NBCI Director's Presentation at the Peabody Bobwhite Rally
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Transcript of NBCI Director's Presentation at the Peabody Bobwhite Rally
The Unified Strategy to Restore Wild Quail
Don McKenzie, NBCI Director
Quail hunting is a Southern heritage
Bad NewsBetter NewsGood News
Annual Trend in Bobwhite Abundance% Change
Alab
ama
Arka
nsas
*D
elaw
are
Flor
ida
Geo
rgia
Illin
ois
Indi
ana*
Iow
aKa
nsas
*Ke
ntuc
kyLo
uisi
ana*
Mar
ylan
dM
issi
ssip
pi*
Mis
sour
iN
ebra
ska
New
Jers
eyN
orth
Car
olin
a*O
hio
Okl
ahom
a*Pe
nnsy
lvan
iaSo
uth
Caro
lina
Tenn
esse
eTe
xas*
Virg
inia
Wes
t Virg
inia
Surv
ey-w
ide
-18.0
-15.0
-12.0
-9.0
-6.0
-3.0
0.0
3.0
Long-term trend (1966-09) 5 yr. trend (2005-09)
*State began BBS in 1967**Survey-wide includes CO, CT, MA, MI, NM, NY, RI, SD, WA, WI
Bobwhite’s Troubled “Neighbors”Bachman’s sparrowBrown-headed nuthatchGreater prairie-chickenHenslow’s sparrowLoggerhead shrikeEastern meadowlarkEastern kingbirdDickcisselGrasshopper sparrowPrairie warblerBlue-winged warblerGolden-winged warblerPainted buntingBewick’s wrenBell’s vireoOrchard orioleField sparrowEastern towheeYellow-breasted chat
B. Collins
Pollinators that share bobwhite habitatare declining, too
How did we get in this deep hole?
Unmanaged natural plant successionIntensive agricultureSubsidized spread of invasive
exoticsUrban sprawl
Bobwhites May Be The Most Difficult Wildlife Restoration Challenge Ever
• States have authority & responsibility– Not Federal or joint– ~ 30 independent jurisdictions– No central infrastructure (e.g. USFWS)
• Landscape-scale habitat problem– No shortcuts
• Mostly private land• Long-term challenge• Constituency is fading• Hope is stretched thin
Bad NewsBetter NewsGood News
Quail Problem is Solvable:
Science+
People, Politics and Money
A+
D-
Northeast
Midwest
Southeast
25 States +Partners
1 TechnicalCommittee
1 Unified Quail Initiative
The States Have Come Together for Quail
ManyPartners
NBCIManagement
Board
NationalBobwhiteTechnical
Committee
Universityof
Tennessee
NBCI Organization
NBCIDirector
andStaff NBCI Staff:
Science CoorForestry CoorUSDA Liaison (in DC)Communications Dir
Centerfor Native
Grasslands Mgt
BobwhiteFoundation
NBCI 2.0 PlanBobwhite Restoration Potential
4.7 MillionNew Coveys
NBCI 2.0
• Each state set bobwhite density goals for specific geographies• Hypotheses to be tested: X habitat prescription =
Y bobwhite density
NBCI MODEL FOCUS AREA
PROGRAM
• Design for success• Habitat tracking• Population
monitoring• Central data management
NBCI is a:• Vision – for widespread restoration of huntable
quail populations• Leadership commitment – of 25 states and many
partners• Organized partnership – national, state, local• Strategic plan – a unified, scientific, habitat-
based quail restoration plan — “NBCI 2.0”• Committee
• National center – to help states and
partners by providing:• Leadership• Coordination• Capacity
LANDOWNERS / PUBLICS
LOCAL / COUNTY
STATES
REGIONAL
NATIONAL
NBCI Strategy Stretches Top to BottomWHITE HOUSE
FARMHOUSE
NBCINiche
NGOs
National Level:Some Major NBCI Prongs of Attack• Science Application
– Coordinating protocols, data collection from states– Establishing central data management
• Agriculture Policy– Improving CRP policy– Instituting native plant policy at NRCS, FSA
• Forest Management, Rx Fire– Opening doors of state forestry leaders– Catalyzing shortleaf pine ecosystem initiative
• Grazing Lands Management– Developing NWSG technology– Promoting native grass-fed beef
• Public Information, Motivation– Magnifying visibility, web capability– Engaging outdoor writers
Bad NewsBetter NewsGood News
Why does this matter?People want to be part of something
bigger
Why does this matter?People want to be part of something
bigger
Why does this matter?People want to be part of something
bigger
Good things happen when people work together
States are Stepping UpSeveral Ongoing Active Quail Initiatives
Examples:• Georgia Bobwhite Quail Initiative• North Carolina CURE• Missouri bobwhite recovery plan• Virginia Quail Action Plan• Mississippi NBCI step-down plan• Kentucky quail plan• Florida UERP
Latest State Quail Initiatives
• Kansas Quail Initiative: 2012 – 2017• Pennsylvania Northern Bobwhite
Management Plan: 2011 – 2020• Georgia Bobwhite Quail Initiative (2nd
round)• Oklahoma’s Upland Urgency • Texas Quail Focus Area Initiative: 2012• South Carolina – new in 2013
You have ever griped about government?
Raise your hand if:
Kentucky is Good News for Bobwhite Conservation
KDFWR is proving that government can sometimes do things right
KDFWR:• Invests in key agency capacity:•2 expert quail coordinators•Numerous private lands biologists•Provides quail leadership:• in-state: other agencies, partners• nationally: NBTC, NBCI, Farm Bill•Puts $$ where mouth is for quail
projects•Already achieving exciting
success
Kentucky Quail Progress
•Shaker Village•Peabody WMA•Green River CREP•Next: Livingston County
Focal Area?
STATES
NBCI STRATEGY IS STATE-CENTEREDStates Assert Leading Role
Partners Collaborate and Reinforce
PARTNERS
NB
CI
STATES
NBCI STRATEGY IS STATE-CENTEREDStates Assert Leadership Role
Partners Collaborate and Reinforce
PARTNERS
NB
CI
This is Kentucky’s TimeKDFWR is doing its part
to provide bobwhite leadership
NOW is the time for Kentucky sportsmen
to step up
First Steps of Long Journey
• NBCI vision is “widespread” quail restoration
• not just a few hot spots
• Focus areas are beginning, not end• Show short-term success …• Then expand to more and more new areas
• All partners are needed, to keep moving forward
bringbackbobwhites.org
Quail Problem is Solvable:
Science+
People, Politics and Money
NBCI Pushing Quail Focus Areas. Why?
• Long-term Challenge, but short-term:• Expectations, attention spans• Budget cycles
• Cannot fix entire states at once• Need manageable-sized areas
• Must demonstrate short-term successes• Prove concepts, instill hope• Secure perseverance
• Strategic Habitat Conservation• Learn what is / is not working
Quail Problem is Solvable:
Science+
People, Politics and Money