Properties help protect and expand the state’s remaining grasslands
Quail Forever is proud to announce the dedication of two new public land areas in Missouri. The properties were acquired by Quail Forever through the Build a Wildlife Area® program and handed over to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) for management. The two parcels total nearly 250 acres of new public access in northwest Missouri. The dedication took place on The Nature Conservancy’s expansive Dunn Ranch Prairie, which is intensively managed for intact tallgrass prairie, bobwhite quail, bison, prairie chickens and more.
“The partnership between Quail Forever, the MDC and The Nature Conservancy is far reaching and impactful,” said Eric Sytsma. “We cannot do this alone. Anybody who spends ten minutes out here will understand why this is important and why we need to protect it. Being a part of the team that protects these landscapes is truly a privilege.”
Both parcels are in MDC’s Grand River Grasslands Priority Geography, an area of core focus for bobwhite quail conservation. It also lies within a core Working Lands for Wildlife priority area. Less than one percent of Missouri’s original prairie remains, according to MDC. This makes parcels such as these vital to not only protect, but enhance.
“These properties are open to the public as they are right now,” said Andrew White, Missouri state coordinator for Quail Forever. “There is a lot of wildlife out there already, but it will take some time to get them back to what we have envisioned for the properties.”
Build a Wildlife Area is Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s signature habitat protection program delivering strategic acquisitions to conserve habitat and increase public hunting access. The program strives to create functional landscapes supporting wild, sustainable populations of upland birds and other wildlife, while providing ancillary benefits to natural resources and communities. Since 1982, the program has permanently protected more than 238,000 acres of publicly accessible habitat in 17 states.
The funding of this acquisition was made possible by the MDC as well as multiple donations from Missouri chapters and members through the Build a Wildlife Area Program. This acquisition is a prime example of how Quail Forever is delivering on their mission as the Habitat Organization. Through collaboration with state agencies, private landowners, non-government organizations and local chapters, Quail Forever is hard at work making sure the future of upland birds is bright.
To learn more about how Quail Forever’s private and public lands efforts work together and to get connected to financial and technical assistance through programs such as Working Lands for Wildlife, contact a Quail Forever biologist or visit a local USDA-NRCS Service Center.