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52 APPENDIX E. COMPLETED TACTICS FROM BERGGREN PLAN 1.0 Below are status updates for each tactic from the Berggren Plan 1�0 that was completed between 2016-2020� Progress has been made on many other tactics but many of these efforts are ongoing (and thus, those tactics were retained in Berggren Plan 2�0)� COMPLETED TACTICS (SECTIONS A-E) A� Funding and Policy Environment B1� Private Lands Programs BEGIN to use the results of the recent Conservation Reserve Program landowner survey to create better program options and delivery approaches CRP participants (landowners) were surveyed in 2015. This provided useful information pertaining to the barriers to landowner participation in CRP, their perceptions of the current CRP program, and their attitudes toward management activities (e.g., Mid-Contract Management). These results were used in various discussions with USDA regarding CRP practices, programmatic rules/policies and management. This also formed the basis for the NGPC's efforts in the Northeast POA to provide a shorter-term "CRP-like" option (i.e., "short-term set-aside" incentive). BEGIN landowner survey work to assess the efficacy of the Wheat Stubble Management Program Landowner surveys and focus group discussions were held in multiple locations throughout the Panhandle and southwest regions and a final report was produced in July 2016. Tall stubble incentives increased awareness of the wildlife and ag-related benefits provided by leaving taller stubble but were discontinued in 2017 as they were not effective in changing harvesting methods (i.e., other barriers and economic drivers existed). Still, this initiative was very beneficial in other ways – and NGPC staff have maintained hundreds of landowner contacts and have enrolled 30,000-40,000 acres of tall stubble into the Open Fields and Waters Program annually. ASSESS the feasibility of an upland game focus area spanning public and private lands in the Platte River valley The Central Platte Pheasant Opportunity Area was included as one of the eight priority areas in the original plan but both opportunity and landowner interest in restoring upland habitat were relatively low due to intensive farming and/ or competing land-uses (e.g., deer leases, haying of wet meadows). Most habitat projects occurred on conservation partner lands (TNC, Crane Trust, Audubon). Cooperative habitat improvement projects will continue with these partners (and on state lands), but other funding sources can be utilized due to its status as a "Biologically Unique Landscape" in the NGPC's Natural Legacy Plan. ASSESS the feasibility of developing corridor habitat projects connecting large public lands (e�g�, Sherman and Davis Creek WMAs) A habitat tour was held at Sherman and Davis Creek Reservoirs in 2018 with limited attendance by landowners. Likewise, direct mailings and other outreach used to promote available programs/incentives in this area yielded a very minimal response. Within this corridor, upland habitat is limited and landowner interest in CRP and other conservation programs is very low. Unless there is a major shift in land-use (derived from changes in agricultural policy), it will be very challenging to create a functional habitat corridor between the two reservoirs. ASSESS the feasibility of leasing a large block (more than 5,000 acres) of private land to research pheasant responses to landscape-level habitat changes The leasing of private lands was assessed for three potential sites in eastern Nebraska but was deemed unfeasible due to high estimated costs (more than $1 million a year), which didn't include the additional costs associated with habitat establishment/management, access infrastructure, additional staff, etc.