Unconventional oil and gas production (i.e. horizontal drilling and hydrofracturing) has expanded rapidly since the turn of the century with tens of thousands of well drilled across the United States. One important region is the Bakken/Three Forks Formation, a tight oil play that has made North Dakota one of the top U.S. oil producers. The expansion of unconventional oil and gas has caused great concern among conservationists, in particular the extensive land-use development and fragmentation that accompanies this industry. We measured the development patterns caused by oil and gas activities on two important wildlife habitats in North Dakota: public lands and prairie potholes.
Results/Conclusions
Our measurements showed that about 2,500 hectares of public lands have been developed from unconventional oil and gas, edge habitat has increased by 30 km, and average fragment size has declined by 0.70%. Surprisingly, public land development was actually occurring at higher proportions compared to private lands. Very few prairie potholes were directly impacted by this activity, but distance to development declined for almost 1/3 of these wetlands. These land-use changes, while modest, are likely having negative impacts on native wildlife, and considering future well drilling rate projections, could increase impacts substantially. We urge the public and governments to consider the value of these lands and develop regulatory mechanisms to minimize future long-term negative consequences to North Dakota wildlife.