Pratt ? A five-state effort is under way to develop a conservation plan to address the decline of the lesser prairie chicken.

Kansas is participating in the effort along with Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas and Colorado.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism has contracted with the Ecosystem Management Institute to prepare a lesser prairie chicken conservation plan for Kansas. It is seeking public input.

Public meetings are planned in southwest Kansas to present information and discuss ways to encourage landowners, industry and others to voluntarily join with management agencies to improve habitat.

Those meetings begin Nov. 13 in Ness City and move the next day to Ulysses before finishing on Nov. 15 in Greensburg.

Written comments will also be accepted through Dec. 14 via email to janc(at)gci.net.