2005 Tour Booklet - Small Size

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    A CRP warm-season grass stand responds well to prescribed fires by removingthe litter buildup, increasing the diversity, creating open area on the ground andenhancing plants that attract insects.

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    T a b l e o f C o n t e n t s

    The Tour and the Study Area ..................................................................................

    The Focus On Pheasants Partnership .................................................................. 1

    CRP Mid Contract Management............................................................................. 1Focus Area Research ............................................................................................. 2

    CRP-MAP ................................................................................................................. 3

    State Reports........................................................................................................... 4

    Pheasants Forever .................................................................................................. 5

    Addendum ............................................................................................................... 6

    Tour contacts from Nebraska................................................................................. 6

    Tour attendees......................................................................................................... 6

    Notes ........................................................................................................................ 6

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    The CRP Mid Contract Management Tour conducted in 2004 is just one of many efforts focused on im-proving the wildlife benefits associated with CRP grass stands. Sharing information with landownersand biologists is an important part of Focus On Pheasants, CRP-MAP and CRP Mid Contract Manage-ment.

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    M i d C o n t r a c t M a n a g e m e n t

    T o u r R o u t e

    The route of todays tour through the Study Area is marked with a red line. The fields indi-cated in purple are the CRP tracts located in the study area and immediately adjacent to it.

    All tour buses will depart Maskenthine Recreation area and travel to Stop A together. Thissite will serve as the initial demonstration area. Following this stop, the tour buses will sepa-rate and travel to either Stop B or Stop C for the next portion of the tour.

    In the interest of time, todays tour will only stop at three sites within the study area. Thosethree sites were selected for their ability to demonstrate the management practices usedthrough the study area. While traveling on the bus, youll be able to see many of the otherprojects undertake throughout the study area since 2003.

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    S t o p A

    ~ Scheduled stop of 30 minutes. ~

    Site History and Management

    This field was originally enrolled into CRP in 1991 as a CP-1 practice and planted to a mix

    ture of smooth bromegrass and orchard grass.

    By 1997, this field had become a monoculture of bromegrass. This tract was enrolled inthe CRP-MAP walk-in access program (see page 39 for more information on this program) and thlandowner lightly disked and interseeded yellow sweetclover on 10% of acres annuallyThe disking intensity associated with those efforts was insufficient and no legume establishment occurred.

    In the spring of 2003, as part of Focus on Pheasants, 25 acres were disked with two passeand interseeded with a mixture of alfalfa (3.0 lbs PLS) red clover (1.5 lbs PLS) and yellosweetclover (0.5 lbs PLS) (See page 42 for a complete list of legume mixtures used to upgrade CRP). Thimprovement to plant diversity and structure was almost immediate.

    The tract was re-enrolled into CRP in spring of 2004 with 51% of the field being managed testablish a CP-2 mixture. The field was disked twice, regrowth was treated with a glyphophate herbicide, and interseeded to a CP-2 mix (warm season grasses, native forbs, and introducelegumes). In addition, the remaining 15.6 acres of smooth bromegrass were disked and iterseeded with the legume mixture mentioned earlier.

    The management cost for disking and interseeding legumes was $35.00 per acre in 200(costs include two passes with disk, no-till drill planting, and interseeding a legume mixture).

    The cost for re-enrollment was >$100.00 per acre (costs include two passes with a disk, herbicidapplication, no-till drill planting and interseeding a CP-2 seed mix).

    Ring-necked pheasants and grassland birds (Dickcissels in particular) were abundant in 2004.

    At this site, you will see the following treatment types:1) Mature, monoculture of smooth bromegrass.2) Smooth bromegrass stand that was disked and interseeded with legumes in 2003.3) Smooth bromegrass stand that was disked, sprayed, and interseeded with legume

    in 2004.

    Youll be able to observe differences in plant structure and diversity between the treatmentand observe differences in insect abundance.

    Across the road to the west is a field that was disked twice and interseeded with a legummixture in 2004. This field was originally enrolled in CRP in 1987 and planted to a mixturof smooth bromegrass and orchard grass.

    There will be a demonstration of the variation in insect abundance in treated vs. untreateCRP grass stands.

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    Site History and Management

    Researchers from Oklahoma State University will discuss their grassland bird study and someof its results at this stop.

    This field was originally enrolled into CRP in 1987 as CP-2 practice. The original contractseeded the entire tract to switchgrass.

    The site was re-enrolled into CRP in 1997 as CP-10. No management was performed on thegrass stand at the time of re-enrollment.

    By 2003, smooth bromegrass had spread from road ditch and into the CRP planting. In thespring of 2003, as part of Focus on Pheasants, 33 acres on the WEST side of the road were

    disked and interseeded with a mixture of legumes. In 2004, another 20 acres were treated ina similar fashion.

    Bee hives have been placed here by a local apiarist because of abundant blossoms on thelegumes present after upgrades were performed.

    On the EAST side of the road, several demonstration treatments were performed in the springof 2005. These include:

    1. Prescribed burn: Used to set back bromegrass encroachment and to reduce litter.The 3.0 acre burned area was interseeded with legumes.

    2. Disking: Treatments involving one pass, two passes and three passes with a disk

    were used. All of the disking treatments were followed with interseeding a leg-ume mixture.3. Herbicide Application: Glyphosphate herbicides were used to burn back the

    smooth bromegrass. Interseeding a legume mixture followed the herbicide ap-plication.

    Notice the differences between mid-contract management techniques and the difference insuccession that have occurred between Site A (cool-season grass stand) and Site B (warm-seasongrass stand).

    S t o p B

    ~ Scheduled stop of 45 to 50 minutes. ~

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    S t o p C

    ~ Scheduled stop of 35 to 40 minutes. ~

    Site History and Management

    At this site, we will have researchers from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln demonstratpheasant telemetry equipment and discuss ongoing research related to the Mid ContracManagement efforts being undertaken in this study area.

    The site was originally enrolled into CRP in 1987 as CP-1 practice and planted to a mixture osmooth bromegrass, intermediate wheatgrass, orchard grass, and yellow sweetclover.

    The site was re-enrolled into CRP in 1997 as CP-1. At that time, bromegrass dominatestand producing a monoculture.

    In the spring of 2003, as part of Focus on Pheasants, 104 acres were disked twice and inteseeded with a mixture legumes.

    In the spring of 2004, another 104 acres were disked twice and interseeded with a mixture olegumes.

    In the spring of 2005, a 5 acre spot of smooth bromegrass was treated with a glyphosphatherbicide and interseeded with legumes. The cost of this treatment was approximately $4per acre (costs include herbicide application, no-till drill planting, and the legume mixture seed)

    In the spring of 2005, a 5 acre spot that had previously been disked and interseeded in 2003

    was treated with Select herbicide in an attempt to burn back the smooth bromegrass reencroachment. The cost of this herbicide application was approximately $20 per acre. Thcost to disk and interseed legumes in this partnership effort increased in 2005 to $45 per acrdue to rising fuel costs and greater understanding of actual equipment and labor costs to peform work.

    At this site, you will look at the following treatment types:1. Existing bromegrass: Originally planted in 1987 with no management performed on it2. Herbicide application followed by interseeding a legume mixture: an application of Gly

    phosphate and interseeding a mixture of legumes.3. Herbicide Application to previously treated areas: Applying Selectherbicide treatme

    on an existing legume stand that has smooth bromegrass re-encroaching back into it.4. Disking and interseeding: Performed in 20035. Disking and interseeding: Performed in 2004

    You will be able to observe the rapid rate of grassland succession, especially in cases wheresmooth bromegrass is present.

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    Disk ing and In t erseeding Two passes minimum is required in stands of smooth bromegrass or switchgrass. In some

    cases, our efforts have reached as high as five passes with a disk. Even aggressive disking inthis fashion does not make fields susceptible to erosion. It is far easier to disk too little than itis to disk too much.

    Haying or burning the grass stand prior to disking reduces litter and improves the ease of disk-ing, but is not critical to achieving good results. Removal of litter may decrease the number ofdisking passes necessary to achieve the desired impact and results.

    Smooth bromegrass typically returns aggressively in the 3rd growing season following manage-ment. While the smooth bromegrass comes back aggressively, the grass stand can still providegood structure and nesting cover at that point.

    Disking prior to September 15

    th

    on smooth bromegrass does not sufficiently set the grass back.Regrowth occurs within months and significantly reduces the effective length of the treatment byat least one season.

    Disking smooth bromegrass in the spring is the most effective treatment, but the ability to ac-complish field work prior to May 1st is weather dependent.

    Care should be taken to stay out of waterways and away from the field borders when selectingareas for disking.

    Care should be taken to identify areas of known noxious weed infestations and then design workaround these areas. If the area had a history of noxious weeds prior to enrollment in CRP, it will

    have noxious weeds following a disking. Frank discussions with landowners about early successional plants (weeds) need to be discussed

    prior to initiation of work. The landowners tolerance to early successional plants and desire formore wildlife will help guide your management technique application.

    Effective communication with USDA field office, local weed superintendent, landowners, andmedia can greatly increase support for habitat improvements such as this. This partnership hasbeen enhanced by substantial support from the media, partners and landowners.

    The legume seeding mixtures used (see page 42 for a list of mixtures) produced desirable plant com-position and structure. The addition of white sweetclover to mixtures may be desirable due toits later maturation date.

    Annual plant responses varied from site to site. Generally speaking, common sunflower and an-nual foxtail are primary annuals that show up in the first growing season. Common sunflowersvirtually disappear from the site after the first year.

    C R P M i d C o n t r a c t M a n a g e m e n t

    ~ O b s e r v a t i o n s a n d O p i n i o n s ~

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    Presc r ibed f i re and hay ing Prescribed fire on warm-season CRP grass stands can be effective in reducing cool-season gra

    encroachment and for certain tree control if timed correctly. It also reduces grass litter and invirates regrowth. Some annual plants also respond favorably to increased sunlight penetration.

    To reduce the encroachment of cool-season grasses, late April burns are recommended.

    The reduction of litter following a burn provides an excellent opportunity to:

    Disk and interseed a mixture of legumes.

    Increase disturbance on the site.

    Use a no-till drill to interseed legumes into the existing grass stand.

    Prescribed fire on an established cool-season grass stand does very little to improve the grastand composition or diversity. It will reduce the litter and can be effective in controlling so

    woody plants.

    Haying can also reduce litter and provide an opportunity to either disk and interseed or to apother management techniques. Interseeding a legume mixture directly into a hayed cool-seasgrass stand without another form of disturbance produced minimal benefits.

    Chemic a l burn back and inte r seed ing Where disking is not feasible, chemical burn back using a glyphosphate herbicide may provid

    good alternative.

    Situations where the use of herbicide might be preferred include areas with known noxious weinfestations, lack of tillage equipment, or hayed cool-season grass stands.

    The use of Select herbicide or other non-broadleaf herbicides may offer some hope for reducthe regrowth of cool-season grasses in upgraded areas.

    Our experience has found that when controlling smooth bromegrass with a glyphosphate, an apcation of 28 ounces per acre with an AMS applied between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm on a warm dworks best.

    C R P M i d C o n t r a c t M a n a g e m e n t

    ~ O b s e r v a t i o n s a n d O p i n i o n s ~

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    C R P M i d C o n t r a c t M a n a g e m e n t

    ~ O b s e r v a t i o n s a n d O p i n i o n s ~

    Noxi ous Weeds

    Noxious weeds were identified as an issue to be addressed in the planning of Focus On Pheasantactivities. The plants on Nebraskas noxious weed list that were anticipated to be of concern in-cluded musk, plumeless, and Canada thistles.

    CRP tracts with a history of thistle problems and where thistle seeds were present in the seedbank were more problematic than tracts with limited thistle history. When thistle problems oc-curred on CRP tracts that had been disked and interseeded with legumes as part of the Focus OnPheasantsproject, appropriate treatments were applied.

    Those treatments included hand chopping, spot shredding, and spot spraying with appropriateherbicides. If thistle problems were widespread over a large area, then a blanket application ofappropriate herbicide that was labeled for legumes and/or shredding of affected areas were treat-ments that provided acceptable results.

    Communication and cooperation among all involved entities were the key to resolving noxiousweed problems on CRP tracts while still developing and maintaining desired vegetative diversityprovided by the interseeded legumes.

    Fina l Thought s Cost share rates, generally speaking, are too low. Even for landowners that seriously desire to

    see habitat improve and for those that are only conducting this work as a requirement of CRP,this will be viewed as a financial burden or will result in sub par results due to lack of awareness.

    There are very few certainties in life...two that can be applied to Mid Contract Managementare: 1. You cant ever kill off smooth bromegrass with any amount of disking and 2. If you hadnoxious weeds before enrollment in CRP, they will show up again following disking.

    While USDA technical guides are pretty complete at describing maximum management efforts(how deep to disk, how many passes, percent reside, etc.), they are generally weak on outlining the mini-mum management efforts required to accomplish the desired results. Our experience showedthat minimum efforts typically produced minimum, if any, results.

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    F o c u s A r e a T i m e l i n e

    2002 Written in collaboration among NGPC, PF and NRCS biologists, the Focus On Pheasants

    plan was approved by the NGPC Board of Commissioners in May.

    Selected Focus Areas (See page 16 for a complete list of all Focus Areas in the state).

    Discuss objectives and coordinate efforts between NGPC, PF, FSA (local staff, county committee,and state office staff), NRCS (local and state office staff) and area landowners.

    Hired one full-time biologist position (1-year contract) to implement the plan.

    Designed evaluation procedures.

    Began making landowner contacts.

    2003 Disked and interseeded 1,000 acres on 37 different tracts of land owned by 24 different land-

    owners.

    Conducted spring pheasant crowing surveys.

    Initiated pilot study on the grassland bird response to disking and interseeding. Conducted August roadside pheasant brood surveys.

    Conducted habitat tours of the focus area for NGPC, PF, local FSA and NRCS and area land-owners. Discussed the results and landowner satisfaction.

    Monitored noxious weed response and spot treated by spraying 1,000 acres some landown-ers did this themselves.

    Applied for and received a State Wildlife Grant to initiate a Grassland Bird Study. The studywill be conducted through Oklahoma State University to monitor response to habitat work.

    Enrolled 780 acres of CRP in the focus area into the CRP-MAP access program.

    2004 Disk and interseeded additional 1,100 acres on 44 tracts of land owned by 26 landowners. Conducted spring pheasant crowing counts.

    Began Grassland Bird Study.

    Initiated pilot pheasant telemetry study to determine nesting and brood rearing habitat prefer-ences.

    Initiated insect study to measure response to uniform management treatments.

    Hosted the 1st CRP Mid Contract Management Tour in August.

    Conducted August roadside pheasant brood surveys.

    Monitored noxious weed response and spot treated by spraying 2,100 acres.

    Enrolled additional 240 acres of CRP into the CRP-MAP walk-in access program.

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    F o c u s A r e a T i m e l i n e

    2005 Disked and interseeded 100 additional acres.

    Initiated a demonstration of glyphosphate herbicide application and interseeding legumes.

    Initiated a demonstration of Select herbicide on brome that had been disked and interseedin previous years.

    Initiated a demonstration prescribed burn and interseeding legumes.

    Conducted spring crow counts.

    Began Pheasant Telemetry Project to monitor response by radio collaring 50 pheasant heThe study is conducted through the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

    Second year of Grassland Bird Study.

    Conduct August roadside pheasant brood survey.

    Monitor noxious weeds and spot treat by spraying and chopping 2,300 acres.

    Conduct 2nd Mid-Contract Management Tour in June.

    Conduct 2nd Twilight Habitat Tour in July.

    2 Stanton County Landowners Dale Clark and Al Platt receive recognition for FOP effortsPheasant Fest in Omaha.

    Expanded individual field demonstrations to most counties in northeast Nebraska.

    Will present Grassland Bird and Pheasant Telemetry preliminary results at annual meetingThe Wildlife Society.

    Future Efforts Continue monitoring the management techniques being applied in the study area.

    Conduct 2nd year of pheasant telemetry study.

    Seek support for extending grassland bird study.

    Conduct additional demonstrations of different mid-contract management techniques. Conduct field tours and presentations of data.

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    Focus On Pheasants is a partnership effort formed in 2002 that brings together aunique combination of Federal, State and Local government agencies, conserva-tion groups, private industry and landowners.

    This combination of groups have come together in an effort to improve mature grass stands through-out the state and provide better pheasant habitat. The average CRP field in Nebraska is now 16years old and has had little or no management performed on it during the life of its contract.

    The primary focus of this partnership has been to increase the wildlife habitat quality and diversity ofCRP grass stands using the following management tools: Controlled burns Interseeding legumes Disking Chemical herbaceous vegetation control Haying Grazing

    F o c u s O n P h e a s a n t s

    The Focus On Pheasants Partnership

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    G E N E R A L C R P P R A C T I C E

    R e q u i r e d M a n a g e m e n t F o l l o w i n g

    E s t a b l i s h m e n t

    A mid-contract management activity for the purpose of improving plant diversity and wildlife habitat conditions must be

    ducted a minimum of one time during the contract period. CP-10 areas require a minimum of two management activitiecontract beginning and mid-contract. CP-25 prairie areas in Vegetative Zones III & IV require a minimum of two managemactivities on contracts longer than 10 years. Refer to appropriate FOTG standard and Nebraska Conservation Planning S20 for specifications associated with each practice and other details.

    Acres enrolled into CP-3, CP-3A, and CP-11 shall utilize guidance provided under Tree Planting/Forestry for Continuous Cand CREP Practices. No management is required for acres enrolled into CP-12 (Food Plots) but proper maintenance iquired to meet the purposes of that practice.

    ManagementOption

    CRP Practice FOTGPractice

    Conditions and Limitations RequiredInterval*

    Tillage and

    Interseeding

    CP1-Introduced Grasses

    and LegumesCP2-Native GrassesCP4B/4D-Permanent Wild-

    life HabitatCP10-Vegetative Cover

    Already Established

    647

    Early Succes-sional HabitatDevelopment/Management

    Managed Haying***, Prescribed Burning, or

    Mowing/Shredding may also be needed toremove excessive residue prior to tillage/seeding.

    Interseeding may be conducted without tillageon sandy sites with a Wind Erodibility fac-tor (I) of 134 or greater provided an inter-seeder or similar device is used to createsome limited disturbance.

    Interseeding must be conducted under this op-tion. Broadcast seeding is only allowed iftillage is completed prior to, or followingseeding and seeding rates are doubled.

    Vegetative Zones III &

    every 3-5 years onestablished;

    Vegetative Zones I & Ievery 5-7 years onestablished

    Note: Tillage may beneeded and recommemore frequently on sitewith aggressive sod-forming grasses such smooth brome or switcgrass.

    InterseedingNative Forbs

    Only

    CP25-Rare and DecliningHabitats (prairie sitesonly)

    643Restoration &

    Management ofDeclining Habi-

    tats

    Mowing/Shredding, or Prescribed Burning mayalso be needed to remove excessive resi-due prior to seeding.

    Drilling of native species provided an inter-seeder or similar device is used to createsome limited disturbance or a burn-downherbicide is used to reduce competitionfrom existing, perennial species in order toenhance establishment of the seeded spe-cies.

    Vegetative Zones III &every 3-5 years onestablished;

    Vegetative Zones I & Ievery 5-7 years onestablished

    PrescribedBurning **

    CP1-Introduced Grassesand Legumes

    CP2-Native GrassesCP4B/4D-Permanent Wild-

    life HabitatCP10-Vegetative Cover

    338Prescribed

    Burning

    Broadcast seeding is only allowed if tillage iscompleted prior to, or following seedingand seeding rates are doubled.

    Use techniques (timing, intensity, etc.) to pro-vide a benefit to plant diversity and wildlifehabitat.

    Vegetative Zones III &every 3-5 years onestablished;

    Vegetative Zones I & Ievery 5-7 years onestablished.

    Chemical Her-baceous Vege-tation Control **

    CP1-Introduced Grassesand Legumes

    CP2-Native GrassesCP4B/4D-Permanent Wild-

    life HabitatCP10-Vegetative Cover

    Already EstablishedCP25-Rare and Declining

    Habitats (prairie sites

    643Restoration &

    Management ofDeclining Habi-

    tatsand647

    Early Succes-sional Habitat

    Managed Haying***, Prescribed Burning, orMowing/Shredding may also be needed toremove excessive residue prior to herbi-cide application.

    Not a substitute for noxious weed control orweed control during establishment.

    Broadcast seeding is only allowed if tillage iscompleted prior to, or following seedingand seeding rates are doubled.

    Vegetative Zones III &every 3-5 years onestablished;

    Vegetative Zones I & Ievery 5-7 years once

    established.

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    * Management activities may be conducted and cost-shared more frequently than the required interval, provided that theactivity is technically justified, improves wildlife habitat, and is not prohibited by 2-CRP paragraph 484.

    ** Interseeding of desired legumes or native grasses and/or forbs is recommended and can be cost-shared in conjunctionwith this activity.

    *** Managed Haying used in conjunction with tillage/interseeding or chemical herbaceous vegetation control can be util-ized when necessary to remove excessive residue. Haying will result in a CRP program payment reduction. Managedhaying, by itself, will not provide the necessary vegetative response to meet the CRP management intent. Lands en-

    rolled in CP-25 are not currently eligible for managed haying.

    Note: High-intensity/short-duration grazing, if technically justified, may be substituted for, or used in conjunction with,these management options. The primary area where this is applicable is western Nebraska and the Sandhills region.Grazing will result in a CRP payment reduction. Managed grazing strategies other than high-intensity/short-duration willnot, by themselves, provide the necessary vegetative response to meet the CRP management intent. Lands enrolled inCP-25 are not currently eligible for managed grazing.

    Early Successional Habitat Management (tillage) shall not be conducted within 50 feet of property boundaries without theapproval of the adjacent landowner or within 50 feet of field boundaries along State and County improved roads and

    G E N E R A L C R P P R A C T I C E

    R e q u i r e d M a n a g e m e n t F o l l o w i n g

    E s t a b l i s h m e n t

    ~ Continued ~

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    NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE

    CONSERVATION PRACTICE STANDARD

    EARLY SUCCESSIONAL HABITAT DEVELOPMENT/MANAGEMENT

    (ac.)

    CODE 647

    EARLY SUCCESSIONAL HABITAT DEVELOPMENT/MANAGEMENT (647

    DEFINITION

    Manage early plant succession to benefit desired wild-life or natural communities.

    PURPOSE

    Increase plant community diversity. Provide habitat for early successional wildlife spe-

    cies.

    Provide habitat for declining species.

    CONDITIONS WHERE PRACTICE APPLIES

    On all lands where early successional habitat is to beestablished and/or maintained in a condition suitable forthe desired wildlife and plant species.

    CRITERIA

    Early successional management will be designed toachieve the desired plant community in density, verticaland horizontal structure, and plant species diversity.

    Methods used will be designed to maintain soil erosionquality criteria unless the habitat being managed is de-pendent on active erosion processes, for example,blowouts or sparsely vegetated sand and gravel bars.For other habitats, an annual cover crop shall be estab-lished if soil erosion is expected to exceed T during orsubsequent to the year vegetation is manipulated. Re-fer to Cover Crop (340) standard for temporary coversto reduce erosion that are compatible with the desiredpermanent cover.

    Vegetative manipulation to maximize plant andanimal diversity can be accomplished by distur-bance practices including prescribed burning,light disking, low density seeding, tree or brushremoval, mowing, grazing, herbicide application,water level manipulation, or a combination of theabove. Following such activities, early succes-sional plants will typically establish themselvesfrom the existing soil seed bank or from relativelydormant plants and rootstocks.

    Early successional plants may also be estab-lished through deliberate seeding or planting.Native adapted plant materials will be used when-ever possible, but introduced species or evenmixtures of native and introduced species may beappropriate depending upon objectives.

    All seed and planting materials shall be labeledand meet state seed law and NRCS seed qualitystandards (refer to FOTG Section II, Pasture andHayland Interpretations, Grass and Forb SeedSource Requirements).

    It is recommended that legume seed of intro-duced species shall be inoculated with theproper, viable rhizobia before planting.Management practices and activities are not todisturb cover during the primary nesting periodfor grassland species. Exceptions may be al-lowed when necessary to maintain the health ofthe plant community. Mowing may be neededduring the plant establishment period to controlundesired vegetation.Measures must be provided to control noxiousweeds in order to comply with state noxious weedlaws.

    Spraying or other forms of noxious weed controlwill be done on a spot basis to protect insectfood sources for grassland nesting birds and toprotect forbs and legumes that benefit native pol-linators and other wildlife.

    Conservation practice standards are reviewed periodically, and updated if needed. To obtain

    the current version of this standard, contact the Natural Resource Conservation Service.

    NE-T.G. Notice 540

    Section IV

    NRCS-JULY 2003

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    Conservation practice standards are reviewed periodically, and updated if needed. To obtain

    the current version of this standard, contact the Natural Resource Conservation Service.

    NE-T.G. Notice 540

    Section IV

    NRCS-JULY 2003

    This standard is not to be used where plant communi-ties considered as rare and declining will be adverselyimpacted. Refer to the Restoration and Managementof Declining Habitats (643) standard and specification.

    CONSIDERATIONS

    To minimize harm to nesting birds, make every at-tempt to avoid conducting soil or vegetation disturbingactivities from April 1 to August 1 (most nesting gen-erally occurs in Nebraska between April 15 and July15). When those dates cannot be avoided, documentin the plan or note the reason why and/or what meas-ures are planned that will reduce or localize adverseimpacts. (For Example, disking may be conductedearly in the nesting season because of prolonged wetfield conditions. Disking will be done on a rotationalbasis to allow some areas to remain undisturbed eachyear.)

    All habitat manipulations will be planned and man-aged according to soil capabilities. Recommenda-tions for management will avoid excessive soil losswhen consistent with project goals.

    Consider potential vehicular safety concerns posed bytall vegetation adjacent to roads and highways. Roadintersections and areas with high big game popula-tions may be of special concern. Consider settingback from the field border 50 to 100 feet as appropri-ate.

    Consider the potential for the spread of undesired

    early successional plants (annual weeds) ontoneighboring lands. Consider consulting with adjacentlandowners about planned activities. If appropriate,consider setting back from property boundaries.

    Consider managing vegetation under a scheduledrotational plan so that only a portion of the area is dis-turbed in a given year. This will assure that someundisturbed habitat is available and that several suc-cessional stages of cover are in close proximity.Early successional treatments should be rotatedthroughout the managed area.

    Treatment shall be accomplished whenever succes-

    sion has gone past the desired stages.

    Managing for early successional plant communi-ties is beneficial if not essential for less mobileanimal species. The less mobile the species, themore important to provide all the habitat require-ments in a small area.

    Design and install the practice to facilitate opera-

    tion of machinery or prescribed burning activities.When ever possible, lay out strips to have somemultiple or full width passes by all farm imple-ments. Mowing of herbaceous cover for weedcontrol is strongly discouraged but may be usedduring the plant establishment period, alone or inconjunction with other practices to control unde-sired competitive vegetation.

    Grazing may be used as a management tool toachieve the intended purpose of this practice. Agrazing plan designed for habitat improvementthat addresses grazing frequency, intensity, andduration is required.

    This practice may be used to promote the conser-vation of declining species, including threatenedand endangered (plant, wildlife or aquatic) spe-cies.

    PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS

    Specifications for this practice shall be preparedfor each site. Specifications shall be recordedusing approved specifications sheets, job sheets,narrative statements in the conservation plan, or

    other acceptable documentation.

    OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

    The following actions shall be carried out to insurethat this practice functions as intended throughoutits expected life. These actions include normalrepetitive activities in the application and use ofthe practice (operation), and repair and upkeep ofthe practice (maintenance).

    Any use of fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemi-cals to assure early successional management

    shall not compromise the intended purpose.

    EARLY SUCCESSIONAL HABITAT DEVELOPMENT/MANAGEMENT (647)-1

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    PRACTICE SPECIFICATION

    EARLY SUCCESSIONAL HABITAT DEVELOPMENT/MANAGEMENT

    DISKING

    1. SCOPE

    Grass and/or legume seedings that have been established for many years can lose vigor,productivity, and species diversity. Such stands are sometimes described as being sod-bound. Such sites usually have very little open soil surface between plants. Plants mayhave low stature or produce less than normal amounts of seed or leaf material. These sitesalso typically are dominated by only a few, or even one, perennial species. Annual plantsare generally absent.

    Ring-necked pheasant, gray (Hungarian) partridge, bobwhite quail, and mourning doves arepopular wildlife species that require or benefit from good quality early successional habitat.Disking or similar tillage operations can be useful for establishing or releasing early succes-sional plants and providing habitat for these wildlife species.

    2. SITE LIMITATIONS

    Disking will generally not be prescribed for areas of concentrated flow such as waterways,sandy sites with very little residue or organic matter on or near the soil surface, sites withslopes greater than 20%, or sites with an extremely high risk of colonization by noxiousweeds. Disking should not be conducted if poor soil moisture conditions are likely to delayplant regrowth and seed germination.

    Disking on sloping ground will be done on the contour. Multiple equipment passes are ac-ceptable. To prevent excessive (greater than T) water erosion, sites with slopes greater than9% will maintain a minimum of 30% residue cover after disking and will not have disturbedareas wider than those prescribed in the following table. Exceptions are allowed if widerstrips are justified and documented through the use of current erosion prediction tools. Thewidth of the undisturbed area between disked strips will be 20 feet or greater.

    NE T. G. 52Section IV

    NRCS-AUGUST 200

    S-647a-

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    Max. CrossSlope Width Slope%

    3. DISKING DEPTH AND INTENSITY

    Disking depth (ground penetration) and as prescribed by NRCS will be based onsoil type, slope, existing cover, purpose of disking, and producers objectives.

    Maximum depth for nonsandy sites dominated by smooth bromegrass, switch-

    grass, or reed canarygrass will be 6 inches if slopes are equal to or less than 9%.Maximum depth for all other sites will be 4 inches.

    4. DISKING DATES

    Disking may be done from July 15 to May 1. August 15 to September 15 appearsto be optimal.

    5. DESIRABLE EARLY SUCCESSIONAL PLANTS

    Desirable early successional plants are those that:

    Produce seeds that are consumed by birds and small mammals or

    Provide forage for insects preferred by birds and small mammals or

    That provide cover that hides young wildlife (especially upland gamebird chicks)but that still has sufficiently low plant stem densities to allow easy chick movementthrough it.

    200 feet 9 to 11

    150 feet 12 to 15

    100 feet 16 to 20

    NE T. G. 525Section IV

    NRCS-AUGUST 2002

    S-647a-1

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    Desirable Early Successional Plants and Their Preferred Sites(list is not complete)

    Most sites have a soil seed bank that contains sufficient kinds and amounts viable seed.The existing seed bank can be supplemented by drilling or broadcasting seed of desiredspecies. In addition to the use of crops suitable for use as wildlife food plots, the followingspecies are some that can be used provided they are adapted to the site. They can beseeded August 15 to September 15 and November 1 to May 15. Refer to Pasture and Hay-land Planting (512) and FOTG Section II Pasture and Hayland Interpretations Table 2 to de-termine the adaptability of additional species. The use of two or more species is recom-mended.

    Annual Sunflower Uplands Chickweed Uplands

    Barnyardgrass Wetlands/ Lambsquarters Uplands

    Moist Sites Kochia Uplands

    Foxtail Uplands Texas Croton Uplands

    Giant Ragweed Moist Sites/ Uplands Sweetclover Uplands

    Rocky Mntn. Beeplant Uplands Beebalm Uplands

    Smartweeds Wetlands/ Moist Sites Yellow woodsorrel Uplands

    Fall Panicum Uplands Plantain Moist Sites/ Uplands

    Showy Partridgepea Uplands Crabgrass Uplands

    Pigweed Moist Sites/ Uplands Witchgrass Uplands

    Black Medic Uplands Dock Uplands

    Beggarticks Wetlands Bedstraw Moist Sites

    Pennycress Uplands Hemp Uplands

    S-647a-

    NE T. G. 52Section I

    NRCS-AUGUST 200

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    Legume seed of introduced species shall be inoculated in accordance with the directionson the inoculant container. Use the correct inoculant for each legume species

    6. OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

    Reapply this practice periodically to set back succession and restore the desired habitat

    conditions.

    Monitor wildlife use to determine practice success and to better prescribe future habitatmanagement activities.

    Control noxious and other undesirable plant species as needed.

    SpeciesVegetative Zone

    AdaptabilitySuggested

    Seeding Rate 1, 2

    Alfalfa Statewide 3.0 to 5.0

    Red Clover III, IV 2.0 to 4.0

    Sweet Clover Statewide 2.0 to 4.0

    Ladino Clover IV 0.5 to 1.0

    Alsike Clover III, IV 0.7 to 1.5

    Strawberry Clover III, IV 1.5 to 3.0

    White Clover II, III, IV 0.5 to 1.0

    Annual Sunflower Statewide 4.0 to 8.0

    Maximillian Sunflower Statewide 1.0 to 2.0

    Canada Milkvetch Statewide 2.0 to 4.0

    Showy Partridgepea II, III, IV 5.0 to 10.0

    1. Rates provided are for drilling a single species. Reduce rates proportionately when using two

    or more species in a mixture.2. Rates will be doubled if broadcast.

    NE T. G. 525Section IV

    NRCS-AUGUST 2002

    S-647a-1

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    In the Focus On Pheasant Focus Area located in Stanton County, several research projects hbeen started in the last few years to begin to document the wildlife and vegetative responses to Cgrass stand treatments.

    Some of the investigations conducted include:1. Invertebrate abundance in CRP fields. Three different efforts have been conducted from 200

    2005, that looked at the effects of disking and interseeding legumes on key brood habitat comnents in CRP fields.

    2. Spring Pheasant Crowing Counts and August Roadside Surveys. Conducted from 2003 to sent, the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission is conducting surveys in focus areas and controeas to determine the influence of habitat improvements on pheasant abundance.

    3. Evaluation of Ring-necked Pheasant Response to Disking and Interseeding Legumes on Cservation Reserve Program Fields in Northeast Nebraska. Initiated in 2004 by the NebraGame & Parks Commission and expanded as a University of NebraskaLincoln graduate projevaluating the response of ring-necked pheasants to landscape scale habitat manipulations.

    4. Grassland bird response to Disking/Interseeding of legumes in Conservation Reserve Pgram lands in Northeast Nebraska. Initiated in 2004, a graduate research study from OklahoState University is looking at grassland songbird responses to habitat improvement efforts on C

    fields.The results of these studies - preliminary results in some cases - are summarized in this booklet today and will be expanded upon throughout the tour by the researchers. These efforts are docmenting the results of CRP Mid Contract Management efforts on a landscape scale and providinearly information about what management techniques are most effective.

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    Insect and Vegetation Responses to Disking and Interseeding Legumes onConservation Reserve Program (CRP) Fields in Eastern Nebraska

    Scott Taylor, Nebraska Game & Parks Commission

    Background

    n the spring of 2000, the Wildlife Division of Nebraska Game and Parks recognized the need for information regarding the effects of

    ight disking and interseeding with regard to pheasant brood habitat components on CRP fields. These management actions are re-quired on CRP fields enrolled in the Commissions CRP-Management Access Program (CRP-MAP). The goal of management is to im-prove nesting and brood rearing habitat on portions of these fields. The most important desired improvement was an increase in insectabundance. Pheasants and many other grassland birds depend heavily upon insects in their diets during the summer. Desired vegeta-ive improvements included increases in visual obstruction, plant diversity, and canopy coverage measurements. We sampled insectsand vegetation in portions of CRP fields with and without the disking and interseeding treatment to determine the effects of this manage-ment technique.

    MethodsWe sampled 4 different field types. 1) CRP fields planted to cool season grasses, with a portion of the field disked and interseeded withegumes (alfalfa, yellow sweetclover, and/or red clover), 2) CRP fields planted to warm season grasses, with a portion of the field diskedand interseeded with legumes, 3) either cool or warm season CRP fields with a portion of the field planted to a high diversity seed mix-

    ure (CP-25), and 4) native prairie hay fields. Transects were located > 20 m from field borders and ran parallel to the edge. We usedsweep nets to collect insects. We made 50 sweeps along each transect.

    Highlights of ResultsWe acquired samples from 22 fields. In CRP fields, insect abundance was higher in treatment portions of both cool season and warmseason fields. Insect abundance in CP-25 plantings was similar to those in control portions of the fields.

    Line to line variability in insect abundance was relatively high but field to field variability was relatively low. This suggested an unevendistribution of insects within fields. If future sampling is done, an increased number of sample lines per field is suggested to reduce vari-ability of mean abundance measurements.

    Significant increases in both visual obstruction (height and density) and forb (broad-leafed plants) to grass ratios were observed on both

    cool season and warm season CRP fields that were disked and interseeded with legumes. Litter (dead plant material) decreased signifi-cantly after treatment.

    This technique quickly improved nesting habitat (structurally) for pheasants and many other grassland dependent bird species. The re-duction in litter and increase in insect abundance appears to have made these tracts more attractive for foraging and brood rearing aswell. As such, this technique shows promise for improving wildlife habitat on older CRP stands that have lost vegetative diversity.

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    Untreated Portion of Field

    Interseeded or High

    Diversity Portion of Field

    Field Type n Mean SE Mean SE

    Cool-season CRP 6 3.94 0.81 9.07 1.53

    Warm-season CRP 6 2.66 0.97 9.31 1.71

    CP-25 and adjacent CRP 5 5.74 1.76 4.85 2.90

    Native prairie 5 8.21 2.48

    Table 1. Mean biomass (g) of invertebrates sampled in several herbaceous community types in Nebraska during summe2000. Measurements represent the total biomass collected along 3 50-m transects per field; sample sizes are tnumber of fields.

    Light disking and interseeding to improve brood habitat

    Ron LeathersPheasants Forever, Inc.

    Pheasants are early-successional species, relying heavily on a combination of grasses and weedforbs to produce seed and insect food sources. In particular, pheasant hens and chicks are heavily dependant on insects as a primary food source during spring nesting and summer broodrearing. Hens must eat insect foods to meet their needs for high levels of calcium and protein

    produce eggs. Pheasant chicks are almost solely dependant on insects throughout their first summer to meet their needs for high calorie, high protein foods to reach maturity by winter. Agrasses grow, they tend to choke out these weedy forb species and can become nearly purstands of a single grass species, leaving pheasants and other birds without the food sources andiversity they need to fully reach their population potential.

    Nebraskas CRP-Management Access Program is a joint program of Pheasants Forever and thNebraska Game and Parks Commission that promotes management of aging CRP grasslands tset back grass growth and encourage reestablishment of forb species. The specific managemepractice that is used for this program is light disking and interseeding legumes (typically alfalfasweetclover, and red clover).

    Some of the highlights of a 2001 & 2002 study on the CRP-MAP programs management practices are presented below.

    Invertebrates:Managed fields had a much higher availability of insects and invertebrates than idle fields. Thincrease was particularly pronounced in the native grass stands. Idle native grasses had the lowest overall availability of invertebrates, translating into the least available food source for pheasanchicks. However, managed native grasses had the highest availability of invertebrates and thmost food sources for chicks. Although less pronounced than in the natives, brome fields alshad more invertebrates when managed than when left idle.

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    Available invertebrates

    0

    500

    1000

    1500

    2000

    2500

    3000

    B

    iomass(mg)

    Idle

    Managed

    Idle 1918.9 531.6

    Managed 2334.3 2757.7

    Brome Native

    Vegetation changes:Managed fields had more legume cover than idle fields. Without

    management, the average percent cover of legumes was less than2% in brome fields and 0.5% in native grasses. After management,legumes accounted for roughly 1/3rd of the total cover in brome fieldsand 1/6th of the cover in native grasses.

    Managed fields also had more forb cover (including the planted leg-umes and any volunteer weedy forbs) than idle fields. Planted leg-umes accounted for the majority of the forb cover in managed fields.Again, the percentage of forbs in idle fields was extremely low (

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    Insect Response to Disking and Interseeding Legumes onConservation Reserve Program Lands in Northeast Nebraska

    Insects are important food resources for many grassland birds. A survey was conducted in 2004 to deter-mine insect abundance, biomass and diversity in treated vs. untreated fields as part of the Grassland BirdStudy in the Stanton County Focus On Pheasants study area.

    Eight of the sixteen fields used for the grassland bird study were chosen randomly for insect sampling. Ofthose eight, four were disked and interseeded with yellow sweet clover, alfalfa, and red clover; and fourwere control fields that received no treatment. Using a sweep net, three sub-samples of twenty sweepseach were taken along 200 meter transects within each field. Samples were preserved sorted, identified,dried, and weighed for biomass over the fall and winter of 2004-2005.

    Preliminary statistics have been preformed to compare insect samples between treated and untreatedfields. Previous research has shown grasshoppers, butterflies, caterpillars, beetles, and spiders as beingthe main food resource for grassland bird hatchlings. Graph 1 compares the total abundance of these in-sects for July samples between treated and non-treated fields. Treated fields had an insect abundance of2,951 and non-treated fields had an abundance of 1,021. Graph 2 compares the biomass, or dry weight,of the same insects. Treated fields have nearly three times more biomass than non-treated fields.

    Insect Abundance

    Treated Vs. Non Treated Fields

    0

    500

    10001500

    2000

    2500

    3000

    3500

    Treated Not Treated

    A

    b

    u

    n

    d

    an

    ce

    Insect Biomas

    Treated Vs. Non Treated Fields

    0

    5

    10

    15

    20

    25

    Treated Not Treated

    Biom

    ass

    (m

    g)

    Graph 1. Abundance of insects favored by grassland birdsin treated (disked/interseeded) and unmanaged fields.

    Graph 2. Biomass (dry weight) of insects favored bygrassland birds in treated (disked/interseeded) and un-managed fields.

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    Jamie Bachmann, Oklahoma State Universi ty, Scott Taylor, Nebraska Game and ParksCommission and Lucas Negus, Oklahoma State University.

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    Ring-neck Pheasant Habitat Selection and Productivity inLandscapes Containing Disked and Interseeded CRP in

    Northeast Nebraska

    Ty Mathews and Larkin PowellUniversity of Nebraska - Lincoln

    A decline in the quality and quantity of ring-necked pheasant nesting and brood-rearing habitat hasbeen hypothesized as a major factor limiting population growth in the Great Plains. ConservationReserve Program (CRP) was thought to reestablish this valuable habitat, but population responsewas smaller than anticipated. Pheasant populations in Nebraska rose in the first 5-6 years of CRPthen declined thereafter. This decline is thought to be due to the change of vegetation compositionn these fields. Newly planted CRP fields (5 to 6 years) contain a high diversity of grasses, forbs, leg-umes, and annual weeds with an abundance of bare ground needed by nesting pheasant hens andtheir broods. Older fields (>6 years) are characterized by dense monoculture of grass with little bareground and thick litter. Disking and interseeding forbs into older CRP fields re-create the conditionsfound in the newly planted fields.

    Objectives Compare habitat use of pheasant hens and their broods in CRP fields that have been disked and

    interseeded to unmanaged CRP fields and other grasslands Compare chick survival in CRP fields that have been disked and interseeded to unmanaged CRP

    fields and other grasslands Determine the insect diet of pheasant chicks in all field types

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    MethodsFifty-five pheasant hens were caught and fitted with a necklace type radio-transmitter in 2005 aanother 50 will be caught in 2006. Vehicles mounted with null-peak antenna-receivers will be usto estimate the location of each hen two times a day during nesting and brood rearing periods. each nest site and brood location vegetation composition and density will be taken. Along wvegetation analysis, feces from the chicks will be collected and processed with a protein electrophresis to identify the invertebrates in the chicks diet. The survival of the chicks will be estimated flushing the chicks 28 days after they hatch.

    Results As of June 2005, 36 of 55 hens radio tagged remain alive (65%). 18 hens have initiated nests. To date, one nest has successfully hatched.

    Last year, hens statistically preferred (P

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    Preliminary Results:Grassland bird species observed during surveys include eastern and western meadowlarks, grashopper sparrows, Henslows sparrows, Dickcissels, sedge wrens, bobolinks, field sparrows, common yellowthroats, brown-headed cowbirds, and northern harriers. Other bird species using tCRP include redwing blackbirds, barn swallows, rough-winged swallows, eastern kingbirds, malards, blue-winged teal, ring-necked pheasants, northern bobwhite, and mourning doves.

    Bird surveys from the 2004 field season indicate some important differences. Several grasslabird species, including Dickcissels and grasshopper sparrows, were more abundant in experiment

    fields than control fields. Dickcissels were 3 times more abundant in experimental fields. Expemental fields had a species richness of 24, compared to a richness of 18 in control fields. Sevedifferences between treatments were also seen in nesting behavior. Of 100 nests found throughothe field season, 88 were in experimental fields. Additionally, nest densities were 3 times greaterexperimental fields. Nest success was 37-40% in both experimental and control fields.

    Differences in vegetation characteristics were also observed. The control field vegetation was coposed of only 1.5% forbs and 2% bare ground. Conversely, experimental fields were composed 25% forbs and 25% bare ground. Litter (dead material in contact with the ground) was two times deeper control fields than experimental. Finally, vegetation height was relatively uniform in control fieldranging from 34 to 71 cm throughout the summer. Vegetation height in experimental fields vari

    greatly, from 24 to 90 cm, indicating a diversity of heights throughout the field.

    Bird surveys and nest searches resumed in May of this summer, with some slight modificationNest searches have been intensified to achieve the goal of finding 200 nests. Following this sumers field season, results from the two field seasons will be compiled, analyzed, interpreted, anreported.

    The location of CRP fields within the Focus Area that are used in the grassland bird study.

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    The Nebraska Conservation Reserve Program-Management Access Program (CRP-MAP) is aninnovative and unique approach designed to address wildlife habitat, hunting, and trapping ac-cess issues in the state. CRP-MAP is a joint effort funded by the Nebraska Game and ParksCommission, Pheasants Forever and the Nebraska Environmental Trust. The U.S. Departmentof Agriculture and private landowners also support the program.

    The access portion of CRP-MAP opens more than 184,000 acres of private land to the publicfor walk-in hunting.

    The Management portion of CRP-MAP improves wildlife habitat on CRP lands. Research showsthat habitat is the key to an abundance of any wild species. Light disking is the primary meansused in CRP-MAP to enhance wildlife habitat. Light disking promotes the growth of broad-leafedplants, which provide important food and cover for wildlife and adds to the overall diversity ofthe site. In addition to the volunteer plants that grow following the disturbance provided bylight disking, legumes like alfalfa and sweet clover are planted to improve habitat conditions.These legumes are nitrogen-rich and attract insects essential in the diet of newly hatched,ground-nesting birds like pheasants. Likewise, in CRP tracts that have been newly seeded witha permanent grass/forb mixture or in which the mixture has been recently upgraded as re-quired by USDA, these volunteer plants will dominate the site initially. CRP-MAP requires that

    this important cover component not be destroyed by mowing or spraying, but be retained toserve as wildlife habitat.

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture, acting through the Farm Service Agency and Natural Re-sources Conservation Service, has cooperated in allowing habitat management on CRP tractsadministered by the USDA program. Landowners make habitat improvements to their CRPtracts and allow walk-in public access for hunting and trapping.

    Hunting permits and habitat stamp revenue fund NGPC participation in the CRP-MAP program.Pheasants Forever funding comes from donations by its Nebraska chapters, earned throughbanquets and other local fund raising events. The Trust is funded through lottery proceeds.

    Therefore, hunters who purchase permits and habitat stamps, individuals and businesses thathave supported Pheasants Forever chapters and citizens who play the lottery, compensatelandowners.

    CRP-MAP began as a pilot program in 1997 with 20,000 acres enrolled in 28 counties. Theoverall response of hunters and participating landowners surveyed during that first year waspositive. The responsible behavior displayed by hunters and trappers has demonstrated thesoundness of CRP-MAP. Landowner acceptance of the management practices and walk-inhunting access is reflected in the growth of the program from 70,000 acres statewide in 1998 to184,000+ acres each year.

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    This program now enrolls about 15% of the available CRPacres in the state each year and is widely accepted by land

    owners, hunters and the general public.

    In the past few years, enrollment in the program has beenheld at existing levels due to budget limitations. If enactedOpen Fields legislation would allow this program to expand, enrolling additional acres to produce better wildlifehabitat.

    Year Contracts Acres Rental Payments

    2004-05 706 178,994.4 $517,787.562003-04 778 184,558.1 $597,572.80

    2002-03 796 184,710.8 $504,612.62

    2001-02 775 178,186.6 $567,319.59

    2000-01 717 156,460.3 $485,731.90

    1999-00 586 116,794.3 $379,232.06

    1998-99 484 70,599.1 $275,158.781997-98 166 19,867.2 $86,899.45

    1997-2004 5,008 1,090,170.8 $3,414,314.76

    C R P - M A P S u m m a r y

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    Legume Mixture #15.0 lbs PLS/acre

    Alfalfa ................................................3.0Red Clover........................................1.5Sweet Clover ....................................0.5

    Legume Mixture #25.0 lbs PLS/acre

    Alfalfa ...........................................3.0Sweet Clover ................................2.0

    LegumeMixture #33.85 lbs PLS/acre

    Alfalfa................................................3.0Sweet Clover ....................................0.5Black-eyed Susan ...........................0.05Illinois Bundleflower ..........................0.2

    Maximillian Sunflower.......................0.1

    Legume Mixture #46.0 lbs PLS/acre

    Alfalfa ............................................3.0Sweet Clover.................................1.0Hairy Vetch ...................................2.0

    Legume Mixture #54.25 lbs PLS/acre

    Alfalfa................................................3.0Sweet Clover ....................................1.0Maximillian Sunflower.......................0.1Black-eyed Susan ...........................0.05Purple Prairie Clover.........................0.1

    Legume Mixture #65.80 lbs PLS/acre

    Alfalfa ...........................................3.0Red Clover ...................................1.0Crimson Clover ............................1.0Alsike Clover ................................0.5Hairy Vetch...................................0.3

    Legume Mixture #73.45 lbs PLS/acre

    Alfalfa ................................................. 2.0Red Clover ......................................... 0.8Black-eyed Susan ............................ 0.05Illinois Bundleflower ........................... 0.2Lemon Mint ........................................ 0.1Showy Partridgepea........................... 0.2White Prairieclover ............................. 0.1

    Some of the costs of supplying these leg-ume mixtures have been underwritten byStar Seed Inc. and Mycogen Seed Com-pany. Their support has allowed the part-nership to establish habitat projects at re-duced costs.

    These legume mixtures have been designed to use in CRP grassstand improvements throughout Nebraska. The cost of the mix-tures range from $7.00 to $18.00 per acre.

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    K a n s a s M i d - C o n t r a c t M a n a g e m e n t P r a c t i c e s

    Kansas offers Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) participants the option of six mid-contract man-agement practices. The primary focus is to increase plant diversity, create open spaces and im-prove habitat cover in well established stands by temporarily reducing the vigor of perennial grasswhile improving CRP cover for wildlife.

    Kansas is fortunatelydominated by native grass cover on CRP acreage. Under normal establish-

    ment conditions, the cover on CRP offers the best habitat for upland birds and their broods duringthe first year of seeding. The quality of the habitat generally declines in consecutive years until thetall native perennial grass offers little for upland birds or their broods by the fourth or fifth year.

    Selection of the appropriate management practice is a management decision made by the CRP par-ticipant working in consultation with an NRCS technician, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks(KDWP) and other conservation partners. Practice selection is based upon sound conservationplanning principles that best achieves wildlife habitat improvement.

    All of the management activities are made available when the cover is considered established and inmost cases can be performed on more than one occasion but must be performed at a time when the

    benefits will outweigh the cost. Consideration to site specific factors such as erosion problems infragile areas or high risk areas of noxious weed colonization is required when planning managementpractices.

    Mid-contract Management Practices work in conjunction with other conservation partners incentiveprograms to improve wildlife cover. KDWP, Pheasants Forever (PF) and Quail Unlimited (QU) offerincentives for legume inter-seeding, CRP Wildlife Upgrades, Upland Bird Habitat Incentive Pro-grams, Food Plots, and Brood strips. KDWPs Walk In Hunting Program (WIHA) is also a popularchoice for Kansas CRP participants.

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    KDWP realized the benefits of mid-contract management practices for upland bird nesting and brorearing habitat. As such, major CRP upgrade projects have occurred in 3 of 5 administrative gions. Basically these projects provided incentives to CRP contract holders to upgrade their CRUsually a cash incentive was paid on top of the per acre payment for completing the practice. Amost all of these efforts were cooperatively funded by KDWP and PF or QU. A combination of stdisking, interseeding (mostly alfalfa) and burning were offered. Some practices were completed by tlandowners and others by contractors. Several thousand acres were treated in the past few yeamost prior to mid-contract management cost-share being available from USDA.

    The following management practices are offered in Kansas:

    Practice Available on: Operation Period

    Prescribed Burning Most Practices limited to alter-nating years

    Feb. 1 April 15

    Inter-seeding Most Practices - limited to spe-cies not established in original

    mix

    Outside of nesting season

    Light Disking 10 practices for re-enrolled andnew contracts

    After dormancy to April 15

    Brush Management CP10, not applicable on newoffers

    Outside of nesting season

    Managed Grazing CP1, CP2, CP4B, CP4D, CP10,CP18B & C

    120 day period from July 16 toNov. 12

    Managed Haying Same as managed grazing 30 day period from July 16 toAugust 15

    45

    Examples of strip disking projects from Kansas.

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    Mid Contract Management on CRPIow a Job Sheet CRP 1

    Narratives Mid-contract Management of CRP

    Practice CP1

    This practice requires management activities to maintain wildlife benefits of the practice. Managment activities may occur as early as year four and ending no later than year eight. No more thone third of the area may be treated in any given year, unless an exception is granted by NRCSother Technical Service Provider. For this practice acceptable methods may include one or a comnation of the following: Spraying to suppress existing cover, light disking, or inter-seeding to diversthe cover. No management activity may occur during the primary nesting season of May 1August 1.

    Managed haying or grazing (with applicable payment reduction) may be used to reduce duff prior to aof the management methods described above. Mid-contract management must be conducted each contract acre a minimum of one time during the contract period.

    Practice CP2

    This practice requires management activities to maintain wildlife benefits of the practice. Managment activities may occur as early as year six and ending no later than year eight. No more than othird of the area may be treated in any given year, unless an exception is granted by NRCS or othTechnical Service Provider. For this practice acceptable methods may include one or a combinatiof the following: Light disking, inter-seeding to diversify the cover or prescribed burning. If prescribburning is selected, seedings that include native forbs may benefit from a fall or dormant burn. Nmanagement activity may occur during the primary nesting season of May 15- August 1.

    Managed haying or grazing (with applicable payment reduction) may be used to reduce duff prior disking or interseeding. Mid-contract management must be conducted on each contract acre a mimum of one time during the contract period.

    Practice CP4B and CP4D (Introduced Species)

    This practice requires management activities to maintain wildlife benefits of the practice. Managment activities may occur as early as year six and ending no later than year eight. No more than othird of the area may be treated in any given year, unless an exception is granted by NRCS or othTechnical Service Provider. For this practice acceptable methods may include one or a combinatiof the following: Spraying to suppress existing cover, light disking, or inter-seeding to diversify t

    cover. No management activity may occur during the primary nesting season of May 15- Agust 1.

    Managed haying or grazing (with applicable payment reduction) may be used to reduce duff prior any of the management methods described above. Areas planted to trees or shrubs are not subjeto mid-contract management. Mid-contract management must be conducted on each contract ac(not planted to trees or shrubs) a minimum of one time during the contract period.

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    Mid Contract Management on CRPIow a Job Sheet CRP 1

    ~ Continued ~

    Practice CP4B and CP4D (Native Species)

    This practice requires management activities to maintain wildlife benefits of the practice. Manage-

    ment activities may occur as early as year six and ending no later than year eight. No more thanone third of the area may be treated in any given year, unless an exception is granted by NRCS orother Technical Service Provider. For this practice acceptable methods may include one or a com-bination of the following: Light disking, inter-seeding to diversify the cover or prescribed burning. Ifprescribed burning is selected, seedings that include native forbs may benefit from a fall or dor-mant burn. No management activity may occur during the primary nesting season of May 15-August 1.

    Managed haying or grazing (with applicable payment reduction) may be used to reduce duff prior todisking or interseeding. Areas planted to trees or shrubs are not subject to mid-contract manage-ment. Mid-contract management must be conducted on each contract acre (not planted to trees or

    shrubs) a minimum of one time during the contract period.

    Practice CP10 (Introduced)

    This practice requires management activities to maintain wildlife benefits of the practice. Contractmanagement will be required twice on every acre during the contract period, once in the years onethrough three and again starting as early as year six and no later than year eight. No more thanone third of the area may be treated in any given year, unless an exception is granted by NRCS orother Technical Service Provider. For this practice acceptable methods may include one or a com-bination of the following: Spraying to suppress existing cover, light disking, or inter-seeding to di-versify the cover. No management activity may occur during the primary nesting season ofMay 15- August 1.

    Managed haying or grazing (with applicable payment reduction) may be used to reduce duff prior toany of the management methods described above.

    Practice CP10 (Native)

    This practice requires management activities to maintain wildlife benefits of the practice. Contractmanagement will be required twice on every acre during the contract period, once in the years onethrough three and again starting as early as year six and no later than year eight. No more thanone third of the area may be treated in any given year, unless an exception is granted by NRCS orother Technical Service Provider. For this practice acceptable methods may include one or a com-

    bination of the following: Light disking, inter-seeding to diversify the cover or prescribed burning. Ifprescribed burning is selected, seedings that include native forbs may benefit from a fall or dor-mant burn. No management activity may occur during the primary nesting season of May 15-August 1.

    Managed haying or grazing (with applicable payment reduction) may be used to reduce duff prior todisking or interseeding.

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    Mid Contract Management on CRP Iow a Job Sheet CRP 1

    ~ Continued ~

    Practice CP25 (Contracts Less than 12 years)

    This practice requires management activities to maintain wildlife benefits of the practice.

    Management activities may occur as early as year six and ending no later than year eight.No more than one third of the area may be treated in any given year, unless an exceptionis granted by NRCS or other Technical Service Provider. For this practice acceptablemethod are prescribed burning or light disking. If light disking is used, interseeding with na-tive forbs is recommended. Seedings that include native forbs may benefit from a fall ordormant burn. No management activity may occur during the primary nesting seasonof May 15- August 1.

    Managed haying or grazing (with applicable payment reduction) may be used to reduce duff prto disking or interseeding.

    Practice CP25 (Contracts Greater than 12 years)

    This practice requires management activities to maintain wildlife benefits of the practice. Maagement activities will occur twice on every acre during the contract period at mid-contract bginning in year six and ending no later than year eight. The second management activity wbegin in year eleven and end no later than year thirteen. No more than one third of the aremay be treated in any given year, unless an exception is granted by NRCS or other TechnicService Provider. For this practice acceptable method are prescribed burning or light diskinglight disking is used, interseeding with native forbs is recommended. Seedings that include ntive forbs may benefit from a fall or dormant burn. No management activity may occur duing the primary nesting season of May 15- August 1.

    Managed haying or grazing (with applicable payment reduction) may be used to reduce duff prto disking or interseeding.

    Name_____________________________

    Field(s)____________________

    See attached aerial photo for areas to be treated.

    Tract______________________

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    Mid contract management on CRPIow a Job Sheet CRP 1

    Name_____________________________

    Field(s)___________________

    See attached aerial photo for areas to be treated.

    Tract______________________

    Purpose

    Mid contract management (MCM) will be conducted on certain Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)General sign up practices. The purpose of MCM is to manage established plant communities in orderto maintain an early successional stage. Management will:

    Increase plant community species and structural diversity.

    Provide wildlife habitat for those species that use early successional stage vegetative habitat. Provide habitat for declining species.

    Remove duff and control woody vegetation.

    Where does it apply?MCM is required on general CRP contracts entered into during sign up 26 or subsequent sign ups.MCM applies to CRP practices CP1, CP2, CP4B, CP4D, CP10 and CP25. MCM will be applied toevery acre at least once during the contract life.

    MCM is available for any CRP acres with these CP practices at the 50% cost share rate.

    How it helpsManaging plant communities is beneficial if not essential for less mobile animal species. The less mo-

    bile the species of wildlife, the more important it is to provide all the life cycle habitat requirements formultiple species in a small area (songbirds, quail, and pheasants).

    MCM will be designed to achieve the desired plant community in density, vertical and horizontal struc-ture, and plant species diversity needed by the targeted wildlife species.

    Methods used will be designed to maintain soil and water quality criteria.

    Used alone or in combination with other techniques, mechanical methods (prescribed burning, lightdisking, mowing, chemical application, or a combination of the above) can be used to manipulate andmaintain the desired successional habitat stages.

    MCM should be used not more than once every three years on the same location in a field.

    Options

    NRCS Standards and Specifications will be used to apply options. Applying an option may involvemultiple activities. See the applicable Standard for the activities to be completed for the chosen option.

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    Select (check) one of the following options:

    Light Disking (2-4 deep) of existing stands (four years and older) may be necessary to increathe amount of open ground and encourage a diverse plant community of annual and pennial plants. Disk between October 1 and April 30. Rotate the disked areas, eithblocks within the field or strips across the field, following the CRP conservation plan. Tdisked area should provide no more than 50 percent bare ground leaving at least 50 pcent ground cover of residue to prevent soil erosion. Follow NRCS Early SuccessionHabitat Management Standard (647).

    Use Prescribed Burning to remove excess litter, which may reduce the quality of wildlhabitat. Controlled fire can allow germination of seed bearing annuals, increase plaspecies diversity, control unwanted woody cover, and open up the stand for movementsmall animals and birds. Follow the NRCS Prescribed Burning Standard (338). Aburns must be done according to a Prescribe Burn Plans reviewed by NRCS.

    Selected Herbicides may manipulate plant succession and improve habitat diversity. Caful planning and care in application are required in the use of chemicals to improve exiing habitat. Selection of products should be based on several factors including produeffectiveness, non-target species impact, toxicological risks, and off-site movement

    chemicals. See the NRCS Pest Management Standard (595) for precautions. Not appcable to practice CP25.

    Interseeding may be used to enhance existing cover. The addition of introduced legumsuch as alfalfa, ladino or red clovers, or native legumes and forbs such black-eyed susapartridge pea, white or purple prairie clover, tick trefoil, Illinois bundle flower, etc., will adiversity and structure to existing cover. Interseeding may be used in conjunction wany of the above MCM options or used as a stand alone single MCM option. Follow the

    NRCS Conservation Cover Standard (327) for seeding dates and interseeding methods. Intseed forbs at 25-50 percent of pure seeding rate.

    No MCM option may be applied during the May 15 to August 1 primary nesting season.

    Managed haying or grazing (with 25% payment reduction) may be used to reduce duff prior to ligdisking, spraying or interseeding.

    Measures must be provided to control noxious weeds and other invasive species.

    To protect forbs and legumes that benefit native pollinators and other wildlife and provide insefood sources for grassland nesting birds, spraying or other control of noxious weeds shall done on a spot basis.

    All habitat manipulations will be planned and managed according to soil capabilities and recomendations for management that will maintain soil loss within tolerable (T) limit.

    The practice may be used to promote the conservation of declining species, including, threened and endangered (plant, wildlife, or aquatic) species.

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    IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCESWILDLIFE HABITAT ESTABLISHMENT INVOICE

    To: Iowa Department of Natural ResourcesFrom:

    Social Security or Federal ID Number:Cooperators Name:Cooperator Number:Cooperator Farm Location:

    This is to certify that the following wildlife habitat practices were established under the Departments Pheasant &Quail Restoration Program. All wildlife habitat practices were established in accordance with the specifications pro-vided by the DNR wildlife biologist.

    This form will be used to calculate all costs for which reimbursement/payment is requested. Flat rates for each wild-life habitat practice are provided below and shall be used to claim costs for any work performed by the Cooperator/Contractor. Complete costs cover all equipment, labor and materials needed to establish the practice.

    (Cooperator/Contractor Name) (Address)

    (City) (State) (Zip code)

    Wildlife Habitat Practice Contract Acres Actual Acres Cost/Acre Total Cost

    Food Plots - mowing 10.00

    Food plots prep, planting & mat. 75.00

    Food Plots - fertilizer, weed control 65.00

    Food Plots - complete 150.00

    Strip disking - pre mowing 10.00

    Strip disking - disking Fed MCM $5.60/a 35.00

    Strip disking - legume planting Fed MCM $9.88/a 35.00

    Strip disking - complete 80.00

    Natives - Initial mowing 10.00

    Natives - Initial brush mowing 20.00

    Natives - planting 35.00

    Natives - 1st mowing 10.00

    Natives - 2nd mowing 10.00

    Natives - 3rd mowing 10.00

    Native Seed (materials only) 80.00

    Natives - Complete 115.00

    Interseeding legumes 45.00

    Noxious weed control 20.00

    Prescribed burning 200.00

    Edge Feathering (linear feet) 0.30/ Lin.

    Edge Feathering (hourly rate) 40.00/hr.

    Spraying Fed MCM $8.93/a 25.00Shrub Plantings (1/3 acre) 200.00

    Burning Fed MCM $30/a

    Cost - subtotal

    DNR Incentive Payment Basedon % Cost-Share Rate

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    CRP Mid Contract Management in Minnesota

    USDA in Minnesota recently updated the cost share docket to include CRP mid-contract management practices and provided guidance to all FSA/NRCS offices and interested partners on CRmid-contract management options. Spring 2005 is the first field season to see significant use the mid-contract management burning provisions on existing CRP.

    Mid contract management options available to CRP contract holders in Minnesota include:

    Prescribed Burning Landowners may either contract burn with a vendor or complete the burthemselves (with burn permit). Burning is a preferred method to manage planted native grasseand forbs as it allows germination of annuals, increases diversity, controls undesirable woodvegetation encroachment, and opens up the stand. See NRCS practice standard PRESCRIBED BURNING (338). Burning can only be completed outside of the primary nesting season. Burn permits are required and need to be obtained by the CRP contract holder.

    Disking on introduced grasses, mechanical treatment by light disking is available to open u

    grass stands, improve cover, and increase diversity of stands.

    Inter-seeding landowners may increase diversity and greatly improve brood habitats by inteseeding legumes and forbs into existing CRP grasslands after disturbance (burning, light dising, or herbicide treatment).

    Mowing landowners may mow their grasslands to control undesirable woody vegetation ecroachment and stand reinvigoration on sites not suited to practices listed above.

    Disked and inter-seededold cool season CRP

    Unmanaged coolseason CRP

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    CRP Mid Contract Management in Minnesota

    ~ Continued ~

    Landowners interested in managing their CRP grasslands should consult their USDA Service Centerto obtain guidelines, modify conservation plans, and understand cost share rates for CRP mid-contract management. NRCS Minnesota has Jobsheet #13 entitled Forb and Legume Inter-

    seeding for Wildlife and Grassland Management which describes approved activities, frequencies,design, and management considerations for CRP. Go to http://www.mn.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/ecs/agron/crp/planform.html to download either document.

    Existing CRP (pre CRP Sign-up 29) contract holders will need to modify their conservation plan withNRCS to add mid-contract management before beginning work.

    Six Minnesota counties in partnership with local resource agencies (FSA, NRCS, SWCD, BWSR, DNR,USFWS, NGO) had landowner forums in the past several months with a focus on grassland manage-ment for wildlife and mid-contract management was included. Minnesota NRCS presented to theMinnesota Farm Bill Assistant Partnership (80 local county staff) and the Minnesota PF State Conven-

    tion about the opportunities available through CRP mid-contract management. Otherwise, little pro-motion has been completed outside of normal USDA communications.

    ncreased awareness and familiarity with the mid-contract management provisions, particularly thedisk and inter-seed practice are priorities for PF Minnesota this year. PF will continue to work withandowners and partners (USDA, DNR, USFWS, BWSR) to realize increased grassland management onall Minnesota grasslands.

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    CRP Mid Contract Management in Ohio

    In June and July of 2004, a series of Mid Contract management tours were conducted arouthe state show resource professionals and landowner different management techniques. Ttour was hosted by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Pheasants ForeveNRCS and FSA. A total of six tours were conducted for over 300 people. Tours were generaattended by representatives from NRCS, FSA, SWCD, ODNR, certified TSPs and landowners

    Available Management Options: Prescribed burning

    Disking Interseeding Chemical application No management

    Available cost share rates: $30 per acre for Prescribed burning $20 per acre for disking

    $50 per acre for disking and interseeding $30 per acre for chemical application

    The cost share rates in Ohio tend to be higher than their neighboring states. This was accoplished because higher cost share rates were sought early on in the process to try and encouage more and better Mid Contract management practices and projects on the ground.

    One of the biggest challenges facing the implementation of Mid Contract Management in Ohiogetting these projects done with all the other programs going on (CREP, CSP, CCRP, CRP, etc.).

    A series of six Mid Contract Management tours were held around the state in 2004.

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    CRP MID-CONTRACT MANAGEMENT AND BENEFITS FOR

    WILDLIFE

    Moderator: James E. Inglis

    Organizers: Peter S. Berthelsen and L. Wes Burger

    Sponsors:Pheasants Forever

    International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

    Southeastern Quail Study Group

    1:20 Eight years of upgrading CRP in Nebraska: Importance of partnerships and science.Peter S. Berthelsen

    1:40 Breeding bird response to mid-contract management practices CP11 pine plantations in the

    Southeast. L. Wes Burger

    2:00 An evaluation of management practices on native warm-season grass fields. John P. Gruchy

    2:20 Mid-contract management of CRP and pheasant habitat selection in Northeast Nebraska.Ty W. Matthews

    2:40 Native grassland restoration and renovation using herbicides.Thomas G. Barnes

    3:00 Bobwhite quail response to mid-contract CRP management- A landowner perspective.Bill White

    3:20 3:50 Break

    3:50-4:10 Grassland bird response to disking and interseeding legumes in Conservation Reserve

    Pr