08-28-2008, 06:10 PM
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)<br />
have teamed up to develop the Quail Habitat Restoration Initiative. The QHRI is offered in certain areas of the state that have a higher likelihood of success based on existing native habitat.
The purpose of the program is to restore native brushy prairie to restore habitat on a landscape level. Research suggests areas close to 5,000 acres (landscape level) of quality habitat are needed to support a healthy population that is not going to<br />
crash when the next ice storm or drought hits.
The Quail Habitat Restoration Initiative is offered through the Farm Bill program EQIP- the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. There is financial assistance available through the QHRI<br />
for landowners to do specific practices that will benefit quail. In addition to the benefits to quail and other wildlife many of the practices will also benefit livestock operations. Practices such as cedar<br />
removal, timber thinning, native grass planting and prescribed fire can be applied to help a landowner reach their habitat management goals. By addressing the needs of quail through habitat restoration<br />
landowner assistance in QHRI can be increased over traditional programs.
As with all programs there are some requirements that have to be met in order to qualify: the property must lie within or touch the boundary of<br />
the highlighted areas on the map and the land must be in some kind of agriculture-related production (cattle, hay production, goats, etc.).
By using a targeted approach, rather than shotgunning our efforts statewide, we can concentrate on restoring habitat on a landscape level. If enough landowners and their neighbors sign on and make the necessary habitat changes or hope is that the next person I meet will say "I haven't seen this many quail since I was a kid!"
and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)<br />
have teamed up to develop the Quail Habitat Restoration Initiative. The QHRI is offered in certain areas of the state that have a higher likelihood of success based on existing native habitat.
The purpose of the program is to restore native brushy prairie to restore habitat on a landscape level. Research suggests areas close to 5,000 acres (landscape level) of quality habitat are needed to support a healthy population that is not going to<br />
crash when the next ice storm or drought hits.
The Quail Habitat Restoration Initiative is offered through the Farm Bill program EQIP- the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. There is financial assistance available through the QHRI<br />
for landowners to do specific practices that will benefit quail. In addition to the benefits to quail and other wildlife many of the practices will also benefit livestock operations. Practices such as cedar<br />
removal, timber thinning, native grass planting and prescribed fire can be applied to help a landowner reach their habitat management goals. By addressing the needs of quail through habitat restoration<br />
landowner assistance in QHRI can be increased over traditional programs.
As with all programs there are some requirements that have to be met in order to qualify: the property must lie within or touch the boundary of<br />
the highlighted areas on the map and the land must be in some kind of agriculture-related production (cattle, hay production, goats, etc.).
By using a targeted approach, rather than shotgunning our efforts statewide, we can concentrate on restoring habitat on a landscape level. If enough landowners and their neighbors sign on and make the necessary habitat changes or hope is that the next person I meet will say "I haven't seen this many quail since I was a kid!"