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the litter buildup, increasing the diversity, creating open area on the ground and
enhancing plants that attract insects.
Table of Contents
Notes ........................................................................................................58
The CRP Mid Contract Management Tours conducted in 2004 and 2005 are just some of many efforts
focused on improving the wildlife benefits associated with CRP grass stands. Sharing information
with landowners and biologists is an important part of Focus On Pheasants, CRP-MAP and CRP Mid
Contract Management.
2
3
This photo shows the location of the Focus On Pheasants - Focus Area located
within Stanton County, Nebraska. This 32-square mile area was selected as a fo-
cus area in the state based on the amount of CRP tracts in the area (shown in gold
and purple), CRP tracts enrolled into the CRP-MAP program, interest in the area
landowners in participating in the program and the historical number of pheasants
in the area.
Those tracts highlighted in gold have had some form of Mid Contract Manage-
ment performed on them since the spring of 2003. The tracts highlighted in pur-
ple have not had management performed on them due to the presence of a his-
torical noxious weed problem, the need for control areas with the research pro-
jects being conducted or landowners not wanting to participate in the program.
4
Focus Area Timeline
2002
• Written in collaboration among NGPC, PF and NRCS biologists, the Focus On Pheasants
plan was approved by the NGPC Board of Commissioners in May.
• Selected Focus Areas (See page 16 for a complete list of all Focus Areas in the state).
• Discuss objectives and coordinate efforts between NGPC, PF, FSA (local staff, county committee,
and state office staff), NRCS (local and state office staff) and area landowners.
• Hired one full-time biologist position (1-year contract) to implement the plan.
• Designed evaluation procedures.
• Began making landowner contacts.
2003
• Disked and interseeded 1,000 acres on 37 different tracts of land owned by 24 different land-
owners.
• Conducted spring pheasant crowing surveys.
• Initiated pilot study on the grassland bird response to disking and interseeding.
• Conducted August roadside pheasant brood surveys.
• Conducted habitat tours of the focus area for NGPC, PF, local FSA and NRCS and area land-
owners. Discussed the results and landowner satisfaction.
• Monitored noxious weed response and spot treated by spraying 1,000 acres – some landown-
ers did this themselves.
• Applied for and received a State Wildlife Grant to initiate a Grassland Bird Study. The study
will be conducted through Oklahoma State University to monitor response to habitat work.
• Enrolled 780 acres of CRP in the focus area into the CRP-MAP access program.
2004
• Disk and interseeded additional 1,100 acres on 44 tracts of land owned by 26 landowners.
• Conducted spring pheasant crowing counts.
• Began Grassland Bird Study.
• Initiated pilot pheasant telemetry study to determine nesting and brood rearing habitat prefer-
ences.
• Initiated insect study to measure response to uniform management treatments.
• Hosted the 1st CRP Mid Contract Management Tour in August.
• Conducted August roadside pheasant brood surveys.
• Monitored noxious weed response and spot treated by spraying 2,100 acres.
• Enrolled additional 240 acres of CRP into the CRP-MAP walk-in access program.
5
Focus Area Timeline
2005
• Disked and interseeded 100 additional acres.
• Initiated a demonstration of Glyphosate herbicide application and interseeding legumes.
• Initiated a demonstration of Select® herbicide on brome that had been disked and interseeded
in previous years.
• Initiated a demonstration prescribed burn and interseeding legumes.
• Conducted spring crow counts.
• Began Pheasant Telemetry Project to monitor response by radio collaring 50 pheasant hens.
The study is conducted through the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.
• Second year of Grassland Bird Study.
• Conduct August roadside pheasant brood survey.
• Monitor noxious weeds and spot treat by spraying and chopping 2,300 acres.
• Conduct 2nd Mid-Contract Management Tour in June.
• Conduct 2nd Twilight Habitat Tour in July.
• 2 Stanton County Landowners – Dale Clark and Al Platt receive recognition for FOP efforts at
Pheasant Fest in Omaha.
• Expanded individual field demonstrations to most counties in northeast Nebraska.
• Presented Grassland Bird and Pheasant Telemetry preliminary results at annual meeting of
The Wildlife Society.
2006
• Continue monitoring the management techniques being applied in the study area.
• Completed 2nd year of pheasant telemetry study.
• Conduct additional demonstrations of different mid-contract management techniques.
• Conduct field tours and presentations of data.
• Presented Grassland Songbird study results at the Perdix meeting.
• Presented Grassland Songbird and Pheasant Telemetry study results at annual State Habitat
Meeting.
6
CRP Mid Contract Management
~ Observations and Opinions ~
7
CRP Mid Contract Management
~ Observations and Opinions ~
8
CRP Mid Contract Management
~ Observations and Opinions ~
Noxious Weeds
• Noxious weeds were identified as an issue to be addressed in the planning of Focus On Pheasant
activities. The plants on Nebraska’s noxious weed list that were anticipated to be of concern in-
cluded musk, plumeless, and Canada thistles.
• CRP tracts with a history of thistle problems and where thistle seeds were present in the seed
bank were more problematic than tracts with limited thistle history. When thistle problems oc-
curred on CRP tracts that had been disked and interseeded with legumes as part of the Focus On
Pheasants project, appropriate treatments were applied.
• Those treatments included hand chopping, spot shredding, and spot spraying with appropriate her-
bicides. If thistle problems were widespread over a large area, then a blanket application of appro-
priate herbicide that was labeled for legumes and/or shredding of affected areas were treatments
that provided acceptable results.
• Communication and cooperation among all involved entities were the key to resolving noxious
weed problems on CRP tracts while still developing and maintaining desired vegetative diversity
provided by the interseeded legumes.
• The key message here is that if an area had a known history of noxious weeds prior to its enroll-
ment in CRP, Mid Contract Management activities will bring those noxious weeds out again. Any
activities that disturb the soil will allow those early successional stage plants to reappear.
9
CRP Mid Contract Management
~ Observations and Opinions ~
Haying and Spraying recommendations developed for use in the Focus On Pheasants partnership by Jim Brown,
Natural Resource Specialist, US Army Corps of Engineers Republican City, NE.
10
CRP Mid Contract Management
~ Observations and Opinions ~
Final Thoughts
• Cost share rates, generally speaking, are too low. Even for landowners that seriously desire to
see habitat improvement and for those that are only conducting this work as a requirement of
CRP, this will be viewed as a financial burden or will result in sub par results due to lack of
awareness.
• There are very few certainties in life…...two that can be applied to CRP Mid Contract Manage-
ment are:
1). You can’t ever kill off smooth bromegrass with any amount of disking.
2). If you had noxious weeds before enrollment in CRP, they will show up
again following disking.
• While USDA technical guides are pretty complete at describing maximum management efforts
(how deep to disk, how many passes, percent reside, etc.), they are generally weak on outlining the
minimum management efforts required to accomplish the desired results.
11
Focus On Pheasants
Focus On Pheasants is a partnership effort formed in 2002 that brings to-
gether a unique combination of Federal, State and Local government agen-
cies, conservation groups, private industry and landowners.
This combination of groups have come together in an effort to improve mature grass stands
throughout the state and provide better pheasant habitat. The average CRP field in Nebraska is
now 16 years old and has had little or no management performed on it during the life of its con-
tract.
The primary focus of this partnership has been to increase the wildlife habitat quality and diversity
of CRP grass stands using the following management tools:
• Controlled burns
• Interseeding legumes
• Disking
• Chemical herbaceous vegetation control
• Haying
13
Focus On Pheasants
Dixon County
Stanton County
14
Kimball County
A mid-contract management activity for the purpose of improving plant diversity and wildlife habitat conditions must be con-
ducted a minimum of one time during the contract period. CP-10 areas require a minimum of two management activities, at
contract beginning and mid-contract. CP-25 prairie areas in Vegetative Zones III & IV require a minimum of two management
activities on contracts longer than 10 years. Refer to appropriate FOTG standard and Nebraska Conservation Planning Sheet
20 for specifications associated with each practice and other details.
Acres enrolled into CP-3, CP-3A, and CP-11 shall utilize guidance provided under “Tree Planting/Forestry” for Continuous CRP
and CREP Practices. No management is required for acres enrolled into CP-12 (Food Plots) but proper maintenance is re-
quired to meet the purposes of that practice.
Chemical Her- CP1-Introduced Grasses 643 Managed Haying***, Prescribed Burning, or Vegetative Zones III & IV -
baceous Vege- and Legumes Restoration & Mowing/Shredding may also be needed to every 3-5 years once
tation Control ** CP2-Native Grasses Management of remove excessive residue prior to herbi- established;
CP4B/4D-Permanent Wild- Declining Habi- cide application. Vegetative Zones I & II -
life Habitat tats Not a substitute for noxious weed control or every 5-7 years once
CP10-Vegetative Cover and weed control during establishment. established.
Already Established 647 Broadcast seeding is only allowed if tillage is
CP25-Rare and Declining Early Succes- completed prior to, or following seeding
Habitats (prairie sites sional Habitat and seeding rates are doubled.
16
GENERAL CRP PRACTICE
~ Continued ~
* Management activities may be conducted and cost-shared more frequently than the required interval, provided that the
activity is technically justified, improves wildlife habitat, and is not prohibited by 2-CRP paragraph 484.
** Interseeding of desired legumes or native grasses and/or forbs is recommended and can be cost-shared in conjunction
with this activity.
*** Managed Haying used in conjunction with tillage/interseeding or chemical herbaceous vegetation control can be util-
ized when necessary to remove excessive residue. Haying will result in a CRP program payment reduction. Managed
haying, by itself, will not provide the necessary vegetative response to meet the CRP management intent. Lands en-
rolled in CP-25 are not currently eligible for managed haying.
Note: High-intensity/short-duration grazing, if technically justified, may be substituted for, or used in conjunction with,
these management options. The primary area where this is applicable is western Nebraska and the Sandhills region.
Grazing will result in a CRP payment reduction. Managed grazing strategies other than high-intensity/short-duration will
not, by themselves, provide the necessary vegetative response to meet the CRP management intent. Lands enrolled in
CP-25 are not currently eligible for managed grazing.
Early Successional Habitat Management (tillage) shall not be conducted within 50 feet of property boundaries without the
approval of the adjacent landowner or within 50 feet of field boundaries along State and County improved roads and
17
EARLY SUCCESSIONAL HABITAT DEVELOPMENT/MANAGEMENT (647)-1
CODE 647
18
EARLY SUCCESSIONAL HABITAT DEVELOPMENT/MANAGEMENT (647)-1
This standard is not to be used where plant communi- Managing for early successional plant communi-
ties considered as rare and declining will be adversely ties is beneficial if not essential for less mobile
impacted. Refer to the Restoration and Management animal species. The less mobile the species, the
of Declining Habitats (643) standard and specification. more important to provide all the habitat require-
ments in a small area.
19
S-647a-1
PRACTICE SPECIFICATION
DISKING
1. SCOPE
Grass and/or legume seedings that have been established for many years can lose
vigor, productivity, and species diversity. Such stands are sometimes described as be-
ing “sod-bound” and usually have very little open soil surface between plants. Plants
may have low stature or produce less than normal amounts of seed or leaf material and
typically are dominated by only a few, or even one, perennial species. Annual plants
are generally absent.
The use of this activity on native prairie sites is generally not recommended. If used,
methods to maintain the integrity of the site need to be considered.
2. SITE LIMITATIONS
Disking will generally not be prescribed for areas of concentrated flow such as water-
ways, within 30 feet of streams and wetlands, sandy or bare sites with very little surface
residue or vegetative cover, sites with slopes greater than 20%, or sites with an ex-
tremely high risk of colonization by noxious weeds. Disking should not be conducted if
poor soil moisture conditions are likely to delay plant regrowth and seed germination.
Disking on sloping ground will be done on the contour. Multiple equipment passes are
acceptable. To prevent excessive (greater than T) water erosion, sites with slopes
greater than 9% and areas within 100 feet of streams and wetlands will maintain a mini-
NE T. G. 552
Section IV
NRCS-SEPTEMBER 2004
20
S-647a-2
Exceptions are allowed if wider strips are justified and documented through the use of
current erosion prediction tools. The width of the undisturbed area between disked
strips will be 20 feet or greater.
200 feet 9 to 11
150 feet 12 to 15
100 feet 16 to 20
Maximum depth for nonsandy sites dominated by smooth brome, switchgrass, or reed
canarygrass will be 6 inches if slopes are equal to or less than 9%. Maximum depth
for all other sites will be 4 inches.
4. DISKING DATES
Disking may be done between July 15 and May 1 and will be prescribed at the opti-
mum time to achieve desired results. Disking between August 15 and September 15
appears optimal for aggressive, sod-forming grasses to prevent immediate response
(re-growth within exposed soils) under optimum growing conditions. For sites where
erosion is of concern, such as sandy sites, or where specific, undesirable weeds may
be problematic such as downy brome, sandbur, etc., disturbance in early
spring is recommended.
Produce seeds that are consumed by birds and small mammals or;
Provide forage for insects preferred by birds and small mammals or;
Provide cover that hides young wildlife (especially upland game bird chicks) but that
still has sufficiently low plant stem densities to allow easy chick movement.
21
S-647a-3
Monitor wildlife use to determine practice success and to better prescribe future habitat
management activities.
NE T. G. 552
Section IV
NRCS-SEPTEMBER
22
S-647a-4
NE T. G. 552
Section IV
NRCS-SEPTEMBER 2004
23
S-647a-5
Single
Species Vegetative Species
Site Adaptability
Zone Seeding
Rate 1
Alfalfa Statewide All Except Wet Sites 3.0 to 5.0
Sweet Clover Statewide Adapted to Most Sites 2.0 to 4.0
Red Clover III, IV Loamy, Fertile Soils 2.0 to 4.0
White Clover (Ladino) II, III, IV Avoid Dry, Sandy Soils 0.5 to 1.0
Alsike Clover III, IV Moist and Wet Soils 0.5 to 1.5
Strawberry Clover I, II Moist, High pH Soils 1.5 to 3.0
Crownvetch III, IV Infertile Poor Soils 4.0 to 8.0
Hairy Vetch I, II, III Sandy Soils - Aggressive 5.0 to 10.0 *
Cicer Milkvetch I, II, III High pH, Calcareous Soils 3.5 to 7.0
Sainfoin I, II Dry, Calcareous Soils 10.0 to 20.0 *
Birdsfoot Trefoil IV Adaptable to Many Sites 1.5 to 3.0
Maximillian Sunflower Statewide Native Forb–Aggressive 1.0 to 2.0 *
Purple Prairieclover Statewide Native Legume 2.0 to 4.0
Canada Milkvetch Statewide Native Legume 2.0 to 4.0
Illinois Bundleflower III, IV Native Legume-Moist Soils 5.0 to 10.0 *
Showy Partridgepea II, III, IV Native Legume–Annual 5.0 to 10.0 *
1
Rates provided are for pounds of pure live seed per acre drilled as a single species.
Reduce rates proportionately when using two or more species in a mixture.
Rates will be doubled if broadcast.
* Recommended seeding rates have been reduced from amounts noted in Section II, FOTG –
Pasture and Hayland Interpretations, Table 2. Pure Live Seeding Rates and MLRA Adaptation – due
to aggressive nature and/or high cost of extensive seeding rates.
NE T. G. 552
Section IV
NRCS-SEPTEMBER 2004
24
Is This Good or Bad?
The interpretation of the results from Mid Contract Management activities is often
left to the eye of the beholder. Wildlife Biologists will look at this field and see an
abundance of broad-leaved forbs, open areas on the ground, no noxious weeds
present, plants that attract insects for young chicks and lots of diversity…….just
what we are looking for from CRP Mid Contract Management activities!
A landowner or neighbor that is unprepared for these results may have an entirely
different opinion of the management activity results. Taking the time to determine
landowner goals and objectives and the history of the site will add to the wildlife
benefits created above by preparing landowners for the expected results.
25
In the Focus On Pheasant “Focus Area” located in Stanton County, several research projects have
been started in the last few years to begin to document the wildlife and vegetative responses to CRP
grass stand treatments.
27
Insect and Vegetation Responses to Disking and Interseeding Legumes on
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Fields in Eastern Nebraska
Background
In the spring of 2000, the Wildlife Division of Nebraska Game and Parks recognized the need for information regarding the effects of
light disking and interseeding with regard to pheasant brood habitat components on CRP fields. These management actions are re-
quired on CRP fields enrolled in the Commission’s CRP-Management Access Program (CRP-MAP). The goal of management is to im-
prove nesting and brood rearing habitat on portions of these fields. The most important desired improvement was an increase in insect
abundance. Pheasants and many other grassland birds depend heavily upon insects in their diets during the summer. Desired vegeta-
tive improvements included increases in visual obstruction, plant diversity, and canopy coverage measurements. We sampled insects
and vegetation in portions of CRP fields with and without the disking and interseeding treatment to determine the effects of this manage-
ment technique.
Methods
We sampled 4 different field types. 1) CRP fields planted to cool season grasses, with a portion of the field disked and interseeded with
legumes (alfalfa, yellow sweetclover, and/or red clover), 2) CRP fields planted to warm season grasses, with a portion of the field disked
and interseeded with legumes, 3) either cool or warm season CRP fields with a portion of the field planted to a high diversity seed mix-
ture (CP-25), and 4) native prairie hay fields. Transects were located > 20 m from field borders and ran parallel to the edge. We used
sweep nets to collect insects. We made 50 sweeps along each transect.
Highlights of Results
We acquired samples from 22 fields. In CRP fields, insect abundance was higher in treatment portions of both cool season and warm
season fields. Insect abundance in CP-25 plantings was similar to those in control portions of the fields.
Line to line variability in insect abundance was relatively high but field to field variability was relatively low. This suggested an uneven
distribution of insects within fields. If future sampling is done, an increased number of sample lines per field is suggested to reduce vari-
ability of mean abundance measurements.
Significant increases in both visual obstruction (height and density) and forb (broad-leafed plants) to grass ratios were observed on both
cool season and warm season CRP fields that were disked and interseeded with legumes. Litter (dead plant material) decreased signifi-
cantly after treatment.
This technique quickly improved nesting habitat (structurally) for pheasants and many other grassland dependent bird species. The re-
duction in litter and increase in insect abundance appears to have made these tracts more attractive for foraging and brood rearing as
well. As such, this technique shows promise for improving wildlife habitat on older CRP stands that have lost vegetative diversity.
28
Table 1. Mean biomass (g) of invertebrates sampled in several herbaceous community types in Nebraska during summer,
2000. Measurements represent the total biomass collected along 3 50-m transects per field; sample sizes are the
number of fields.
Interseeded or High
Untreated Portion of Field Diversity Portion of Field
Pheasants are early-successional species, relying heavily on a combination of grasses and weedy
forbs to produce seed and insect food sources. In particular, pheasant hens and chicks are heav-
ily dependant on insects as a primary food source during spring nesting and summer brood-
rearing. Hens must eat insect foods to meet their needs for high levels of calcium and protein to
produce eggs. Pheasant chicks are almost solely dependant on insects throughout their first sum-
mer to meet their needs for high calorie, high protein foods to reach maturity by winter. As
grasses grow, they tend to choke out these weedy forb species and can become nearly pure
stands of a single grass species, leaving pheasants and other birds without the food sources and
diversity they need to fully reach their population potential.
Nebraska’s CRP-Management Access Program is a joint program of Pheasants Forever and the
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission that promotes management of aging CRP grasslands to
set back grass growth and encourage reestablishment of forb species. The specific management
practice that is used for this program is light disking and interseeding legumes (typically alfalfa,
sweetclover, and red clover).
Some of the highlights of a 2001 & 2002 study on the CRP-MAP program’s management prac-
tices are presented below.
Invertebrates:
Managed fields had a much higher availability of insects and invertebrates than idle fields. The
increase was particularly pronounced in the native grass stands. Idle native grasses had the low-
est overall availability of invertebrates, translating into the least available food source for pheasant
chicks. However, managed native grasses had the highest availability of invertebrates and the
most food sources for chicks. Although less pronounced than in the natives, brome fields also
had more invertebrates when managed than when left idle.
29
Available invertebrates
3000
2500
Biomass (mg)
2000
Idle
1500
Managed
1000
500
0
Brome Native
Idle 1918.9 531.6
Managed 2334.3 2757.7
Again, the percentage of forbs in idle fields was extremely low (<5%
in brome and <10% in natives) compared to the percentage in man-
aged fields (36% in brome and 28% in natives). Total % forb cover
weeds than would occur naturally in idle fields. The average in all 15
Managed
30
Insect Response to Disking and Interseeding Legumes on
Conservation Reserve Program Lands in Northeast Nebraska
Jamie Bachmann, Oklahoma State University, Scott Taylor, Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission and Lucas Negus, Oklahoma State University.
Insects are important food resources for many grassland birds. A survey was conducted in 2004 to deter-
mine insect abundance, biomass and diversity in treated vs. untreated fields as part of the Grassland Bird
Study in the Stanton County Focus On Pheasants study area.
Eight of the sixteen fields used for the grassland bird study were chosen randomly for insect sampling. Of
those eight, four were disked and interseeded with yellow sweet clover, alfalfa, and red clover; and four
were control fields that received no treatment. Using a sweep net, three sub-samples of twenty sweeps
each were taken along 200 meter transects within each field. Samples were preserved sorted, identified,
dried, and weighed for biomass over the fall and winter of 2004-2005.
Preliminary statistics have been preformed to compare insect samples between treated and untreated
fields. Previous research has shown grasshoppers, butterflies, caterpillars, beetles, and spiders as being
the main food resource for grassland bird hatchlings. Graph 1 compares the total abundance of these in-
sects for July samples between treated and non-treated fields. Treated fields had an insect abundance of
2,951 and non-treated fields had an abundance of 1,021. Graph 2 compares the biomass, or dry weight,
of the same insects. Treated fields have nearly three times more biomass than non-treated fields.
3500 25
3000
20
B io m a s s ( m g )
Abun dance
2500
2000 15
1500
10
1000
500 5
0
0
Treated Not Treated
Treated Not Treated
Graph 1. Abundance of insects favored by grassland birds Graph 2. Biomass (dry weight) of insects favored by
in treated (disked/interseeded) and unmanaged fields. grassland birds in treated (disked/interseeded) and un-
managed fields.
31
Ring-neck Pheasant Habitat Selection and Productivity in
Landscapes Containing Disked and Interseeded CRP in
Northeast Nebraska
Ty Mathews and Larkin Powell
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
A decline in the quality and quantity of ring-necked pheasant nesting and brood-rearing habitat has
been hypothesized as a major factor limiting population growth in the Great Plains. Conservation
Reserve Program (CRP) was thought to reestablish this valuable habitat, but population response
was smaller than anticipated. Pheasant populations in Nebraska rose in the first 5-6 years of CRP
then declined thereafter. This decline is thought to be due to the change of vegetation composition
in these fields. Newly planted CRP fields (≤5 to 6 years) contain a high diversity of grasses, forbs, leg-
umes, and annual weeds with an abundance of bare ground needed by nesting pheasant hens and
their broods. Older fields (>6 years) are characterized by dense monoculture of grass with little bare
ground and thick litter. Disking and interseeding forbs into older CRP fields re-create the conditions
found in the newly planted fields.
Objectives
• Compare habitat use of pheasant hens and their broods in CRP fields that have been disked and
interseeded to unmanaged CRP fields and other grasslands
• Compare chick survival in CRP fields that have been disked and interseeded to unmanaged CRP
fields and other grasslands
• Determine the insect diet of pheasant chicks in all field types
32
Nest Survival
1 .0 0
0 .9 8
Daily Nest Survival
0 .9 6
0 .9 4
0 .9 2
0 .9 0
In t e r s e e d e d O th e r
2005
2006
P o o le d Y e a r s
2006
Interseeded 60.0% (n=10)
Non-interseeded 33.3% (n=18)
33
Available Habitat in
Focus Area
5000
4000
IS
Hectacre
3000
2000
1000
0
CRP Crop Other Grassland Other
Habitat Type
2005 Chi-square
0 .6 = 28.07
P <.0001
0 .5
Percent
0 .4
0 .3
0 .2
0 .1
0 .0
CRP In te rs e e d e d O th e r
A v a ila b le H a b ita t
N est
34
Hen Survival
1.0
0.8
Survival
0.6
0.4
3/1/2005 4/1/2005 5/1/2005 6/1/2005 7/1/2005 8/1/2005
Nest Survival
Raw Nest Success
Interseeded: 65% (n=20)
Non-interseeded: 55% (n=20)
Other: 42% (n=7)
35
2005 Nest Site Preference
0.5
Chi-square
= 28.07
0.4
P < 0.0001
Percent
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
Interseeded CRP OG Other
Nest
Available Habitat
0.5
Chi-square
= 39.31
0.4
P < 0.0001
Percent
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
Interseeded CRP OG Other
Nest
Available Habitat
36
2005 Nest Microhabitat
70 6
60 5
Percent Cover
50
Density (dm)
4
40
3
30
2
20
10 1
0 0
CSG W SG IF OF BG VOR
Nest
Random t-test: *** denotes p < 0.001
60 5
******
***
50
4
Percent Cover
***
Density (dm)
40 ****** 3
30
2
20
1
10
0 0
CSG W SG IF OF BG VO R
N est
R andom
t-test: *** denotes p < 0.001
37
Brood Survival
AIC
Model AIC ∆AIC Weight k
year * int 36.65 0 0.34 3
int * alf 38.01 1.36 0.17 3
int 38.15 1.5 0.16 2
year * int * alf 38.44 1.79 0.14 5
No difference in
Survival 40.06 3.41 0.06 1
alf 40.46 3.81 0.05 2
year 41.17 4.52 0.04 2
Brood Survival
Int model
% Time in
Interseeded Survival 21-day
0.05 0.971 0.544
0.1 0.977 0.610
0.1946 0.984 0.716
0.2 0.985 0.721
0.25 0.987 0.767
38
Brood Microhabitat
Selection
80 5
* ***
4
60
Percent Habitat
Density (dm)
*** 3
40 *
2
20 ***
1
0 0
CS WS IF OF BG VOR
B ro o d L o ca tio n
*** denotes p < 0.001
R a n d o m L o c a tio n
T-test: * denotes p < 0.005
Conclusions
Interseeding CRP provides reproductive
benefits
Hens select interseeded CRP for nesting
Nest survival tends to be higher in
interseeded areas
39
Stanton County Focus Area Pheasant Index
Survey Information
Scott Wessel
Wildlife Biologist, Nebraska Game & Parks Commission
40
41
42
Grassland bird response to disking/interseeding of
legumes in Conservation Reserve Program lands
in Northeast Nebraska
Lucas Negus and Craig A. Davis
Oklahoma State University
Grassland bird populations are declining faster than any other group of birds. These declines have
been attributed to the loss of prairie habitat. With the tremendous losses of native prairie throughout
the Midwest, surrogate grasslands such as CRP have become increasingly more important to grass-
land wildlife. While game birds are most commonly thought of as being the main beneficiaries, non-
game grassland songbirds also benefit from CRP. Recently, several studies have attributed popula-
tion increases, or at least stable trends, in specific grassland bird species to CRP.
In May of 2002, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and Pheasants Forever, Inc. initiated a
program to curb declining ring-necked pheasant populations in the state. The program, entitled
“Focus on Pheasants,” placed an emphasis on creating nesting and brood-rearing habitat in the ag-
ing CRP fields by disking and interseeding legumes. Although improving pheasant habitat is the pri-
mary objective, grassland birds will likely benefit from the habitat manipulations as well. These habi-
tat upgrades provide an excellent opportunity to evaluate grassland bird population response to this
management practice. Funding for this study was provided through the Nebraska State Wildlife
Grant program. State Wildlife Grants provide funding for management practices and research that
benefit at-risk wildlife species.
Objectives:
• To compare grassland bird richness and abundance in CRP fields disked/interseeded to CRP
fields unmanaged.
• To compare grassland bird nest productivity in CRP fields disked/interseeded to CRP fields un-
managed.
• To evaluate differences in vegetation structure, composition, and cover between CRP fields
disked/interseeded and CRP fields unmanaged.
Beginning in May 2004, grassland bird abundance and nest productivity were sampled in 16 fields
throughout the Stanton County focus area. Eight fields were disked and interseeded and served as
experimental fields. Eight fields in which no disking and interseeding was performed serve as control
43
Results - 2004:
Grassland bird species observed during surveys include eastern and western meadowlarks, grass-
hopper sparrows, Henslow’s sparrows, Dickcissels, sedge wrens, bobolinks, field sparrows, com-
mon yellowthroats, brown-headed cowbirds, and northern harriers. Other bird species using the
CRP include redwing blackbirds, barn swallows, rough-winged swallows, eastern kingbirds, mal-
lards, blue-winged teal, ring-necked pheasants, northern bobwhite, and mourning doves.
Bird surveys from the 2004 field season indicate some important differences. Several grassland
bird species, including Dickcissels and grasshopper sparrows, were more abundant in experimental
fields than control fields. Dickcissels were 3 times more abundant in experimental fields. Experi-
mental fields had a species richness of 24, compared to a richness of 18 in control fields. Several
differences between treatments were also seen in nesting behavior. Of 100 nests found throughout
the field season, 88 were in experimental fields. Additionally, nest densities were 3 times greater in
experimental fields. Nest success was 37-40% in both experimental and control fields.
Differences in vegetation characteristics were also observed. The control field vegetation was com-
posed of only 1.5% forbs and 2% bare ground. Conversely, experimental fields were composed of
25% forbs and 25% bare ground. Litter (dead material in contact with the ground) was two times deeper in
control fields than experimental. Finally, vegetation height was relatively uniform in control fields,
ranging from 34 to 71 cm throughout the summer. Vegetation height in experimental fields varied
greatly, from 24 to 90 cm, indicating a diversity of heights throughout the field.
Bird surveys and nest searches resumed in May of this summer, with some slight modifications.
Nest searches have been intensified to achieve the goal of finding 200 nests. Following this sum-
mers field season, results from the two field seasons will be compiled, analyzed, interpreted, and
reported.
44
5
Overall Abundance 1.75
Diversity
*
4
1.5 *
1.25
3
1
2 0.75
0.5
1
0.25
0 0
Treatment Reference Treatment Reference
Species Richness
12
* Ref erence
10 Treatment
8
6
4
2
0
2004 2005
Nest Densities
5
4.5 Reference
4 Treatment
3.5
Nests/Hectare
n = 112 n = 135
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
2004 2005
45
Grassland Bird Conclusions
• Disked/interseeded fields supported higher
abundances and more species than undisked
fields
• Disking/interseeding created vegetation
response that attracted diverse assemblage of
grassland birds
• Nest densities appeared to be higher in
disked/interseeded fields, but no difference in
nest success
• Mature brome stands were still important,
particularly to Henslow’s Sparrows and
Bobolinks
Overall Conclusions
• Planted grasslands are important for wildlife
species
• Mid-contract management is important in
grass dominated, aged CRP fields
• Disking and interseeding legumes is an effective
management technique
• A wide array of wildlife (both game and non-
game) and organisms benefit from
management
• Management is needed in the future to
maintain/enhance the wildlife habitat CRP
fields provide as they progress through the life
of their contract
46
Kansas Mid-Contract Management Practices
Kansas offers Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) participants the option of six mid-contract man-
agement practices. The primary focus is to increase plant diversity, create open spaces and im-
prove habitat cover in well established stands by temporarily reducing the vigor of perennial grass
while improving CRP cover for wildlife.
Kansas is fortunately dominated by native grass cover on CRP acreage. Under normal establish-
ment conditions, the cover on CRP offers the best habitat for upland birds and their broods during
the first year of seeding. The quality of the habitat generally declines in consecutive years until the
tall native perennial grass offers little for upland birds or their broods by the fourth or fifth year.
Selection of the appropriate management practice is a management decision made by the CRP par-
ticipant working in consultation with an NRCS technician, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
(KDWP) and other conservation partners. Practice selection is based upon sound conservation
planning principles that best achieves wildlife habitat improvement.
All of the management activities are made available when the cover is considered established and in
most cases can be performed on more than one occasion but must be performed at a time when the
benefits will outweigh the cost. Consideration to site specific factors such as erosion problems in
fragile areas or high risk areas of noxious weed colonization is required when planning management
practices.
Mid-contract Management Practices work in conjunction with other conservation partners incentive
programs to improve wildlife cover. KDWP, Pheasants Forever (PF) and Quail Unlimited (QU) offer
incentives for legume inter-seeding, CRP Wildlife Upgrades, Upland Bird Habitat Incentive Pro-
grams, Food Plots, and Brood strips. KDWP’s Walk In Hunting Program (WIHA) is also a popular
choice for Kansas CRP participants.
48
KDWP realized the benefits of mid-contract management practices for upland bird nesting and brood
rearing habitat. As such, major CRP upgrade projects have occurred in 3 of 5 administrative re-
gions. Basically these projects provided incentives to CRP contract holders to upgrade their CRP.
Usually a cash incentive was paid on top of the per acre payment for completing the practice. Al-
most all of these efforts were cooperatively funded by KDWP and PF or QU. A combination of strip
disking, interseeding (mostly alfalfa) and burning were offered. Some practices were completed by the
landowners and others by contractors. Several thousand acres were treated in the past few years;
most prior to mid-contract management cost-share being available from USDA.
49
50
Mid Contract Management on CRP
Iowa Job Sheet CRP – 1
Practice CP1
This practice requires management activities to maintain wildlife benefits of the practice. Manage-
ment activities may occur as early as year four and ending no later than year eight. No more than
one third of the area may be treated in any given year, unless an exception is granted by NRCS or
other Technical Service Provider. For this practice acceptable methods may include one or a combi-
nation of the following: Spraying to suppress existing cover, light disking, or inter-seeding to diversify
the cover. No management activity may occur during the primary nesting season of May 15-
August 1.
Managed haying or grazing (with applicable payment reduction) may be used to reduce duff prior to any
of the management methods described above. Mid-contract management must be conducted on
each contract acre a minimum of one time during the contract period.
Practice CP2
This practice requires management activities to maintain wildlife benefits of the practice. Manage-
ment activities may occur as early as year six and ending no later than year eight. No more than one
third of the area may be treated in any given year, unless an exception is granted by NRCS or other
Technical Service Provider. For this practice acceptable methods may include one or a combination
of the following: Light disking, inter-seeding to diversify the cover or prescribed burning. If prescribed
burning is selected, seedings that include native forbs may benefit from a fall or dormant burn. No
management activity may occur during the primary nesting season of May 15- August 1.
Managed haying or grazing (with applicable payment reduction) may be used to reduce duff prior to
disking or interseeding. Mid-contract management must be conducted on each contract acre a mini-
mum of one time during the contract period.
Managed haying or grazing (with applicable payment reduction) may be used to reduce duff prior to
any of the management methods described above. Areas planted to trees or shrubs are not subject
to mid-contract management. Mid-contract management must be conducted on each contract acre
(not planted to trees or shrubs) a minimum of one time during the contract period.
51
Mid Contract Management on CRP
Iowa Job Sheet CRP – 1
~ Continued ~
Managed haying or grazing (with applicable payment reduction) may be used to reduce duff prior to
disking or interseeding. Areas planted to trees or shrubs are not subject to mid-contract manage-
ment. Mid-contract management must be conducted on each contract acre (not planted to trees or
shrubs) a minimum of one time during the contract period.
Managed haying or grazing (with applicable payment reduction) may be used to reduce duff prior to
any of the management methods described above.
Managed haying or grazing (with applicable payment reduction) may be used to reduce duff prior to
disking or interseeding.
52
Mid Contract Management on CRP
Iowa Job Sheet CRP – 1
~ Continued ~
Managed haying or grazing (with applicable payment reduction) may be used to reduce duff prior
to disking or interseeding.
Managed haying or grazing (with applicable payment reduction) may be used to reduce duff prior
to disking or interseeding.
Name_____________________________
Field(s)____________________
Tract______________________
53
Mid contract management on CRP
Iowa Job Sheet CRP – 1
Name_____________________________
Field(s)___________________
Tract______________________
Purpose
Mid contract management (MCM) will be conducted on certain Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
General sign up practices. The purpose of MCM is to manage established plant communities in order
to maintain an early successional stage. Management will:
• Increase plant community species and structural diversity.
• Provide wildlife habitat for those species that use early successional stage vegetative habitat.
• Provide habitat for declining species.
• Remove duff and control woody vegetation.
MCM is available for any CRP acres with these CP practices at the 50% cost share rate.
How it helps
Managing plant communities is beneficial if not essential for less mobile animal species. The less mo-
bile the species of wildlife, the more important it is to provide all the life cycle habitat requirements for
multiple species in a small area (songbirds, quail, and pheasants).
MCM will be designed to achieve the desired plant community in density, vertical and horizontal struc-
ture, and plant species diversity needed by the targeted wildlife species.
Methods used will be designed to maintain soil and water quality criteria.
Used alone or in combination with other techniques, mechanical methods (prescribed burning, light
disking, mowing, chemical application, or a combination of the above) can be used to manipulate and
maintain the desired successional habitat stages.
MCM should be used not more than once every three years on the same location in a field.
Options
NRCS Standards and Specifications will be used to apply options. Applying an option may involve
multiple activities. See the applicable Standard for the activities to be completed for the chosen option.
54
Select (check) one of the following options:
□ Light Disking (2-4” deep) of existing stands (four years and older) may be necessary to increase
the amount of open ground and encourage a diverse plant community of annual and per-
ennial plants. Disk between October 1 and April 30. Rotate the disked areas, either
blocks within the field or strips across the field, following the CRP conservation plan. The
disked area should provide no more than 50 percent bare ground leaving at least 50 per-
cent ground cover of residue to prevent soil erosion. Follow NRCS Early Successional
Habitat Management Standard (647).
□ Use Prescribed Burning to remove excess litter, which may reduce the quality of wildlife
habitat. Controlled fire can allow germination of seed bearing annuals, increase plant
species diversity, control unwanted woody cover, and open up the stand for movement of
small animals and birds. Follow the NRCS Prescribed Burning Standard (338). Any
burns must be done according to a Prescribe Burn Plans reviewed by NRCS.
□ Selected Herbicides may manipulate plant succession and improve habitat diversity. Care-
ful planning and care in application are required in the use of chemicals to improve exist-
ing habitat. Selection of products should be based on several factors including product
effectiveness, non-target species impact, toxicological risks, and off-site movement of
chemicals. See the NRCS Pest Management Standard (595) for precautions. Not appli-
cable to practice CP25.
□ Interseeding may be used to enhance existing cover. The addition of introduced legumes
such as alfalfa, ladino or red clovers, or native legumes and forbs such black-eyed
Susan, partridge pea, white or purple prairie clover, tick trefoil, Illinois bundle flower, etc.,
will add diversity and structure to existing cover. Interseeding may be used in conjunction
with any of the above MCM options or used as a stand alone single MCM option. Follow
the
NRCS Conservation Cover Standard (327) for seeding dates and interseeding methods. Inter-
seed forbs at 25-50 percent of pure seeding rate.
No MCM option may be applied during the May 15 to August 1 primary nesting season.
Managed haying or grazing (with 25% payment reduction) may be used to reduce duff prior to light
disking, spraying or interseeding.
Measures must be provided to control noxious weeds and other invasive species.
To protect forbs and legumes that benefit native pollinators and other wildlife and provide insect
food sources for grassland nesting birds, spraying or other control of noxious weeds shall be
done on a “spot” basis.
All habitat manipulations will be planned and managed according to soil capabilities and recom-
mendations for management that will maintain soil loss within tolerable (T) limit.
The practice may be used to promote the conservation of declining species, including, threat-
ened and endangered (plant, wildlife, or aquatic) species.
55
IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
WILDLIFE HABITAT ESTABLISHMENT INVOICE
To: Iowa Department of Natural Resources
From:
(Cooperator/Contractor Name) (Address)
This is to certify that the following wildlife habitat practices were established under the Department’s Pheasant &
Quail Restoration Program. All wildlife habitat practices were established in accordance with the specifications pro-
vided by the DNR wildlife biologist.
This form will be used to calculate all costs for which reimbursement/payment is requested. Flat rates for each wild-
life habitat practice are provided below and shall be used to claim costs for any work performed by the Cooperator/
Contractor. “Complete” costs cover all equipment, labor and materials needed to establish the practice.
56
CRP Upgrade Mixtures
These legume mixtures have been designed to use in CRP grass stand
improvements throughout Nebraska. The cost of the mixtures range
from $10 to $20 per acre.
57
Notes:
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
58
This photo is of a 13-year old CRP field that is over 1,000 acres in size and has had no management per-
formed on it during its contract. It was originally established to a mixture of Brome grass and alfalfa and is
now a monoculture of Brome grass that provides minimal wildlife benefits.
The same field was disked and interseeded with legumes to increase the diversity of the grass stand through
the CRP-MAP program. It now has a diversity of cover that provides nesting, brood-rearing and winter cover
for a variety of wildlife including grassland songbirds, pheasants and quail.
A grass stand that has been dominated by smooth bromegrass On April 7, 2004, the grass stand is disked with three passes
and lost its productivity for upland wildlife. An area that was and then interseeded with a legume mixture. A minimum of
excellent wildlife habitat in the past has now naturally moved three passes with a disk was necessary with a mature stand
through succession to a more mature grass stand in need of of bromegrass but still leaves more than 50% residue.
management.
On July 29, 2004, the area now has a wide diversity of plant On May 30, 2005, the area now shows the true value of
species, has an open understory, supports plants that attract performing upgrades on mature grass stand. The area is
insects, and is once again a diverse grassland. The legumes providing excellent nesting and brood-rearing cover for a
that were interseeded into the disked area are already present wide range of wildlife, especially pheasant, quail, water-
and providing brood-rearing habitat for pheasants as well as a fowl and grassland songbirds with 22” of undisturbed
diverse habitat for all types of grassland birds. grass and forb cover.