Special USDA Signup Continues For Bobwhite Quail & Pollinator Habitat

(Nashville) — The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting applications on a continuous basis for certain practices that benefit bobwhite quail and pollinators under the Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI). CCPI is funded through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP).

State Conservationist Kevin Brown says now is a good time to take advantage of CCPI enrollment. “We encourage landowners to sign up now because those who get in early can gain extra benefits as a result of our partnership with TWRA.” The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) is offering a financial incentive of $100 per acre for bobwhite quail or pollinator native grass-forb-shrub habitat. TWRA CCPI Incentives are limited and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications will be accepted at any time, but the first funding cycle ends February 1, 2010.

While enrollment is open statewide, preference for CCPI funding and TWRA Incentives will be given for offers within the following 28 Priority Bobwhite Restoration counties: Carroll, Crockett, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Haywood, Henry, Lauderdale, Madison, Obion, Tipton, and Weakley (west TN); Montgomery, Robertson, Sumner, Coffee, Franklin, Giles, Lincoln, and Maury (middle TN); Cumberland, Loudon, Meigs, McMinn, Monroe, Rhea, Greene, and Hawkins (Plateau/east TN). These counties were identified by TWRA as having the best potential for habitat restoration and a resulting response by quail.

NRCS payment rates for developing and/or improving quality bobwhite habitat or pollinator habitat is 75% of approved practice costs. The payment rate increases to 90% for beginning, limited resource, or socially disadvantaged farmers.

“Bobwhite quail populations have declined over 70% since 1980, with continuing loss of habitat and other obstacles to maintaining and increasing populations of this popular game bird,” said Mark Gudlin, TWRA Private Lands Liaison. “We need to intensify our efforts on restoring quality native habitats where chances of success are best and bobwhites are most likely to respond and persist. In addition, as society has become more aware of the importance of native pollinators to healthy agricultural crops and native plants, we saw an opportunity to encourage good habitat for pollinators such as native bees, beetles, and butterflies, which also overlaps with good habitat for quail and many other wildlife.”

Eligible practices consist of converting cropland or tame grassland at least five acres in size to a mixture of native grass and broadleaf plants (forbs) along with a percentage of native shrub thickets and hedgerows, and/or thinning woodland edges along this habitat. Improvements can also be made to existing native grass stands at least five acres in size not currently under other USDA contracts by applying management practices such as strip disking, strip herbicide application, or prescribed burning plus interseeding of native legumes and forbs; addition of needed native shrub cover; and prescribed burning of thinned woodlands. Pollinator habitat opportunities include whole or partial fields established or converted on at least five acres to a mixture of short native grasses heavy on native wildflowers and some native shrubs that will flower at different times from early spring through fall, or field buffers of native grass and wildflower mixes at least one acre in size.

Application can be made at your local NRCS office USDA Service Center. Applications for the TWRA incentives can be made at the same time. More information on the specific practices and TWRA Incentives can be viewed at http://www.tn.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/CCPI.html. NRCS is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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