MDC and USDA offer funds to improve wildlife habitat and water quality on private pasture and forest lands in Missouri

Qualifying landowners must sign up for the program at their local NRCS office by June 5.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) have partnered to provide $739,000 to private landowners for improvement to wildlife habitat and water quality on forest and pasture lands in Missouri. The funding is part of the new NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). 

Qualifying landowners must sign up for the program at their local NRCS office by June 5 to be eligible for this year’s funding. 

This funding marks the first year in an anticipated five-year project that will provide more than $3.6 million directly to private landowners for conservation.

“The Missouri Department of Conservation has a long history of working with NRCS to successfully implement USDA conservation programs,” said MDC Private Land Services Division Chief Bill White. “This new RCPP funding provides Missouri landowners with a great opportunity to improve water quality, soil quality, and wildlife habitat.”  

Funding is available through two separate RCPP projects: the Grassland Bird and Grazing Land Enhancement Initiative and the Restoring Glade and Woodland Communities for Threatened Species. 

Funding is available to private landowners interested in improving the quality of soil, water, and wildlife habitat on working grazing lands. The goal of the grazing land enhancement program is to make conservation practices available to producers that help meet both livestock production objectives and provide wildlife habitat on the same operation. Lands located within the following counties are eligible: Adair, Andrew, Atchison, Barton, Bates, Benton, Caldwell, Carroll, Cass, Cedar, Christian, Dade, Daviess, DeKalb, Douglas, Franklin, Gasconade, Gentry, Greene, Grundy, Harrison, Henry, Holt,  Howell, Jasper, Johnson, Lawrence, Livingston, Mercer, Montgomery, Nodaway, Ozark, Pettis, St. Clair, Sullivan, Texas, Vernon, Warren, Worth, and Wright.

Funding is also available to reimburse landowners to restore or manage glades and woodlands in Carter, Iron, Madison, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Shannon, and Wayne counties. 

There is also opportunity to treat cropland in Perry County to enhance wildlife habitat and water quality.

For more information, contact MDC Private Land Programs Supervisor Lisa Potter atLisa.Potter@mdc.mo.gov.

MDC tracking Grand River Grassland prairie chickens

Relocated birds being monitored and resident flock shows growth from last year

Eagleville, Mo. – Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) biologists are using radio telemetry to monitor 20 female prairie chickens released this spring at Dunn Ranch in Harrison County. Those hens and 19 males were trapped in east-central Nebraska and released in an effort to restore an iconic prairie species in northwest Missouri. The releases are part of a broad partnership with public agencies, non-profit groups and private landowners to improve plant, fish and wildlife diversity in a focus area called the Grand River Grasslands.

   Less than one percent of Missouri’s once vast native prairie remains. As a result, grassland species have diminished. Prairie chickens that once numbered in the hundreds of thousands dwindled and are endangered in Missouri. Limited habitat combined with poor weather conditions over the past two decades caused prairie chicken numbers to dwindle to a few dozen, mostly in northwest and southwest Missouri.

   But the Grand River Grasslands partnership is making strides in restoring prairie chicken habitat, and hopefully the prairie chicken flocks to sustainable population levels. Studies such as monitoring movements by hens outfitted with small radio telemetry transmitters help land managers know what habitat best helps prairie chickens successfully hatch young, rear broods and survive winter.

   “This helps us to monitor nest site selection by the hens,” said David Hoover, MDC Wildlife Management Biologist. “We can determine nesting success and determine brood survival.”

   Those results provide feedback and guide future decisions on how grassland habitats in the focus area are managed, and how well the prairie chicken population is responding.

   Dunn Ranch is owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy of Missouri (TNC). MDC owns the nearby Pawnee Prairie. MDC staff also works with private landowners in the Grand River Grasslands. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources conducts similar prairie chicken restoration efforts in the Grand River Grasslands with public and private partners. Prairie chickens from both states intermingle.

   MDC recently expanded its portion of the Grand River Grasslands and it now includes the Grand Trace Conservation Area. For private land owners in the focus area, there are increased opportunities for cost sharing or grants for habitat improvements that can benefit both cattle forage and wildlife. Those interested in programs or advice on management can contact Kendall Coleman, MDC private lands conservationist, at 660-726-3746.

   This is the third year prairie chickens have been trapped in Nebraska and released at Dunn Ranch and at nearby Kellerton Wildlife Management Area in Iowa. Biologists are seeing positive trends, Hoover said. Prairie chickens visit leks, also called booming grounds, to mate in spring. On April 11, observers counted 20 males and 11 hens on the main lek at Dunn Ranch. Most of those birds are believed to have been present before releases this spring. Some have no leg bands, so they were hatched and reared on the area or were residents before the relocation program began. That shows a positive trend because the same lek site had only four to six males in spring three years ago. Another positive sign are that some birds have been spotted on other leks not used for several years.

   “This gives us encouragement that we did have a good nesting season last year,” Hoover said. “So we are increasing the population.”

   For more information on prairie chickens in Missouri, visit http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/greater-prairie-chicken. For information on Grand River Grasslands, visithttp://bit.ly/RmQ4Rr.

   For video of Missouri prairie chickens on a lek, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wobkFMMVlXI.

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MDC assigns new Private Lands Conservationist for St. Francois, Iron and Madison counties

The MDC’s private lands conservationists work with landowners to improve wildlife habitat by teaching management techniques such as timber stand improvement, food plot development and invasive species control.

“With the numerous forestry, glade and woodland opportunities in these three counties, her forestry education and experience along with her prescribed fire qualifications will be very valuable in helping landowners reach their management goals,” said Tony Jaco, the private lands regional supervisor.

Norris has worked for MDC in the Forestry and Private Lands Services divisions for nine years.  She received a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from Southern Illinois University of Carbondale in 2005.  Since then she has held several positions including resource forester assistant, resource forester, and her most recent position as a part time private lands conservationist.  In addition, Norris has a broad perspective having worked in multiple locations during her conservation career.

Norris is familiar with working with landowners to improve wildlife habitat, cost share programs, and working with contractors and conservation partners. 

“Julie has already developed an understanding of the people, along with their motivations and habitat challenges in these counties,” Jaco said. “She is well respected by other staff for her hard work, friendly demeanor, and professional way of interacting with people.” 

Jaco said Norris has a proven record of working positively with private landowners and understanding how each landowner and their property can be quite unique. 

Norris resides in Park Hills and can be reached at Julie.Norris@mdc.mo.gov or at (573)225-5829.

For information on how the MDC works with landowners to improve habitat, or to find a private lands conservationist near you, go online to mdc.mo.gov.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) announces Julie Norris has been selected as the new Private Lands Conservationist for the Farmington area effective Nov. 1. In this position at Farmington, Norris is assigned duties in St. Francois, Iron and Madison counties.

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