Wildlife - WFW - Watershed, Fish, Wildlife, Air & Rare Plants

Success Stories

The USDA Forest Service Wildlife program Initiatives have many success stories. The purpose for the initiative programs is to:

protect and restore native habitats important for conserving biodiversity;
manage habitats in a manner that meets public demand for hunting and wildlife viewing/appreciation.

Idaho Wildlife Habitat/Highway Connectivity - Recently Completed
Idaho Habitat Connectivity effort. Over 200 participants were involved – including many Forest Service employees. The effort was funded by Idaho Transportation Department and Idaho Fish and Game. Bill Ruediger (Retired FS) facilitated the sessions and provided the linkage assessment methodology, which has been in progress for about 8 years. This process uses existing information stored and shared in a GIS format. Geodata Services (Missoula Montana) provided the GIS data and GIS facilitation. We developed the linkages by Idaho Transportation Department Region. The process takes about one day per Region, which have on average about 2,000 miles of highway. This process is relatively inexpensive and effective. It uses local knowledge and existing wildlife and highway data. It could be done anywhere in the US or Canada. Similar efforts have been done in Utah, NM, Arizona and elsewhere. The process greatly improves the chances for effective wildlife and fish mitigation on highway projects – including wildlife crossings. Most of the “high” priority wildlife linkages are on or adjacent to National Forest lands. National Forests compose the single most important wildlife habitat base in most states (certainly the western states).
More information...
Want to bring this "success story" to your state? Contact Joe Burns, USFS/WFW/Transportation Ecologist

Photograph: Redcockaded woodpecker on tree. Ouachita National Forest.
Caption: Redcockaded Woodpecker

Answer the Call Success Story :: Shortleaf Symposium Paper In Press
The fire-dependent shortleaf pine-bluestem ecological community had nearly disappeared by 1970. Today we can celebrate this great restoration success story from the Ouachita. The Answer the Call initiative was a key partner in the restoration. Quail Unlimited stepped in to fund implementation, monitoring and research from beginning to end. The Answer the Call Committee toured the project area a few years ago. Committee members were so impressed with the level of community involvement, integration of multiple staff areas, and commitment of the Forest toward this project that they agreed to continue funding shortleaf pine ecosystem restoration. At Quail Unlimited National Conventions, Larry Hedrick was presented the 2005 Answer the Call Distinguished Service Award. Warren Montague, Wildlife Biologist on the Poteau Ranger District received the same award in 2001. The entire Committee commends the employees of the Quachita for their efforts, their willingness to break new ground and to truly Answer the Call! Read all about it in the “in press” symposium paper.

Shortleaf Pine-Bluestem Restoration in the Ouachita National Forest PDF 1.5 MB

Full Story in USFS “Success Stories” database.

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