Improving Private Land for Conservation in Missouri

 

Good woodland and savanna management
can improve habitat and better support wildlife
 such as deer, turkeys, and non-game wildlife.

The relationship between private landowners and the success of conservation efforts is strong. Missouri has a great track record of protecting our environment by working with landowners to help them improve their land for hunting, fishing, and native tree and plant species. Here's information about improvements we can make on private land during the winter months. Family-Outdoors provides individuals and families information on enjoying the outdoors in Missouri and elsewhere.

Good management can improve habitat for wildlife

Kansas City, Mo. – Winter is a good time to undertake improvements to woodlands and savannas. Using selective removal of trees and brush, or tools such as prescribed burns, land managers can enhance the native grasses and flowering plants growing beneath trees or in openings. Both game and non-game wildlife benefit from native plants for food and cover. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) can assist land managers with planning and connect them with cost share or grant programs for habitat improvements.

“You’re trying to open the tree canopy and let more sunlight in,” said Dave Niebruegge, MDC private land conservationist. “Fire in prescribed burns helps keep the woody brush and young trees down, and that helps the native grasses and woodland forbs.”

White-tailed deer like browsing and bedding down in the openings. Wild turkey nest and feed in the native plant growth. The native plants host insects that birds and other wildlife feed upon in summer and provide seeds in winter. Pollinators such as bees and butterflies use the wildflowers.

At the same time, selective tree thinning can encourage desirable trees such as oaks. They produce acorn mast crops that wildlife feed upon. Long-range timber management can also boost good quality sawlogs for sale.

Missouri Department of Conservation photos

An MDC forester or private land conservationist will for free help a landowner do a tree inventory and develop and timber stand improvement plan. MDC staff can connect property managers with contractors that remove trees and brush according to the plan. Grants and cost-share financial help to pay for improvement costs are available from MDC and through federal and private conservation programs.

“There’s multiple financial assistance programs out there to help landowners get their property done,” Niebruegge said.

For more information about MDC assistance with woodland and savanna habitat improvement, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/4ZR.

MDC offers Conservation Management Workshop Feb. 23

Workshop in Independence designed to help acreage owners manage for wildlife

Kansas City, Mo. – Wildlife and native plants can thrive on small acreages given nurturing management practices. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will offer a free Conservation Management Workshop 6:30 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at the Bass Pro Shops, 18001 Bass Pro Drive in Independence.

   MDC staff will discuss topics such as native plants useful for wildlife and landscaping, timber stand improvement, and reducing problems from invasive species.

   “We’ll talk about what trees to plant and what not to plant for wildlife,” said Andy Carmack, MDC private land conservationist. “We’ll talk about improvements they can make for quail and other wildlife.”

   The workshop is useful for anyone interested in wildlife-friendly practices. However, the

topics covered will be especially useful to acreage owners in suburban or rural settings, Carmack said.

   Advance registration for the workshop is requested. To register or for more information, call816-228-3766.

   MDC will also be offering two other workshops in March to assist private landowners. An Invasive Plant Identification and Control Workshop will be held 8 to 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 10, at the Warrensburg Community Center, 445 East Gay St. To register, call 660-747-7178. A Prescribed Burn Workshop will be held 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 16, at the Bass Pro Shops in Independence. Call 816-228-3766 to register.

   For more information on MDC programs that assist private landowners, visithttps://mdc.mo.gov/your-property.

Related articles

• MDC proposes banning hog hunting on conservation areas (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)

Make smart decisions before your timber sale and Call Before You Cut

MDC Forester Aaron Holsapple gives advice to landowner about managing woodlands. 

MDC encourages landowners to Call Before You Cut to get expert advice on managing woodlands.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – It's a pretty good bet that many landowners would benefit from expert advice when it comes to managing their woodlands, especially if they are thinking about harvesting timber. That's because caring for forested property is a long-term proposition where decisions landowners make can have long-term impacts on trees, water and wildlife.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) encourages woodland owners to use the Call Before You Cut program to consult with professional foresters and trained loggers before they make decisions about their property.

"If you've got more than 20 acres of forested property, Call Before You Cut can help you determine whether a timber harvest is right for your land," MDC Forestry Field Program Supervisor Steve Westin said. "Whether you're looking at your timber as a source of income or a way to improve habitat for deer, turkey or other wildlife, your woods are a valuable resource."

Landowners can call toll-free (877-564-7483) to request a packet of information that will help them set up a timber sale, contact professional help, and find other management information for their woods.

"Although woodland owners know a lot about their property, they often don't have the critical information they need to determine when to harvest trees and who to hire to do it," said Westin. "It's important for landowners to know how many trees to cut, how much the trees are worth, and what the woods will look like after the harvest is completed."

Forest covers roughly one-third of Missouri, and private landowners own 83 percent of those timberlands. They are key providers of trees to produce some of Missouri's widely sought-after wood products, such as flooring, white oak for wine barrels and black walnut products. Call Before You Cut can help ensure healthy, productive woodlands for landowners and a healthy forest industry for years to come.

"Managing your woodlands can be a rewarding and profitable activity," said Westin. "A timber harvest can start a new chapter in the history of your woods by removing mature trees, allowing younger trees to grow freely, and new trees to start growing."

MDC recently released a series of videos that offers an overview of timber management, showing how foresters and loggers can help landowners make the right decisions for their properties. The series covers how to complete a forest inventory, how to protect the property with accurate site layout, how to select a logger, and how to prevent erosion with the installation of water bars. Find the videos on the MDC YouTube channel or go directly to the video playlist here: http://bit.ly/1QHakIe.

More information about the Call Before You Cut program is available atcallb4ucut.com/Missouri.