OutdoorNebraska

30 are based on working in smaller focal areas where we can e exis ng habitat together into a more scaled approach. The Central Pheasant Opportunity Area (Table A6) is most notable for the long term local community support for habitat work through the One Box Pheasant Hunt group. The Realis c Goals of this area focus on two regions within the opportunity area. The southwest part of Custer County is eligible for CRP Wildlife Priority points, and will likely be one of the focused areas. We will also be focusing on providing a corridor of suitable habitat between the two Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) of Davis Creek and Sherman Reservoir in the eastern part of the opportunity area. Two big objec ves in this area is provide more early successional habitat and to enhance the diversity and structure of exis ng grasslands. The Central Pla e Pheasant and Quail Opportunity Area (Table A7) includes approximately 5% of its area in conserva on partner proper es (owned by organiza ons like the Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy, the Crane Trust, and Pla e River Recovery and Implementa on Program). We will con nue to work with these groups and especially on our state owned lands to provide quality pheasant and quail habitat opportuni es. The Southeast Pheasant and Quail Opportunity Area (Table A8) is a crossroads of mul ple ini a ves, with the Meridian Quail Focus area, Rainwater Basin wetlands, and the Sandstone Prairie biologically unique landscape of the Nebraska Natural Legacy Program falling within its boundaries. All of these ini a ves are able to enhance the grasslands, wetlands and provide more financial and technical assistance in the area. We will also try to e some of the financial assistance to hun ng access where possible. In an effort to summarize the detailed informa on in each area, the totals have been rolled up into some generalized habitat prac ces (Table A9). The CRP prac ce includes retaining expiring CRP acres, conduc ng mid-contract management on exis ng CRP acres, and enrolling new CRP acres into the con nuous or general CRP prac ces. Small grain stubble is the prac ce of encouraging farmers to leave their small grain stubble at 14 inches tall or taller through April 1. Grassland management is a variety of prac ces being used on exis ng grassland stands. The management could be prescribed fire, invasive tree removal, grazing management, shrub establishment, or other prac ces to help maintain the diversity and structure needed for upland game habitat on exis ng grasslands. The Central Pla e POA will be focusing efforts on Conserva on Partner Lands, which will mostly include grassland management on exis ng (or planted) grasslands. Short Term Set Aside (STSA) involves seeding a low cost small grain seed mix on small acres and then leaving the acres untouched for the next two growing seasons. The sites provide winter cover the first year, and brood cover the next two years. The wetland prac ce is a combina on of suppor ng management of new and exis ng wetlands and the poten al of purchasing wetlands from willing sellers in the Rainwater Basin wetland area.

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