NRCS and NWTF Join Forces To Improve Wildlife Habitat

an NRCS-National Wild Turkey Federation landowner workshop in Central Illinois

As Illinois’ technical assistance dollars for WHIP shrink and the demands of EQIP funds for livestock continue to grow, somewhere off in the distance are wildlife habitat opportunities. In Illinois the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) and the NRCS have partnered to help ensure that wildlife habitat enthusiasts have equal opportunity to funds, professional technical assistance, and even free seed to benefit wildlife! This partnership helps landowners in central Illinois enhance wildlife habitat on their land. This new program is available to landowners in a ten-county focus area and is available at no cost. This program does not just focus on wild turkeys, but is tailored to the landowner’s specific needs and objectives. The goal is to help landowners alter management techniques or even change the grass species on wildlife habitat areas in ways that will attract a more diverse array of wildlife.

Find out more about NRCS in Illinois.

To date, the NWTF has held five landowner workshops throughout Illinois. During field days, private landowners and resource managers spend time with resource professionals and learn about timber management, prescribed fire, planting food plots, the importance of water for wildlife and other NWTF and NRCS programs. NWTF offers free planning assistance as well, with wildlife biologists on hand to work one-on-one with landowners and develop a detailed management plan. Once landowners have a detailed wildlife management plan written, they may even be eligible for wildlife seed mixes at no cost.

This partnership offers valuable information and resources for landowners who long for more biodiversity on CRP ground or other areas that over the course of the contract may have lost value as habitat.
Your contacts are Bob Hotchkiss, NWTF, at 803-637-3106, ext 3811 or John Kube, private consultant, at 217-632-2441.