Western Gulf Coastal Plains and Ouachitas Quail Habitat Restoration Emphasis Area

Program Information

Northern Bobwhites (quail) have declined throughout much of Oklahoma due to habitat loss and fragmentation at a landscape level. In an effort to slow and potentially reverse this decline we have designated watersheds in the Western Gulf Coastal Plain and Ouachitas Bird Conservation Region (BCR), that have the potential to show the best response to our management efforts. These decisions were developed with the aid of area resource professionals, local landowners providing input, and GIS habitat-modeling. Brush Management (314) and Prescribed Grazing (528) will be the most used practices. Brush Management will focus on thinning dense stands of hardwoods, to restore savanna conditions, and eliminating Eastern Red Cedar. Prescribed Grazing will be used to maintain residual plant height for nesting cover and to facilitate Prescribed Burning (338).

The Western Gulf Coastal Plains and Ouachitas Quail Habitat Restoration Initiative (QHRI) emphasis area is located in three counties:  Coal, Hughes, and Pittsburg. The 11-digit watersheds in these counties to be included are: Atwood-Calvin Tribs, Lamar Laterals, and Upper Muddy Boggy.

The following document requires Adobe Acrobat.

Western Gulf Coastal Plains and Ouachitas QHRI Emphasis Area Project Description (PDF; 36 KB)

Eligibility and Application Process

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 and is contiguous with land under the same ownership within the emphasis area that land is still eligible. Conservation practices in pastures, hay land, and croplands can be applied when they provide a corridor to link (within ¼ mile) existing native plant communities in excess of 80 acres each.

Applications will be accepted on a continuous basis, but only those received by November 1, 2007 will be considered for this initial application ranking and selection period.  Funding selections will be made on or before December 11, 2007, exclusively from those applications received and ranked.

The following documents require Adobe Acrobat.

General Map of Western Gulf Coastal Plains and Ouachitas QHRI Emphasis Area (PDF; 24 KB)

Detailed Map of Western Gulf Coastal Plains and Ouachitas QHRI Emphasis Area (PDF; 172 KB)

Since this project is a landscape level effort, emphasis will be given for project size, habitat diversity, proximity to protected habitat, and for certain practices.  Minimum criteria include following Brush Management (314) with Prescribed Grazing (528) and follow a grazing management plan.

The following document requires Adobe Acrobat.

Western Gulf Coastal Plains and Ouachitas QHRI Emphasis Area Ranking Criteria (PDF; 7 KB)

Eligible Practices and Payment Rates

The list of eligible conservation practices and associated practice payment rates is shown below.

The following document requires Adobe Acrobat.

Statewide EQIP Practice Payment Rates (PDF; 36 KB)

Contacts

For additional information and assistance, contact your local NRCS Field Service Center.

Last Reviewed/Modified: 10/28/2008

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