Sioux Falls, SD: Friends of the Big Sioux River (FBSR) and Northern Prairies Land Trust (NPLT) are excited to announce their new organizational partnership. By this partnership the two 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation entitles will work together to advance their common goals of land and water conservation within South Dakota and to promote a conservation ethic in the region.

The organizations will be headed by Travis Entenman as director while maintaining their separate boards, goals, and identities. The partnership between the two organizations will develop and advocate local policy, increase fundraising efforts (memberships, donations, and grants), land protection (easements and conservation toolkit), water protection projects, and overall awareness and education on how these environments are interlinked and their effect on agriculture, economic development, habitat stability, and climate change.  At the same time, the new relationship will help maximize administrative efficiencies.

FBSR seeks to make the Big Sioux River and its tributaries swimmable, in keeping with the Clean Water Act, for the health and enjoyment of everyone in the community. Community involvement is critical to achieving this vision and FBSR seeks win-win solutions through strong partnerships and coalitions, with all parts of the community, government, and other stakeholders.

NPLT works to facilitate and encourage land and water conservation practices by private landowners in both South Dakota and Nebraska. NPLT is organized as a land trust in order to accept and hold conservation easements when private landowners choose that tool, but the activities go far beyond those of a simple land trust. NPLT is committed to the proposition that private lands can be managed in a way that achieves the goals of private landowners while simultaneously serving the public need to conserve natural resources and sustain rural and agricultural communities.

For more information regarding each organization, visit www.friendsofthebigsiouxriver.org and www.northernprairies.org.