Nebraska Pheasants Forever’s State Habitat Meeting is Feb. 4th
Pheasants Forever 01.06.12
The 65 Nebraska Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever chapters will host the organization’s annual state habitat meeting on Saturday, February 4 at the Ramada Inn in Kearney, Nebraska. The day-long event is designed for landowners, conservationists and hunters interested in improving wildlife habitat.
The habitat heavy event runs 8AM-4:30PM and will feature over 25 wildlife habitat seminars throughout the day focusing on techniques for increasing and improving wildlife habitat in Nebraska. There will also be a Landowner Help Desk available all day where Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Wildlife Biologists will be able to provide consultation regarding conservation program eligibility for USDA, state, and Pheasants Forever habitat programs as well as provide technical assistance in wildlife planning and development.
Featured wildlife habitat presentations include:
Making Federal Conservation Programs Work for You
The number and type of federal programs can be complex and daunting. Participants will look at what federal programs are available and how they can be used in conjunction with chapter projects. Presented by Jason Sykes, Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist.
Why Pollinator Habitat Makes the Best Possible Pheasant & Quail Habitat
Participants will learn the importance of pollinator habitat, and how it relates to increasing pheasant and quail numbers. Presented by Pete Berthelsen, Pheasants Forever Senior Field Coordinator.
South Dakota – The Pheasant Capital of the World
This presentation will focus on South Dakota Ring-neck Pheasant population trends and some of the conservation challenges South Dakota will be facing in the future. Presented by Matt Morlock, South Dakota Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist.
Dutch Oven Cooking
Learn how to select the right Dutch oven and prepare quick and easy recipes that everyone will love. You will also get to sample some popular recipes during this presentation. Presented by Rick Windham, Outdoor Writer & Creator of the Outdoor University.
“Nebraska is a great example of a state benefiting from the increased conservation efforts from Pheasants Forever, partnering agencies, and landowners,” says Drew Larsen, Pheasants Forever Regional Biologist in Nebraska, “This meeting will give landowners an opportunity to learn about the pheasant and quail habitat requirements, and how they can work with agencies to put more habitat on the ground.”
All sessions at the Kearney Ramada Inn are open to the public for a full-day price of $30 (includes a noon meal catered by Skeeter Barnes BBQ) until January 31. Beginning February 1, ticket prices increase to $40. You can register for the meeting online here. Landowners who wish to visit the Landowner Help Desk should bring a legal description of their property in order to receive one-on-one habitat assistance from Pheasants Forever, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, and the Natural Resource Conservation Service.
Pheasants Forever launched Quail Forever in August of 2005 to address the continuing loss of habitat suitable for quail and the subsequent quail population decline. Bobwhite population losses over the last 25 years range from 60 to 90 percent across the country. The reason for the quail population plunge is simple - massive losses of habitat suitable for quail. There are five major factors leading to the losses of quail habitat; intensified farming and forestry practices, succession of grassland ecosystems to forests, overwhelming presence of exotic grasses like fescue that choke out wildlife, and urban sprawl.
