prairie dog working group update and list serve Dec 11, 2009

[Hanauska-Brown, Lauri]

Hello all....

Believe it or not I started this update to you all back in October.  However, Bryce and I wanted to test the new list serve before a mass mailing and here we are at Dec. 11.  Time flies!

If you have not signed up for the list serve please do so now.  After our February meeting I will delete all other contact information and work solely from our list serve.  Visit the list serve website to sign up...it's easy!  http://mtnhp.org/animal/list_serves.asp

 

Below are just some basic updates relative to prairie dogs and the working group. 

Please check out the following new information on the prairie dog working group web page on the FWP site <<http://fwp.mt.gov/wildthings/concern/prairiedogsmpdwg.html>>

1) Literature review that Carolyn Nistler prepared on contract with FWP. This literature review is a good resource for current research and work on prairie dogs, habitat, plague, etc. Thanks Carolyn!

2) Notes from the February 2009 working group meeting.

 

Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative program: I've received a brief update from Linda Poole on the Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative program that Ranchers Stewardship, Environmental Defense Fund, The Nature Conservancy and World Wildlife Fund have been working on.  This program will use Farm Bill dollars to fund on-the-ground management practices that benefit sustainable agriculture and conserve or enhance habitat for grassland birds.  (Remember our discussion at the February meeting about changing focus from less 'prairie dog' to more 'prairie'...this is a good example of that approach!)  The first sign up for these dollars has passed but a longer sign up period will be offered this winter.  Here is an NRCS website with more information on the CCPI program http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/ccpi/

Hopefully Linda will be able to update all of us at our next meeting....likely this coming February?

Shooting Study Review: Robin Russell, FWP biometrician has reviewed the summary of the shooting study and summarized her thoughts for us to discuss at the next meeting. 

 

Ferret work: I have not forgotten but have simply chosen to hold off a little longer until I get a few more things organized in regards to needs, partners, etc.  I do want to provide a quick update here of a larger effort underway through the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.  At the July WAFWA meeting a black-footed ferret implementation team executive committee was initiated. Current objectives of the committee are to; 1) determine what incentives are attractive to landowners for maintaining adequate acres of prairie dogs to support black-footed ferret recovery; 2) investigate actual net returns from livestock production to determine reasonable financial offsets [incentives]; and 3) work with the NRCS to identify incentive programs within existing farm bill provisions to support incentives attractive to landowners.  I will keep everyone updated on the progress of this group and do hope to hold a meeting of Montana partners interested in ferret conservation sometime soon. 

16 ferrets were released at the Northern Cheyenne in November and 6 males were released at CMR to balance a slightly skewed sex ratio. 

 

February meeting? 

It was requested last year that we try a different location and perhaps a Saturday.  Please let me know what you think of meeting in Lewistown, Friday, February 26 through Saturday, February 27.  Another location option would be Great Falls. 

If you have made new progress on any of your assignments from the February 2009 meeting please let me know so I can share with the group.

Enjoy the cool fall weather!

 

 

Lauri Hanauska-Brown

Montana Nongame / T & E Section Manager

PO Box 200701

Helena, MT  59620

Phone: 406-444-5209

Fax: 406-444-4952

 

 

 

 

Lauri Hanauska-Brown

Montana Nongame / T & E Section Manager

PO Box 200701

Helena, MT  59620

Phone: 406-444-5209

Fax: 406-444-4952