Statewide Quail Habitat Restoration Initiative (QHRI) - FY 2008

Program Description

Northern Bobwhites (quail) have declined throughout much of Oklahoma due to habitat loss and fragmentation. This decline of what many described as an icon of rural living prompted the development of a 5-year initiative in 2007 to advance restoration efforts. 

The Quail Habitat Restoration Initiative will continue to operate under the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) in 2008 to provide cost-share and incentive payments to landowners willing to restore and manage quail habitat. Restoration efforts will center on “Focal Areas” that have been identified as having a high potential for eliciting population growth and expansion.

Conservation efforts are intended to provide multiple benefits to agriculture production, water quality and habitat restoration to other wildlife species of special concern. Many restoration efforts parallel the conservation needs assessment of producers in the target areas.

Quail Habitat Focal Areas

Habitat suitability for quail was modeled using Geographic Information System (GIS). GIS aided in identifying areas where restoration efforts are deemed to be most likely to succeed. The Suitability Model along with discussions with resource professionals, and information on local conservation needs, agriculture production, USDA program activity, threat of conversion and partnership opportunities were used in identifying Focal Areas. A Focal Area was identified within five of the Bird Conservation Regions (BCR) to deliver regional restoration, enhance partner-ship opportunities and abide by the habitat and population goals set forth in the Northern Bobwhite Conservation Initiative.

The following document requires Adobe Acrobat.
 
Map of Quail Habitat Focal Areas (PDF; 40 KB)

Central Hardwoods Focal Area

• Adair, Cherokee, and Delaware counties

Eastern Tall Grass Prairie Focal Area

• Craig and Mayes counties

Mixed Grass Prairie Focal Area

• Custer, Dewey, Ellis, Harper, Major, Roger Mills, Woods, and Woodward counties

Oaks and Prairies Focal Area

• Bryan, Coal, Johnston, Murray, and Pontotoc counties

Western Gulf Coastal Plain & Ouachitas Focal Area

• Coal, Hughes, and Pittsburg counties

Eligibility

To be eligible a landowner must have land located within the emphasis area. If a landowner has land that falls outside of the emphasis area but is contiguous with land under the same ownership within the emphasis area that land is still eligible. Conservation practices in croplands can be applied when they provide a corridor to link (within ¼ mile) existing native plant communities in excess of 80 acres each. 

Contacts

Last Reviewed/Modified: 05/16/2008

< Back to the previous page