2005
Glade Restoration Missouri Bird Conservation Initiative – $5,600.00 to the National Wild Turkey Federation to begin glade restoration of 156 acres on the Spring Creek Gap Conservation Area in Maries County through the removal of undesirable woody vegetation to provide improved early successional habitat for various birds species.
Contact: John Burk, 573/592-7856
jburknwtf@charter.net
Ruffed Grouse Society River Hills Forest Habitat Project – $20,000.00 to encourage private landowners through cost share funding and educational efforts to help achieve a goal of maintaining 10 – 15 % of the project area in a regenerating oak-hickory forest condition. Currently, less than one percent of the forest is regenerating and the lack of early-successional stands are causing a population decline in many of those forest wildlife species that depend on young forest habitats.
Contact: Gary Zimmer, 715/674-7505
rgszimm@networth.net
2004
The River Hills Forest Habitat Project is an initiative to maintain 10-15% of a 300,000-acre area in east central Missouri in a regenerating oak-hickory forest condition. The project is located in a globally significant conservation site and dense young forest and edge habitat would be expected to benefit local birds such as ruffed grouse and Northern bobwhite as well as migratory songbirds, including American woodcock, Bell’s vireo, Bewick’s wren, Brown Thrasher, Blue-Winged Warbler, Eastern Towhee, Field Sparrow, Great-Crested Flycatcher, Prairie Warbler, White-Eyed Vireo and Yellow-Breasted Chat. Partners include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Audubon Society, Missouri Department of Conservation, and most importantly, private landowners. Nearly 40 new landowners have signed up since last year.
Contact:
Private Lands (Callaway, Montgomery, Warren counties) in partnership with the Ruffed Grouse Society
Bill Hunyadi, Regional Biologist, Ruffed Grouse Society, 212-532-5731, bhunyadi@consolidated.net
The Giant Cane Restoration at Drury-Mincy Conservation Area will begin implementing a program to restore native canebrake habitat on the area along Bee Creek and other tributaries of the White River in Taney County. The grant will be used to purchase a backhoe attachment that would fit an existing tractor owned and operated by the Missouri Department of Conservation, a key partner in this proposed project. The backhoe would accelerate existing cane restoration efforts in the Drury-Mincy Conservation Area and will implement cane restoration on 50-100 acres. While a variety of species would benefit from this project, the state endangered Swainson’s Warbler is the primary target. Other birds such as Hooded Warblers, Indigo Buntings, Northern Cardinals, Louisiana Waterthrushes and other songbirds use canebrake habitats for nesting and for shelter from predators. Additionally, at least five species of butterflies – yehl skipper, creole pearly-eye, southern pearly-eye, lace winged roadside skipper and Carolina roadside skipper – need cane for their caterpillar stage. The cane they eat helps fuel their metamorphosis into butterflies. Five newly identified species of moths are known to feed exclusively on cane. Other Partners include Greater Ozarks Audubon Society. Once sites are restored the habitat will be monitored for bird use.
Contact:
Drury/Mincy Conservation Area (Taney County), Missouri Department of Conservation and Greater Ozarks Audubon Society.
Andrew Forbes, Ornithologist, 573-447-2249, Andrew.Forbes@mdc.mo.gov
Truman Lake Wetland Restoration a project to restore and enhance wetland habitat within the flood basin of Harry S Truman Reservoir.
Contact:
Truman Reservoir (Henry, St. Clair counties)
Scott Manley, Director of Conservation Programs, Ducks Unlimited, 573-290-5736 ext. 258, smanley@ducks.org
2003
Wren Property Savanna Glade Restoration a project to assist a private landowner in creating a glade/savanna management regime to improve habitat for resident wildlife and native vegetation.
Contact:
Private Land (Taney County)
Kelly Srigley-Werner, Missouri Private Lands Coordinator, USFWS, 573-234-2132, ext. 112, kelly_srigleywerner@fws.gov
River Hills Forest Habitat Project a project to improve oak-hickory forest conditions in Central Missouri.
Contact:
River Hills Forest Habitat Project
Private Lands (Callaway, Montgomery, Warren counties) in partnership with the Ruffed Grouse Society.
Bill Hunyadi, Regional Biologist, Ruffed Grouse Society, 212-532-5731, bhunyadi@consolidated.net
Otahki Woodland Restoration (2004). The project will complete 1,200 acres of prescribed fire management for glade woodland restoration. Cooperative project between the Missouri Department of Conservation/Girl Scouts of Missouri and others.
Contact:
Otahki Girl Scout Camp (Wayne County)
David Hasenbeck, Private Lands Conservationist, MDC, 573 223 4525, David.Hasenbeck@mdc.mo.gov
Rolla Area Habitat Restoration an effort to restore a 57-acre grassland/savanna complex within the Rolla city limits (Ozark Rivers Audubon).
Contact:
Restoration and Management of Savanna, Woodland, and Grassland
Tanager Trails (Phelps County)
Janet Carel, Ozark Rivers Audubon, 573-368-2762, jcconsulting@direcway.com
Creve Coeur Lake Park Wetland Restoration The project will initiate establishment of a wet mesic forest on the perimeter of Little Creve Coeur Lake wetland and the establishment of appropriate wetland shrub marsh vegetation. (St. Louis Chapter of the Audubon Society).
Contact:
Creve Coeur Lake (St. Louis County)
Sue Gustafson, St. Louis Audubon, 314-968-8128, smgustafson@juno.com
Power for Wildlife Project (2004), an effort to improve bird habitats on utility rights of way. (National Wild Turkey Federation).
Contact:
Southwest MO (Texas, Dent, Phelps, Wright, Pulaski, etc.)
John Burk, Regional Wildlife Biologist, National Wild Turkey Federation, (573) 334-3366, jburknwtf@sbcglobal.net