To improve upland and waterfowl habitat at Ogden Bay WMA /Howard Slough WMA/ Harold Crane WMA funding is needed to do the following: 1. Improve over-winter survival of upland game birds by planting food plots in various locations within the WMA. 2. Promote woody cover and forage production by developing, restoring, and maintaining shelter belts. 3. Control noxious weeds and encourage productive, beneficial vegetation. 4. Develop dense nesting cover on islands and uplands. 5.Manage water levels to maximize wildlife production and forage in wetland environments. 6. Maintain equipment to do all of the above. 7. Repair or reconstruct failed/failing water control structures.

An additional 20 acres of food plots will be planted for waterfowl and pheasants at OBWMA/HSWMA/HCWMA. This will improve over-winter survival of upland birds and create quality green forage in the spring for waterfowl. Noxious weeds will be controlled with herbicides and water control techniques to maximize the quality of wildlife habitat. Opportunities will continue to be explored to plant some shelter belts in key areas to benefit our blossoming pheasant and quail population. Dense nesting cover will be produced in uplands with native seed mixes. Equipment will be maintained to accomplish all of the above.

There are currently noxious weeds on all of the uplands that need to be controlled. Once the noxious weeds are sprayed and controlled, there is potential in many areas to seed with beneficial upland seed mix to provide cover for both nesting upland birds and waterfowl.

The proposed project meets the objectives in our Habitat management plans. Also the proposed project meets objectives in the WAP such as: Other Ecosystem Modifications Objective #2 for Other Ecosystem Modifications Land management agencies and agents develop vegetation management projects that avoid, minimize, or mitigate impacts to species and habitats identified as vulnerable to these threats such as brush eradication. Habitat modification and loss is being mitigated by perennial plantings, food plots and shrub rows. Objective #1 for Sediment Transport Imbalance Opportunities are found and taken, to modify or remove reservoir infrastructure, or modify outflow management, to simulate or return natural sediment transport. The continual build-up of sediments in GSL wetlands is a major problem that can lead to decreased open water areas, shallower water depths that do not maximize the production of submerged aquatic vegetation, and promotes invasive plant species. The WMA's management relies on water control structures that can be used to help pass through unwanted sediments and maintain a highly diverse and functional wetland. Objective #1 for Droughts Terrestrial SGCNs and key habitats persist on the landscape, despite increasing drought conditions. Drought condition over that past several years has reduced the resilience of highly functional upland habitats. In order to maintain, and rehabilitate these upland habitats, renovation and reseeding is necessary in order to minimize the impacts of drought. Actions that this project will address include; 2.3.14 Conduct upland vegetation treatments to restore characteristic upland vegetation, and reduce uncharacteristic fuel types and loadings. 3.3.1 Develop list of priority reintroduction species and locations Objective #2 for Droughts Aquatic SGCNs and key habitats persist on the landscape, despite increasing drought conditions. Drought conditions over the past several years has made it imperative that the WMA's have properly functioning water control structures to maximize water deliveries in order to maintain key wetland habitats. Actions that this project will address include; 2.3.6 Restore aquatic habitat complexity 2.3.15 Conduct riparian vegetation treatments to restore characteristic riparian vegetation, and reduce uncharacteristic fuel types and loadings.

N/A

Water quanity will be measured daily.

All areas that the soil will be distured will be coordinated with the archaeologist.

This is a fairly broad project and could consist of many methods for completion of various projects. For example, areas may be mowed, disked, and then planted to create new food-plots or shelter-belts for waterfowl or upland game birds. New and existing food-plots, will be sprayed to control noxious weeds. Also, noxious weeds will be sprayed at the appropriate time each year so that the maximum kill per species is achieved. Before planting shelter-belts, the most productive woody species will be determined by assessing which species have the best chance of survival within the soil types that are present at OBWMA/HSWMA/HCWMA. Woody species will be planted in areas that are close to a water source so that shelter-belts can be watered. Upland nesting cover plantings will also occur. Soil samples will be taken on all areas and soil amendments will be added to give everything that is planted the best opportunity to succeed. Repair of eroding dikes may be a necessary addition to this project. Water control structures will also be constructed to replace failed structures.

Photopoint monitoring will occur on project.

Partners will be the volunteers that will be used on volunteer projects used to accomplish some of these projects. SFW

The projects will be maintained in the future. All shrub rows will be irrigated until it is thought the plants can survive on their own. Any areas that are sprayed will be revisited in the future and sprayed when necessary.

Cattle may be used in areas that Phragmites is growing and water management and herbicide treatments are failing.

07/01/2018

06/30/2019

2019

This project is the backbone to getting projects done at OBWMA/HCWMA/HSWMA. This project paid for 2 different 6 month leases on John Deere tractors. These tractors allow us to mow, disk and plant all of our fields. We have an overlap in September and October, so that we can prepare all of the fields for fall perennial planting. This project also pays for the 100 acres worth of perennial seed that we use and the soil amendments that we put on the ground to give the young plants a chance.

This project is to enhance both the wetlands and the uplands at OBWMA/HCWMA/HSWMA. These funds are critical to getting the rental tractors so that we can accomplish anything at all on these areas. The WMAs are essentially the future of pheasant hunting in our counties. With development encroaching and farm land on the decline, we are farming for ducks, pheasants and quail.

We will continue to ask to lease tractors so that we can continue to farm for the birds.