a beautiful day to harvest a few willows … Way to go HPCD team!! 1000 willows in less than an hour. 💪🏻

10/29/2026

10/29/2026

Celebrating bat week!!

Bat moms are raising some BIG babies 🍼

Bat babies are called PUPS, and they're surprisingly chunky! 🍼🦇
You might expect tiny bats to have teeny-tiny babies. Think again!

In some bat species, a newborn pup can weigh up to one-third of its mother's body weight. Imagine a 120-pound human giving birth to a 40-pound baby. 😳

Most bat species give birth to just one pup at a time, and raising that little flyer takes serious effort. Mom has to find food, produce milk, and care for her baby until it's ready to fly and fend for itself.

In Montana, summer maternity colonies give female bats a place to raise their young together. These roosts are important nurseries, so giving bats space during the summer can make a real difference.

Tiny mom. Big baby. HUGE commitment. 💜

10/27/2026

We had another great willow volunteering event last weekend! Thanks to all who came out.

We want to see you at our next willow event! There is still time to sign up for November 2nd at Largent Bend Fishing Access near Vaughn or November 7th at Spite Hill Fishing Access near Craig. Don't miss out on a fun day outside helping enhance trout habitat and water quality!

SIGN UP HERE: https://www.highplainscd.org/willow-volunteering

10/27/2026

Lovin’ the mighty bat. Happy bat week. Part of our pollinator series this fall.
❤️🦇❤️🦇❤️🦇

10/25/2026

If you missed our first pollinator series on bats, you missed a good one. Let’s get batty was a lot of fun. Show some love for our creatures of the night and honor the bat as we head into the Halloween season!

Let’s hear it for the night shift!

It's Bat Week, and these flying friends deserve a little appreciation for all the work they do after dark.

Bats are some of nature's hardest-working winged wonders. They devour insects, pollinate plants, spread seeds and help farmers by providing natural pest control.

While they might have a spooky reputation, bats are an important part of healthy ecosystems.

Photo by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

10/22/2026

Talk to your local conservation district or extension service today.

A row of trees can calm the wind across a field for a distance of 10 to 30 times its own height.

A windbreak works by getting in the way. Some air goes over the top, some goes around the ends, and some filters through. Right behind the trees the wind drops, and it slowly recovers farther downwind. Close to the barrier is a quiet zone, and beyond that is a wake zone where the wind is still reduced but more turbulent. The protected distance on the downwind side typically runs from about 10 to 30 times the height of the trees.

Density matters a lot. Rows that are about 40 to 60 percent dense tend to work best for crop fields. Very dense rows create short, deep snow drifts, while looser ones spread snow more evenly.

The idea is old, but it became a national effort after the Dust Bowl. The Prairie States Forestry Project planted shelterbelts across the Great Plains to protect farms and soil.

One caveat: gaps in the row concentrate the wind and shrink the protected area, so a broken windbreak does far less than a solid one.

Have you seen these tree rows along fields in your area?