The Origins Foundation Podcast

Episode 601: Ted Koch || Grasslands – Our Most Endangered Habitat

Date: October 21, 2025
Guest: Ted Koch, Executive Director, North American Grouse Partnership
Host: Mike Axelrod

Episode Overview

This episode features a passionate and insightful conversation between host Mike Axelrod and Ted Koch, Executive Director of the North American Grouse Partnership and a retired endangered species biologist. The discussion dives deep into the critical state of North American grasslands—highlighting their status as the continent’s most endangered ecosystem, why grassland species like prairie grouse are declining, and what must change for effective conservation. The episode also critically examines the realities of private land stewardship, the failings of current conservation funding models, and pushes for pragmatic solutions drawing from both North American and international approaches.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Ted Koch’s Background and Passion for Grassland Conservation

• [04:13] Ted grew up in Connecticut, later moving West to fulfill his dream of working in wild landscapes.

• [04:40] Hunting and the outdoors became integral to his identity:

  “Heaven is 8am Sept. 20 on a hillside with the aspen turning gold and the bugle, the bulls bugling in the canyon below and the sun coming up over the mountains. That is my idea of heaven on earth.” — Ted Koch

• [10:39] Ted found his calling in prairie and sagebrush ecosystems, working on sage grouse and lesser prairie chicken conservation for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prior to leading the Grouse Partnership.

Notable Quote

“I just keep ending up back in prairie landscapes. … Any hunter who’s ever spent time just realizes the magic of those landscapes and a prairie grouse.” — Ted Koch [11:32]

Why Grasslands Matter and Their Uncertain Future

• Grasslands are the Most Threatened Ecosystem

  • [14:29] “Grasslands are the most threatened ecosystem on the continent and in the world today. Somebody’s got to (work on them).”
  • [15:03] 64% of North American grasslands have been lost; of what remains, 84% is privately owned.

• Species in Peril: Prairie Grouse and Habitat Loss

  • [15:16] Of the nine populations of prairie grouse once widespread, six are extinct or ESA-listed; the remaining three are declining.

“Shame on us hunters for letting that happen because they all used to be game birds.” — Ted Koch [16:07]

The Core Threat: Habitat Loss and Fragmentation

• [16:18] Habitat loss & fragmentation are the #1 drivers of prairie grouse decline.
• [16:35] Host and guest explain leks—the unique prairie grouse mating grounds—and their dependence on large, connected tracts of grasslands.

Notable Explanation

“For prairie grouse to survive, you need multiple leks connected to each other across large landscapes surrounded by miles and miles of suitable nesting habitat. … Prairie grouse species are one of the most difficult species to try to reintroduce. … They’re a landscape scale species.” — Ted Koch [17:08]

The Challenge of Private Land Ownership and the Conservation Model

• [15:14, 18:25] With 84% of grasslands on private property, conservation must pivot toward incentivizing private landowners.
• Ranching provides lower income than other land uses; current government programs (like Farm Bill cost-share) often leave landowners out-of-pocket for conservation actions.

Key Quote

“We haven’t figured out how to pay them to grow wildlife yet.” — Ted Koch [17:25]

Pay-to-Play: The Debate over Hunting Leases and Conservation Funding

• [18:36 – 23:58] Host and guest wade into the controversial territory of hunting leases and pay-to-play conservation.
  • Hunting leases can incentivize habitat retention, especially for species like pronghorn and mule deer.
  • However, most grassland hunting leases currently tend to favor whitetail deer, whose habitat needs can be somewhat at odds with prairie grouse.

“The way that manifests right now in grasslands … ends up being a whitetail deer hunting lease model that does not favor prairie grouse.” — Ted Koch [20:16]

• Ted supports finding ways to pay landowners, either by adjusting North American models or borrowing from European and African models where appropriate.

Notable Exchange

“We can’t ask them to save an endangered species like the lesser prairie chicken out of the goodness of their heart. We gotta pay ’em to do it.” — Ted Koch [23:34]
“If you can come up with a better model… carbon credit scheme or a biodiversity scheme… so be it. But those three things (habitat protection, restoration, expansion) don’t exist right now.” — Mike Axelrod [24:01]

Farm Bill Programs, Their Limits, and Alternative Funding Models

• [25:09 – 26:50] Current federal conservation programs reimburse only partial costs; ranchers foot the rest—this is seen as unsustainable.
  • Ted’s organization is pushing to pay landowners fair market value for conservation outcomes, not just for implementing practices.

“If we want somebody to save a species of wildlife … we got to pay for it. We can’t ask them to take it out of their own hide.” — Ted Koch [26:22]

• [28:03] Most grassland loss (~2M acres/year) is to woody encroachment (sometimes due to hunting leases for whitetail), energy development, or conversion to row-crop agriculture.

Restoration, Management, and the Role of Ranchers

• [31:24] Historical prairies were maintained by fire; today, suppression leads to woody encroachment.
• Restoration of broken prairie is possible but slow and costly.
• The importance of mimicking historical grazing with modern ranching:

“Ranching done right can maintain and improve grassland health over time. Ranching done wrong doesn’t help anybody or any of those conservation services.” — Ted Koch [35:04]

• [36:03] Success example: The largest remaining population of lesser prairie chickens is on 35-year-old CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) lands in western Kansas—once farmland, now thriving restored grassland.

Innovative Conservation Approaches and Systems Change

• [39:01 – 40:36] The Playa Lakes Joint Venture reverse auction model: Landowners bid competitively to provide habitat; payments are negotiated based on conservation outcomes, not flat rates.

“What a great model. … That not only saves migratory birds, but… improves water quality and water quantity because it increases infiltration to the aquifer. And… the landowner says they need to get paid to make it happen.” — Ted Koch [40:19]

• [41:25] The challenge: Scaling up these creative models while ensuring technical support and adequate compensation.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On the urgency of grassland conservation:

  “Nobody wakes up every morning like we do thinking about how we’re going to save wild prairie grouse and grasslands.” — Ted Koch [43:42]

• On the American model versus alternatives:

  “Perhaps on private lands we need to adjust… and think more along the lines of the European model or the African model.” — Ted Koch [23:13]

• On restoration spirit:

  “You can do it. Takes a long time… but you can do it.” — Ted Koch [36:49]

Important Timestamps

• 04:13 — Ted’s path to the West & passion for hunting
• 11:32 — Discovering the prairie’s magic; work on sage grouse
• 14:29 — Grasslands as most threatened ecosystem
• 15:16 — Alarming declines in prairie grouse populations
• 16:18 – 17:25 — The critical importance and challenge of habitat connectivity
• 22:13 – 24:01 — Honest debate on hunting leases/pay-to-play
• 25:09 – 26:50 — Shortcomings of current conservation funding structures
• 28:03 – 29:56 — Economic pressures: why grasslands are converted
• 31:24 – 36:49 — What works for restoration; role of fire, grazing, and long-term CRP
• 39:01 – 41:25 — Reverse auction/pay-for-performance conservation models
• 43:09 – 43:35 — Call to action: how listeners can support grassland restoration

Resources and How to Get Involved

• North American Grouse Partnership:
  • Website: grousepartners.org
  • Donate, learn, and find out more about current projects; read about the Lesser Prairie Chicken Landowner Alliance.
• Contact:
  • Email via staff page or specific alliance resources listed on the website.

Tone and Delivery

The conversation is frank, hopeful, and unflinchingly honest about failures and what needs to change. Both host and guest bounce between practical conservation details, hunting culture, economic realities, and deep personal roots in the wild. Ted’s passion is especially evident when he gets “fired up” about policies and the need for fundamental shifts in how conservation is funded.

Conclusion:
This episode provides both practical insights and philosophical food for thought for hunters, conservationists, and anyone concerned about biodiversity. The urgent message: grasslands are at a tipping point, and only by innovating our models—especially around private land stewardship and true-cost conservation—can we hope to reverse the decline of prairie species and the habitats that sustain them.