Great Plains Region Wetland Mitigation & Species Banking Services

States We Serve

North Dakota

DU operates multiple mitigation banks and ILF across the Prairie Pothole Region, providing credits for agricultural and infrastructure impacts.

Learn more about mitigation in North Dakota →

South Dakota

DU's South Dakota ILF Program combines regulatory efficiency with high-impact conservation, offering pre-approved wetland mitigation solutions that support infrastructure and development while enhancing the state’s Prairie Pothole habitats.

Learn more about mitigation in South Dakota →

Colorado  

DU’s work in Colorado focuses on the Central and Pacific flyways and provides important migration habitat for waterfowl produced in the Prairie Pothole Region. The eastern plains of Colorado, and the river corridors in particular, provide top-quality migration habitat and have been designated as high priority areas within the region. In total, DU has conserved over 140,000 acres of habitat in Colorado since 2003. Restoring habitat on this scale requires the expertise and experience of DU’s talented and dedicated professional staff. Comprehensive knowledge of wetland restorations and a full suite of engineering capabilities also uniquely position DU to provide full-scale wetland mitigation services. If you are interested in mitigation services/credits in Colorado, please reach out to Justin Williams at juwilliams@ducks.org.

Kansas 

DU is developing several mitigation banks in Kansas, including a site in the Smoky Hill River watershed which will recharge waters into the Ogallala Aquifer. Cheyenne Bottoms and the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in Central Kansas also contain some of the most important migratory bird wetland complexes in North America. If you are interested in mitigation credit availability in Kansas, please reach out to Justin Williams for information at juwilliams@ducks.org.

Nebraska  

DU’s is adding mitigation banking offerings in the Cornhusker State. The Platte River Corridor and the Rainwater Basin Region focal areas are of continental scale importance to migratory birds. DU’s active presence in the Nebraska Sandhills, along the North Platte River in Western Nebraska, and a growing presence in Eastern Nebraska, provide ample opportunities to mitigate development projects. If you are interested in mitigation credit availability in Nebraska, please reach out to Justin Williams for information at juwilliams@ducks.org.

Montana 

DU is proud to be a long-standing provider of aquatic resource credits throughout the northern Great Plains. Over the past 20 years, its established and marketed high-quality offsets for a wide array of development and permitting needs. DU is currently establishing mitigation banks in Montana. We can also assist with unique project delivery components tailored to your specific needs. If you are interested in mitigation credit availability in Montana, please reach out to Trent Hieb for information at thieb@ducks.org.

Wyoming 

DU’s vital conservation work in Wyoming provides benefits to waterfowl and numerous other wildlife species. DU has completed over 120 conservation projects in Wyoming since 1989, conserving over 25,000 acres of habitat. These projects include the protection, enhancement, and restoration of wetlands and associated habitats including uplands that increase functional values of adjacent wetlands. DU is currently working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the development of a wetland/stream mitigation instrument in Wyoming. If you are interested in mitigation credit availability in Wyoming, please reach out to Justin Williams for information at juwilliams@ducks.org.

Species & Habitat Mitigation

DU supports species and habitat mitigation efforts across the Great Plains through conservation banking and project-specific solutions in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Conservation banks protect habitat for federally threatened and endangered species while generating USFWS-approved credits for responsible development. 

Through our Environmental Compliance Mitigation Program, DU also delivers tailored conservation measures for NEPA and biological assessments—particularly in areas that align with our priority landscapes. 

Our work supports a wide range of wildlife, including migratory waterbirds and shorebirds (e.g., Piping Plover, Least Tern, Whooping Crane), grassland songbirds (e.g., Bobolink, Mountain Plover, Sprague’s Pipit), and rare insect and pollinator species (e.g., Monarch Butterfly, American Burying Beetle). 

Project Example: DU is advancing the first federally approved Dakota Skipper Conservation Bank in North Dakota, offering certified species credits to support responsible development and habitat restoration. 

The Dakota Skipper, a federally endangered butterfly, depends on healthy native prairie to survive. Habitat loss and degradation have caused severe population declines. DU’s conservation bank takes a market-based approach to recovery—restoring and protecting 305 acres of native prairie in Mountrail County, adjacent to 5,000 acres of existing protected grassland. 

This restored habitat includes essential native plants like green needlegrass, little bluestem, and purple prairie coneflower—critical for all life stages of the Dakota Skipper. 

Interested in species mitigation or credit availability? 
Contact Alex Rischette at arischette@ducks.org. 

Environmental Compliance Mitigation

DU’s Environmental Compliance Mitigation (ECM) program helps project sponsors achieve compliance under various environmental laws and policies, including EO 11990, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), NEPA, and more. 

Applications include: 

• Conservation banking for threatened and endangered species 
• NEPA assessments and mitigation measures 
• Biological assessments and reporting 
• Executive Order 11990 wetlands protection 
• Other project-specific solutions