News Stories for Landowners
Habitat equipment available for landowners (1/19/06)
Landowners seeking ways to improve wildlife habitat on their property this winter should contact the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The Department has two tree spades and one roller chopper that are available for landowners to use for wildlife habitat enhancement projects. The equipment is available for a small rental fee used for annual maintenance costs.
“This is the perfect time of year to use both pieces of equipment,” said John Hendrix, private lands biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. “Taking the time to improve wildlife habitat now will pay dividends for years to come.”
The tree spade, used for transplanting trees and shrubs, can be used on riparian habitat projects, to establish turkey roost sites and to create shrub thickets for quail and small game. Much faster than hand-planting individual tree seedlings, the tree spade is ideal for moving shrubs like sand plum or sumac and trees up to four inches in diameter. Landowners renting this equipment will be provided an operator to run the machine.
Roller choppers are large drums with a series of mounted blades. Pulled behind a tractor the roller choppers, chop and crush brush, small trees, and heavy plant growth. They also disturb the soil and allow sunlight and rain to reach the surface and encourage the growth of more desirable plants. A wide range of wildlife can benefit from this practice including quail, deer and turkeys. Landowners wanting to rent the roller chopper must have access to a tractor with at least 80 hp that is required to pull the machine.
The rental process is a cooperative project between the Oklahoma Conservation Commission and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. One tree spade is located at the Kingfisher County Conservation District office and the other tree spade and roller chopper is located at the Woodward Conservation District office. A wildlife biologist with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation will complete an on site visit on the property prior to equipment rental.
Landowners who may be interested in using this equipment and would like additional information can contact Wildlife Department Private Lands Biologist John Hendrix, at (405) 880-0994.
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Caption: Pulled behind a tractor, roller choppers crush and chop brush, small trees, and heavy plant growth. They also disturb the soil and allow sunlight and rain to reach the surface and encourage the growth of more desirable plants. A wide range of wildlife can benefit from this practice including quail, deer and turkeys.
Caption: The tree spade, used for transplanting trees and shrubs, can be used on riparian habitat projects, establishing turkey roost sites, and to create shrub thickets for quail and small game. Landowners renting this equipment will be provided an operator to run the machine.
Cost-share funding available for landowners who install field buffers (12/1/05)
Oklahoma farmers may now sign-up for the Habitat Buffers for Upland Birds (CP-33) program that will pay farmers to establish buffers around croplands to provide the grassy habitat that bobwhite quail, ring-necked pheasants, and other upland birds require for food, cover and nesting.
Enrollment in the program is completely voluntary and simply requires the establishment of 35-120 foot buffers of planted or native vegetation around the perimeter of crop fields. In turn, the landowner or farmer receives annual rental payments for the life of the 10-year contract as well as the satisfaction of knowing that they are helping to restore vital wildlife habitat. Payments are based on the type of soils on the property and differ in various parts of the state. In Oklahoma, the average annual rental payment is $32 an acre. Additionally, landowners also receive a sign-up bonus of up to $100 an acre and 90 percent of the cost of installing the buffers.
Oklahoma has been approved to install up to 9,500 acres of buffers across the state under the CP 33 provisions, however only 448 acres have been enrolled so far.
“Many of our landowner assistance programs are very competitive and some have already reached their maximum enrollment, but this is a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor of this relatively new program,” said John Hendrix, private lands biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
For example, depending on the soil type, if a landowner installs a 120-foot wide buffer on 160 acres of agricultural ground, the program will pay an incentive payment of $2,780 to install the 27 acres of buffers as well as an annual rental payment of $900 per year for the next 10 years. If a landowner chooses to install a 35-foot wide buffer on a 160 acres of agricultural ground, the program will pay an incentive payment of $420 to install the four acres of buffers as well as an annual rental payment of $136 per year for the next 10 years.
“This is a win-win program for both landowners and wildlife and it just makes great sense for farmers who are interested in wildlife habitat and the bottom line,” Hendrix said. “I would highly encourage farmers across the state to do themselves a favor and look into this program.”
According to Hendrix the program offers several benefits to farmers, including:
· Stabilizes income on what is typically the least productive portions of fields.
· Controls soil erosion and improves water quality in nearby creeks and ponds.
· Provides critical cover for rabbits, quail, pheasants and grassland songbirds.
· Provides quality hunting areas for family and friends.
Landowners can sign-up for this voluntary program at their local Farm Service Agency. More information on this and other initiatives is also available at the Farm Service Agency’s Web site at: www.fsa.usda.gov
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Oklahoma rancher wins international award (10/3/05)
Stan Kimbell with the Kimbell Ranches in Oklahoma has been awarded the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ prestigious Landowner Stewardship Award. The award is presented annually to landowners who make a significant and positive conservation impact on a large area of privately owned land. The award was presented at the organization’s annual meeting, Sept. 11-16 in Nashville, TN.
“The Kimbell Ranches are the epitome of true land stewardship,” said Greg Duffy, director of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. “Stan and his wife Karen are a great example of a ranching family that has an eye on much more than the bottom line. They have a true love for the land and a passion for wildlife and that is reflected in the manner in which they run their ranching operation.”
The Kimbell Ranches encompass over 31,000 acres in southwest and south central Oklahoma and on both properties the Kimbell family uses economically-sustainable and conservation-friendly agricultural practices.
“We consider land stewardship a God-given responsibility. While operating a profitable ranching operation is important to us, it is just as important that we take of the land in a thoughtful and responsible manner,” Kimbell said. “We don’t want to just maintain the land, we want to leave it to the next generation in better shape than we found it.”
The Kimbells have owned many of these properties since the 1940s and throughout the decades they have kept wildlife considerations a top priority when making land management decisions. In 2004, Stan Kimbell, a third generation rancher, was named the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation’s Landowner of the Year.
The Kimbell Ranches, primarily a cow/calf operation, use an advanced rotational grazing system to ensure both nutritious forage for cattle and quality habitat for upland birds. Each pond and creek has also been carefully fenced to improve wildlife habitat around these sensitive areas. The ranches are also among the longest standing cooperators in the Wildlife Department’s Deer Management Assistance Program.
The Kimbell Ranches have been very cooperative over the years in wildlife research projects conducted on their property. The Kimbell Ranch in southwest Oklahoma is home to the state’s largest private land elk herd. Researchers are studying elk movements and how they use available habitat. The ranch is also home to a 40-acre wind turbine farm. Researchers are studying how these facilities affect wildlife.
“Very rarely will you find an operation so willing to commit to and enthusiastically complete such a wide variety of wildlife projects,” said Rod Smith, southwest region wildlife supervisor for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
The Kimbell Ranch in Love County is part of the state’s largest Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program (WHIP) project and is currently the focus of an expansive, eight-year quail restoration project.
In addition to their extensive habitat work, the Kimbell Ranches were also a Sportsman Sponsor in the inaugural Oklahoma Wildlife Expo.
The International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (IAFWA), founded in 1902, represents the government agencies responsible for North America’s fish and wildlife resources. IAFWA applies expertise in science, policy, economics and coalition-building to serve its members as a national and international voice on a broad array of wildlife and conservation issues
For more information about the IAFWA Landowners Award program, contact the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 444 North Capitol St., N.W., Washington, DC 20001, 202-624-7890 or visit their Web site at www.iafwa.org.
Congratulations
to Stan Kimbell and his wife Karen - the 2005 International Association of
Fish and Wildlife Agencies' Landowner of the Year."
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State Wildlife Grants receives support for 2006 funding (5/19/05)
Senator James Inhofe pledged his support again this year for the State Wildlife Grants program, the most important new conservation program in the past 50 years for keeping fish and wildlife populations healthy. Fifty-five other Senators and 128 members of the U.S. House of Representatives also signed letters urging continued funding for the program.
“The State Wildlife Grants program is one of our nation’s greatest opportunities to prevent species from needing the emergency care of the Endangered Species Act. Taking action to conserve wildlife before it becomes endangered is environmentally sound and fiscally smart,” Sen. Inhofe said.
The State Wildlife Grants program works by giving each state federal funding for wildlife species not hunted, fished or already endangered. In Oklahoma, the program benefits 82 percent of the wildlife from songbirds – whose populations have declined dramatically over the past 30 years - to horny toads, to wildlife species that occur nowhere else but Oklahoma.
Andy McDaniels, executive director of the Oklahoma Wildlife Federation, was among a team of six Oklahomans who traveled to Washington, D.C. to speak with Oklahoma’s Congressmen about funding the program for 2006.
“By supporting State Wildlife Grants, Sen. Inhofe is a true champion for America’s fish and wildlife,” McDaniels said.
In spite of across-the-board budget cuts, Sen. Inhofe says “State Wildlife Grants is a valuable investment in prevention” and supports the President’s budget, which recommends funding the program at $75 million dollars. That would allocate approximately $930,000 to the Wildlife Department in 2006.
McDaniels has spoken to hundreds of sports club members and other citizens throughout Oklahoma. He said they overwhelmingly agree State Wildlife Grants is vital to conserving Oklahoma’s Wildlife.
“There’s annual federal funding for hunted, fished and endangered species, but State Wildlife Grants is the only federal program for the others. It’s existed for five years, but it’s not automatic. State Wildlife Grants gets appropriated at different funding levels each year,” McDaniels said.
Nationally, the number of species on the federal threatened and endangered species list has increased by 35 percent since 1992 and now numbers more than 1,000 species according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. State Wildlife Grants works to reduce the number of species placed on that list by restoring rare and declining wildlife populations.
The Wildlife Department has received $4.6 million since 2001 from this program. Distributed in the form of cost-share grants to wildlife researchers and other partners, the program has already contributed to keeping the swift fox off the candidate list for endangered species listing.
The State Wildlife Grants program is also working to benefit approximately 350 species of songbirds and has helped to begin the Great Plains Trail of Oklahoma. It also has funded both paddlefish population surveys and comprehensive wildlife surveys on several Oklahoma wildlife management areas, in addition to other projects.
To learn more about State Wildlife Grants in Oklahoma, look in the May/June 2005 issue of “Outdoor Oklahoma,” or view the magazine article at www.wildlifedepartment.com by selecting the Natural Resources link.
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Oklahoma Enrolls First Playa into CP23a Program (4/21/05)
Bill Smithton, a Harper County farmer, knew something had to give. For 12 years he farmed, or attempted to farm, the same low-lying field.
“I could only count on a crop every four or five years,” Smithton said.
The other years he would plant a crop only to lose it when the area, which is actually a playa lake, would flood after a heavy rain.
But this coming harvest season Smithton won’t have to worry or watch the rain gauge. He can relax and be thankful he signed the property up in a unique Conservation Reserve Program initiative called CP23a.
Smithton, along with his sister Betty Dhotre, were the first in Oklahoma to sign up for the program. The two heard about CP23a through the outreach efforts of the Oklahoma Wildlife and Prairie Heritage Alliance, a grassroots partnership focused on educating landowners on conservation issues and program opportunities in western Oklahoma.
The initiative provides cost share, annual rental payments and other financial incentives to landowners to restore and protect wetlands. But playas certainly are not the only habitats eligible for the program, most other wetlands located outside the 100-year floodplain also qualify for the CP23a program. Signup is on a continuous basis and interested landowners should contact their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office to enroll.
“First of all, the program is good for the wildlife. Second it is good for me as a farmer, because I don’t have to risk my inputs on the land on an annual basis. And it is also good for my sister, who owns the land, because she receives an economic incentive for enrolling the property,” Smithton said.
Wetlands must have been farmed four out of the past six years and buffers of up to four times the wetland acreage are also eligible for enrollment. Unlike other CRP wetlands programs, this new initiative has no maximum wetland size, which will allow larger playas to be enrolled.
Oklahoma now joins the ranks of Kansas and Texas as states that have successfully enrolled playa lakes in the CP23a program. Total enrollment is currently about 600 acres; yet that is a small fraction of the 56,600 acres that are eligible to member states of the Playa Lakes Joint Venture.
The Playa Lakes Joint Venture (PLJV) is a regional partnership dedicated to the conservation of playa lakes, other wetlands and associated landscapes for the benefit of birds, other wildlife and people. Partners include state wildlife agencies of Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Texas, as well as a wide variety of other conservation organizations. The PLJV was established in 1989 and since then, has raised more than $50 million to conserve more than 100,000 acres of wetlands and other wildlife habitat in the High Plains. For more information about the PLJV visit www.pljv.org
Playa lakes are shallow, seasonal wetlands that are scattered throughout the High Plains and are crucial to sustaining the region's wildlife and water. Millions of waterfowl, cranes, shorebirds and grassland bird species use playas throughout the year.
“Playa lakes are the most critical habitat for migrating shorebirds and waterfowl in western Oklahoma. They provide both loafing areas and important forage sources during the bird’s annual migrations,” said John Hendrix, private lands biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Additionally, wetlands are the primary source of recharge for the Ogallala Aquifer which supplies the majority of the region's ground water used for drinking and irrigation. Because playa lakes are dry much of the year, many people do not recognize them as wetlands. But the wet-dry cycle of playas is a natural function of the wetlands. The seasonality of playas produces diverse vegetation which supports all types of birds - waterfowl, shorebirds and grassland species alike.
For more information about CP23a and other private lands programs contact your local Farm Service Agency or call the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation at (405) 880-0994.
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Private Stewardship Grants available through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (1/20/05)
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking proposals for private lands conservation funding through its Private Stewardship Grants Program. About $6.5 million is available nationwide in 2005 to support on-the-ground conservation efforts on private lands.
This program provides Federal grants on a competitive basis to non-government entities engaged in voluntary conservation efforts on private lands that benefit imperiled species including endangered or threatened species.
Landowners and their partners may submit proposals directly to the Service for funding those efforts. In August 2004, the Service awarded 97 grants totaling more than $7 million to individuals and groups for conservation projects benefiting endangered, threatened and other at-risk species on private lands in 39 states.
Groups in Oklahoma have received funds for prairie chicken conservation efforts and prescribed burning and salt cedar removal in western Oklahoma. Over the past two years, these three projects have received nearly $600,000 in the Private Stewardship Grants Program.
The following are examples of how these grants support private conservation efforts and foster the development of voluntary partnerships: Private lands habitat enhancement in Colorado and South Dakota ($114,675) will restore shortgrass prairie rangelands to benefit grassland and riparian species at risk, principally declining grassland birds. Six individual projects were awarded a total of $114,675 to support various management plans that include reseeding cropland to native prairie, removing invasive species, and altering livestock grazing management.
Several private landowners adjacent to the Rock River in southwest Minnesota will use $30,000 to restore Topeka shiner habitat by protecting and maintaining the river bank, off channel habitats, and adjacent upland fields to reduce erosion and sedimentation into the river.
For more information regarding this grant opportunity and how and where to submit proposals, please visit the Service’s Private Stewardship Grants Website at http://endangered.fws.gov/grants/private_stewardship.html.
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Congressman Lucas works to secure conservation funds (12/30/04)
U.S. Congressman Frank Lucas played a key role as Congress solved a two-year funding dispute when it recently passed a key conservation bill. The legislation provides technical assistance funding to landowners who want to participate in the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) and the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). President Bush must now sign the bill for it to become law.
“The funding we worked so hard to include in the farm bill for conservation practices was being redirected to other conservation programs by USDA officials in Washington,” Lucas said. “They were robbing Peter to pay Paul, and the landowners who use these cost-share programs were losing out as a result.”
The WRP and CRP programs conserve and restore wetlands and grasslands important to waterfowl and other wildlife, as well as helping maintain and improve water quality. The legislation prevents the conservation funds from being spent on other projects by requiring that funds set aside for conservation programs can only be spent on those programs.
“This language will correct a problem we’ve been working on since USDA began implementing the 2002 Farm Bill,” Lucas said.
The bill resulted from an ongoing debate among USDA officials, and House and Senate Agriculture Committee members over how to fund the technical assistance for certain conservation programs. Technical assistance is provided by USDA field staff and conservation district employees, who help landowners plan and implement soil and water conservation practices.
Landowners interested in learning more about conservation programs or improving the wildlife habitat on their property call the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (405) 521-2739.
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Spread of cedar trees harmful to state’s wildlife (11/4/04)
Mike Sams doesn’t much like cedar trees.
“There’s just not much good you can say about them,” said Sams, the upland game bird biologist and quail program coordinator for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife.
Sams doesn’t have anything against trees in general, it’s just that he has seen first hand how the invasive Eastern red cedar has been a detriment to wildlife habitat across the state.
“Infestation of cedar is perhaps the best example of how Oklahoma’s landscape has changed due to factors like urbanization and fire suppression,” Sams said. “In the 1950's cedars had taken over 1.5 million acres and today Eastern red cedars have invaded approximately 10 million acres of rangeland.”
According to Sams when cedar trees encroach on prairie habitat, bobwhite quail populations tend to decline.
Dr. David Engle, professor of rangeland resources at Oklahoma State University, agrees that cedars can have a whole host of negative impacts, particularly due to their risk of fire wildfires in rural and suburban settings. Cedar invasions can also be quite harmful to grassland bird species. Many of Oklahoma’s grassland bird species are declining at a rate greater than bobwhite quail.
“In studies we have seen that as little as 25 percent coverage of Eastern red cedars can essentially eliminate most bird species that are dependent on grassland habitats,” Engle said. “In Oklahoma we have gone from a grassland invasion of cedars to a grassland conversion to cedars.”
The two men certainly agree on the severity of the problem and they also agree on the solution.
“Cedar control is an important part of a land management plan for both wildlife and livestock,” Sams said. “It sounds simple, but the sooner you start to get a hold of the problem the better. Prescribed fire is one of the best and most efficient methods of not only removal of existing cedar trees but also to control the spread of new saplings. Mechanical removal is also a good option where the cedars have grown too large to be killed by prescribed fire.”
Landowners can receive technical assistance and may qualify for financial incentives for removing cedar trees. Those who would like more information about their cedar control options should contact a regional biologist by calling (405) 521-2739. Landowners can also contact their county's Natural Resource Conservation agent for more information.
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“Your Side of the Fence” newsletter available free to landowners (11/25/04)
When it comes to managing your property, whether it be for wildlife, agriculture or both, there is certainly a lot of decisions to be made. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is providing landowners the information they need to make wise land management decisions through the “Your Side of the Fence” landowner newsletter.
Since approximately 97 percent of the land in the state is owned by private individuals, private landowners have a major impact on wildlife habitat in the state. The land practices they choose are vital in conserving habitat and wildlife resources.
“We hope this newsletter will be a great resource for landowners who have an eye on the bottom line, but also realize the importance of conserving wildlife on their property,” said Blake Podhajsky, editor of the “Your Side of the Fence” newsletter.
Each issue of “Your Side of the Fence” is packed with informative articles covering issues that are important to landowners, from the latest farm bill news, to pond management for fishing to controlling invasive range species. The best part is that the newsletter is absolutely free.
The newsletter is produced three times a year and an archive of all previous issues can be seen by logging on to the Department’s Web site at www.wildlifedepartment.com/landownernews.htm
For more information about “Your Side of the Fence,” or to subscribe call, (405) 521-2739 or write to:
Your Side of the Fence
Attn: Editor
Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
P.O. Box 53465
Oklahoma City, OK 73152
Cost-share funding available for landowners who install field buffers (10/14/04)
In many parts of the nation, grassland bird species, including bobwhite quail have suffered a significant reduction in population densities due primarily to the loss of habitat. Unfortunately, Oklahoma is no exception, but landowners will have a new management tool in their belt beginning Oct. 1.
In August, President Bush announced a new Conservation Reserve Program practice called habitat buffers for upland birds (or CP33). This new practice will provide cost-share assistance to establish field buffers, pay landowners a signing bonus, pay landowners a practice incentive payment, and pay landowners an annual rental rate per acre. Oklahoma has been approved to install up to 9,500 acres of buffers across the state under the CP 33 provisions.
“’Old timers’ are often quick to point out that the cleaner and larger farming operations have changed quail habitat. Years ago, fields were smaller and were bordered with thick, weedy, fencerows. These areas served as important nesting cover and feeding areas for bobwhite quail, pheasants and other upland bird species,” said Mike Sams, upland game bird biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
The new buffer areas are designed to restore habitat and provide food and cover for upland bird species in cropland areas. Secondary benefits will include reducing soil erosion from wind and water, increasing water quality, protecting and enhancing the on-farm ecosystem.
“This program makes great sense for landowners who are interested in wildlife habitat and their farm’s ecosystem health,” Sams said.
According to Rod Wanger with the Farm Service Agency, in an example enrollment of 160 acres of agricultural ground, this program will pay an incentive payment of $2,480.00 to install the buffers as well as an annual rental payment of $890.00 per year for the next ten years.
The following are the CP33, habitat buffer for upland bird guidelines;
Average buffer width must be a minimum of 30 feet and a maximum of 120 feet.
Buffers must be around the perimeter of the field or at least the inlet and outlet of the runoff area.
Buffer must be installed in a cropped field and the buffer cannot encompass the entire field.
Landowners can sign-up for this voluntary program at their local Farm Service Agency. More information on this and other initiatives is also available at the Farm Service Agency’s Web site at: www.fsa.usda.gov
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Department names landowner of the year (10/4/04)
Stan Kimbell with Kimbell Ranches was named the Wildlife Department’s 2004 Landowner of the Year at the October meeting of the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The Kimbell Ranches encompass over 31,000 acres in southwest and south-central Oklahoma. Throughout the history of the ranches, the Kimbells have kept wildlife considerations as a top priority when making land management decisions.
“The Kimbell Ranches are the epitome of true land stewardship,” said Rod Smith, southwest region wildlife supervisor for the Wildlife Department. “Very rarely will you find an operation so willing to commit to and enthusiastically complete such a wide variety of wildlife projects.”
The Kimbell Ranches, primarily a cow/calf operation, use an advanced rotational grazing system to ensure both nutritious forage for cattle and quality habitat for upland birds. Each pond and creek on the ranches has also been carefully fenced to improve wildlife habitat around these sensitive areas.
“As we all know Eastern red cedar can be a real detriment to livestock operations and wildlife habitat. The Kimbell Ranches have recently completed a massive cedar control project covering 15,000 acres,” Smith said.
According to Smith, the Kimbell Ranches have been very cooperative over the years in wildlife research projects conducted on their property. The Kimbell Ranch in southwest Oklahoma is home to the state’s largest private land elk herd. Researchers are studying elk movements and how they use available habitat. The ranch is also home to 40-acre wind turbine farm. Researchers are studying how these facilities affect wildlife.
The Kimbell Ranch in Love County is part of the state’s largest Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program (WHIP) and is currently the focus of a quail research project.
Those interested in more information on the Department's Landowner of the Year program can contact John Hendrix, the Department's private lands biologist at (405) 880-0994.
To be considered for the prestigious award, landowners must demonstrate a commitment to managing their property to provide benefits for wildlife.
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