Beyond Preservation by Tom Keer originially printed in USA Today Hunt and Fish

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he land was onceideal for hunting.

A standof centuryold pines was interspersed with broomstraw and other native grasses.A few coveys of bobwhite quail lived in the rolling hills and migratory waterfowl tucked into its marshes.

But when the privately owned tract was sold to the town to be preserved and subsequently untouched, things changed.

Now, 20 years later, there are few signs of wildlife. Annual burnings that once helped to renew the land have stopped, and native grasses haven't grown back. Selective cuttings to open areas for sunlight were curtailed, as were supplemental plantings.

The lack of cover crops and food plots caused the quaii to disappear. Shortly after, the rr

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birds left, along with the squirrels, chipmunks and rabbits.

For sportsmen, such a scenario impacts the scope and variety of available game.

"The notion of preservation is appealing to a lot of people,"says John B. Eichinger,president and CEOof the Ruffed Grouse Society and the American Woodcock Society."The concept began in

the late 1960sin response to the expansion of sub-developments and economic zones. Preservation secured open space,which was a great first step, but more recently it signifies a'hands-off approach."

But, as many sportsmen understand, Eichinger says,"Preservation is not enough."

Instead, they say,the emphasis should often be on conservation.

which allows for human use and management of the land. Conservation groups around the country are doing their part to identify areas where they can help create healthy ecosystems that will be conducive to wildlife habitats and ensure game is pientiful.

Read on to see how four of these organizations are taking the lead as stewards of the land.

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Clear-cuttingin Minnesotais the first step toward creatingyoung, healthy forests suitablefor ruffed grouse and woodcock.

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THE RUFTED GROUSESOCIETY.trND THE AMERICAN WOODCOCK SOCIETY rouse and woodcock prefer young forests, so maintaining forests with a diversity of age classesis particularly important for bird hunters.

"Grouse and woodcock hunters look to the future perhaps more than any other group," notes Eichinger.'And since our favorite game birds favor young forests, our efforts in a given tract of land must be renewed every 15 or so years."

Ideally, young-growth forests are "under 15 years of age, where the shoots and sprouts of young trees emerge as shrubs and saplings" to provide food and protection, says Eichinger.

"When flora and fauna is older than 15 years, we see dramatic declines in not only these game birds, but also in other species as well."

While modern society often tries to prevent or control forest fires, windstorms and floods, such natural occurrences actually serve as a form of renewal. "So part of our mission is to proactively help Mother Nature," Eichinger says.

The organization's method includes selective cutting or clearing followed by planting and prescribed burns. "ln the end, our objective is to take preserved lands and to make them healthy enough to support a sustainable population of wild birds," he says.))

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Their focus: B i o l o g i s t sh e l p p u b l i ca n d p r i vate landowners e n r o l l e di n a l a n d management plan create ideal habitatfor grouse and woodcock.

The organizations

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h u n t i n ga n d shooting events t h a t e n h a n c ea n d contributeto the l e g a c yo f u p l a n d bird hunting.

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Their work: lnvolvedin more than 700 projects in 2A ctaioc

encompassing more than 520,000acres.

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DucksUnlimited promotes healthy ecosystemsfor birds along their migratory routes.

E Its focus: Ducks Unlimitedworks to acquireand manage strategic nrirreta

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waterfowl breed, nest and migrate.

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efforts to restore g r a s s l a n dasn d watershedsand replantforests.

DUCKS UNI,IMITED rotecting the habitats ofbird species that travel from breeding grounds in Canada to wintering grounds in Mexico - whether they're Canada geese or mallard ducks - requires continental efforts.

Paul Schmidt, chief conservation officer for Ducks Unlimited, is up to the challenge.

Schmidt came to the organization after a 33year career with the U.S.Fish and wildlit-e Service (USFWS).'AtUSFWS,we worked on creating a National Wildlife Refuge system that preserveswetlands. At Ducks Unlimited, we focus on creating healthy ecosystemsthat increase bird populations," he says.

In order to thoroughly restore wetlands, Ducks Unlimited partners with a number of different stakeholders in 1ocal,state and federal govemments, as well as international agencies.Depending on the situation, the organization may serve in an advisory

capacity or take a hands-on approach.

"What is most important is to study the 'entire landscape,"Schmidt says."Restoring grasslands,replanting forests and improving the quality of our watersheds knows no bounds, and when the opportunity arises, we'll work with landowners to acquire property or to enter into conservation and management agreements."

The group is focused on conservation practices at every step of the migatory route, from the critical breeding grounds in Canada and the northern tier of the U.S. to the flyways and wintering grounds in Mexico.

"Healthy ecosystems along migratory routes provide high-quality feeding and resting zones,"Schmidt says.And attention to the wintering grounds "ensure(s) excellent water quality and feeding areas so the birds are in good shape for their return migration." rr

Its work: Since 1 9 3 7 ,D u c k s U n l i m i t e dh a s conserved more t h a n1 3 m i l l i o n acres of waterfowl habitat.

Info: ducks unlimited.org

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PIIEAS.f,NTSFOREVER/ QUArL fOREVER heasantand quail country often overlaps agriculturalareas,so managinga finite resource- land - for both can present challenges.But through strategicconservation planning,both wildlife and agriculturecan benefit,saysBob St.Pierre,vice presidentof marketing for PheasantsForever/QuailForever. lAmerica'sgrasslandsare the equivalentof rainforestsin SouthAmerica,"say St.Pierre, calling it one of the planet's"fastest-disappearing ecosystems."

"Since2008,for instance,there havebeen more than 20 million acresof grasslandsconvertedto row crops.As you can imagine,habitat declines

Their focus: The groups are dedicated to the conservation of pheasants,quail and other wildlife through habitat improvements, public awareness, educationand land managementpolicies and programs.

Their work: Since '1982, the groups have created or enhancedwildlife h a b i t a to n 1 2 m i l l i o n acresin the U.S.and Canada. fnfo: pheasants forever.org, quailforever.org

PheasantsForever/OuailForever put a premium on taking a holistic approach to developing wildlife habitats.

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of that magnitude have had severe impacts on pheasants, quail, prairie grouse, pollinators, monarchs and many other wildlife dependent upon prairie flowers and grasses."

The mission of Pheasants Forever/ Quail Forever is to foster conservation opportunities in the agricultural landscape.

"We work diligently with farmers to create a sustainable environment that benefits both groups," St. Pierre says. The organizations not only develop wildlife habitats, but also improve water quality, protect soils for future

generationsand help to provide a stablerevenue stream for farm families.

Their conservationmission takes a holistic approach:"lf we eliminate prairie flowers then we lose the pollinators,and if we have no pollinators then we lose a massiveamount of our food production,fiom almonds to applesto blueberries,and also the insectspheasantchicks need during their first months of life," St.Pierre explains.

The organizationsalso team up with other conservationgroupsin an effort to reach"the highest and best use of land," St.Pierresays.))

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THEODORE ROOSEVELT CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP he question of man's role in the wild - should land be left alone, or should it be managed?- goes back to at least the time of U.S.PresidentTheodore Rooseveltand naturalist John Muir. While Muir landed on the preservation (or hands-off) side, Rooseveltbelieved in management, or conservation.

The Theodore RooseveltConservation Partnership (TRCP)operates with this legary in mind.

"Our mission atTRCP is to work to guarantee all Americans quality places to hunt and fish" by helping to strengthen federal poliry and funding, says Whit Fosburgh,president and CEOof the partnership, which has more than 40 formal conservation partners.

"Sometimes we work with agricultural

groups; other times we interact with energy consortiums. And still other times our focus is on national forests or water," he says."Each stakeholder has a different orientation, so one of our objectives is to ensure a balanced approach."

One recent victory for conservation groups, including the TRCP,came in May when Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced that an additional 800,000 acres of land will be eligible for enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)for wildlife habitat and wetlands.

"Lands enrolled in CRPallow agricultural producers to voluntarily conserve environmentally sensitive grasslands by replacing grasslandsin marginal soils. (These)are areas vital for nesting waterfowl," Fosburgh says. a

r Its focus: The partnershipprovides Americanswith quality placesto hunt and fish by strengthening federal policiesthat afforf

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Its work: The group supportsthe passage of important legisla+;^^ trvrI

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conservationand { u n d i n g ,i n c l u d i n gt h e 2014 Farm Bill and the 2 0 1 3 b i p a r t i s a nb u d get deal that provided for conservation.

Tnfo: trcp.org v F o

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