Over the course of the past two hundred years or so, Ohio has seen a considerable amount of land-use change, mainly where our natural areas were once so prevalent. An example of this is the loss of over 90% of our wetlands, along with nearly 60% of our forest cover, now gone and most likely to never be replaced.
Agricultural expansion and ever-increasing urbanization have taken a huge toll where wildlife habitat is concerned. Thankfully however, this dilemma has not eluded our attention amongst conservation districts and partnering agencies. We now are purposing to write a new page through our combined stewardship efforts!
One particular conservation program providing us with the wherewithal needed to turn the tide, hopefully in favor of a diversity of wildlife species, is the Wildlife Habitat Initiative (WHI).
With the funds provided by the USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program and under the leadership of the National Bobwhite and Grassland Initiative (NBGI), technical and financial assistance can be provided by the ODNR Division of Wildlife and several Soil and Water Conservation Districts to eligible landowners interested in establishing habitat that will further benefit quail, pheasants, and grassland-nesting birds, pollinators, and other native wildlife species.
Matt Gardner is our Regional Conservation Partnership Program Coordinator for Ohio via the National Bobwhite and Grasslands Initiative Foundation. The really neat thing about the WHI program, as Matt says, is that “this partnership is more than just funding; it’s about bringing together people who care about working lands, biodiversity, and long-term stewardship.”
Landowners can submit an application to Wildlife Habitat Initiative program, this includes both cropland and non-cropland. Grants are awarded on a per-acre basis, with the minimum accumulative acres for either a single or multiple conservation practices is 5 acres.
John Kaiser is the Private Lands Program Manager for the ODNR Division of Wildlife and supervises the 20 Wildlife Specialists and 13 Wildlife Management Consultants throughout Ohio, all who welcome the opportunity to assist those who may have questions about or would like to enroll some of their land into the Wildlife Habitat Initiative.
As Kaiser recently shared, WHI is one grassland habitat program that is definitely a “win-win for landowners and wildlife”! The mutual opinion is that specific objectives can be met through this program that will “support pollinators, improve soil health, and create vital cover for birds and other wildlife.” Check out how you can turn some of your property into wildlife habitat in this video.
If you are interested in the Wildlife Habitat Initiative and would like to discuss conservation practice options further or submit an application to the program, contact your Soil and Water Conservation District’s Wildlife Specialist or the ODNR Wildlife Management Consultant who covers your county.