In 1991, the state of California largely banned burning of rice straw after harvest, and farmers turned instead to winter flooding of fields to break down straw. As a result, wildlife has flourished in rice fields which reproduce, to some extent, the wetland habitat that once covered most of California’s Central Valley. Rice fields now support some 200 species including fish, birds and reptiles. Winter flooding depends on sufficient water supplies and farmers have come under pressure from drought, climate change and economic changes, putting this success story at risk. Last year, the California Rice Commission asked researchers at UC Davis and Point Blue Conservation Sciences to estimate how many acres of rice would be required to support multiple species. 

Related article:

• California WaterBlog: A conservation footprint for multiple species of wildlife in California rice