Rice farmers create temporary wetlands to aid migrating birds

A conservation initiative pays rice farmers in California's Central Valley to flood their fields earlier and keep them wet longer, creating crucial habitats for migrating shorebirds.

Natalia Mesa reports for High Country News.

In short:

• BirdReturns, a program started in 2014, pays rice farmers to create "pop-up" wetland habitats during key migration periods.
• Using bird data and reverse auctions, the program has transformed over 120,000 acres of farmland into temporary wetlands.
• Shorebird populations have increased by up to 3.5 times in these pop-up wetlands compared to regular rice fields.

Key quote:

"It’s this weird rare circumstance where you have a large industrial-scale intensive agricultural system that can simultaneously support wildlife."

— Daniel Karp, UC Davis researcher

Why this matters:

With more than 90% of California's original wetlands gone, innovative programs like BirdReturns are critical for protecting migratory bird species, which are already threatened by habitat loss and climate change. Sustainable conservation efforts are essential as water resources become scarcer.