These meadows are declining habitats throughout Polk County, primarily due to conifer encroachment, delayed management of dense woodlands, and increased agricultural and urban development. Food, cover and shelter in lower elevation oak meadows and upper elevation conifer meadows is inadequate to support Roosevelt elk, black-tailed deer, Fender’s blue butterflies, monarch butterflies, and grassland birds. Restoration will benefit native ungulate populations and a myriad of non-game species of conservation concern (including several federally listed threatened and endangered species), rare and declining plants/plant communities, invertebrates, reptiles, and numerous species of grassland and oak associated migratory birds.