Driftwood Outdoors: Agencies work together for wildlife habitat

Conservation organizations should put your financial resources to work on habitat. If you are a member of a non-profit, like the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), then you expect your membership fees and additional donations to go towards the mission of the organization. In this case, NWTF in partnership with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), just south of Nevada on an Conservation Area Grassland Restoration Project, is now complete.

Conservation Area is located near Neosho in southwest Missouri, part of the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), just south of Nevada on an Army Base, used during World War I. Today, this conservation area covers 2,362 acres of mostly forested land with a couple hundred acres of established native warm-season grasses, 100 acres of crop fields and 600 acres just received an upgrade.

A special effort, called the Fort Crowder Conservation Area Grassland Restoration Project, is now complete. Conservation success has been delivered on 137 acres through the restoration of native warm-season grasses. This is the kind of work that we need to see more of if we want to seriously address the turkey decline. Creating more turkey habitat factors will require more than just completed at Fort Crowder Conservation Area is the proper response. Restoring quality nesting and brood rearing habitat is how you effectively make more turkeys. Without routine management, grasslands quickly transition into less productive areas, becoming brushier and/or overwhelmed by invasive species, drastically reducing their value for wildlife and recreation.

To begin the natives' restoration, the invasive trees, vines and woody vegetation had to be destroyed. Species like autumn olive and Bradford pear were removed. Some natives had to be beaten back a bit, too. Shrubs such as sumac, plum and buckbrush, though natural to the area, were suppressing grassland structure.

Using a bull-hog forestry mulcher, MDC crews moved down the undesirables and overgrown natives, to create space for native warm-season grasses and forbs to re-establish. Improving the grasslands habitat for wild turkeys, bobwhite quail, pollinators and many more native species.

After an aggressive herbicide was applied to control regrowth of invasives and woody sprouts. With tall invasives floating around today, grasslands do require careful work to maintain their integrity. Moving forward, the grasslands will be maintained naturally with frequent applications of prescribed fire. The 30 acres will be monitored for successful restoration of the desired native grasses.

Partnership Benefits

Grassland conservation has far-reaching benefits. Not only for the wildlife calling the impacted acres home, but for all of us who appreciate clean air and water. Quail habitat supports healthy wildlife populations, which enhances hunting, hiking, bird watching and more. Native species contribute to a healthier ecosystem for the world around us.

Grasslands are an imperiled habitat critical for turkey population success. Only fragments remain in the Midwest of native grasses and wildflowers. Grasslands are essential to the health of many ground-nesting birds, like the wild turkey. This crucial habitat is where turkeys nest and raise their poults.

Grassland conservation has far-reaching benefits. Not only for the wildlife calling the impacted acres home, but for all of us who appreciate clean air and water. Quail habitat supports healthy wildlife populations, which enhances hunting, hiking, bird watching and more. There is more than one reason why. Lack of habitat is a huge issue. With every subdivision or strip mall development, we lose critical wildlife habitat. Pesticides kill bugs and bugs are also a productive food source for a healthy turkey population is healthy turkey habitat, and that habitat means grasslands are a must. The Missouri NWTF State Chapter provided Super Fund dollars to assist with the cost of heavy machinery needed to complete the work.

See you on the trail.

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