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Cooperative Extension Service |
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Agricultural
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Arbor Day
Dale Bumpers College
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Arkansas Farm*A*Syst and Wildlife ConsiderationsWildlife habitat enhancements are being ascribed an increasing value and importance on farm and ranch properties in Arkansas and across the nation. Fortunately, practices which promote development of wildlife habitat have as a side-effect improved water-quality protection for streams, ponds, lakes and groundwater reserves. All aspects of the hydrologic cycle are intimately connected . Watersheds, surface waters and groundwater are no exceptions. Runoff and sedimentation can be considered major threats to drinking water supplies. A valuable addition to the Farm*A*Syst program would be check sheets and fact sheets concerning best management practices for development or improvement of wildlife habitat, not only for their own intrinsic values, but because such land practices would also work toward non-point source pollution prevention. The following questions are a starting point for appraisal of existing wildlife habitat conditions, planning for habitat improvements, and integration of other wildlife habitat considerations into the Farm*A*Syst program. 1) Are there marginal crop production areas on your farm which might be better utilized as wetlands/wildlife habitat? Consider: flood frequency and duration, fall and winter water conditions, winter cover, proximity to other non-forested wetlands and/or open water, loss of time and $$ in replanting and low yield, proximity to existing forest or other wildlife habitat, incentive programs available, etc. 2) Are there vegetative riparian buffer strips along streams traversing your farm? If so, are they specifically designed for wildlife habitat or to complement existing wildlife corridors? Are the buffer strips of sufficient width to deal with runoff and protect stream water quality? 3) Are your farm's field waterways vegetated to prevent stream water quality degradation? Is the cover /vegetation favorable to bird and non-game wildlife nesting and foraging? 4) Do you take advantage of fencerow/hedgerow areas as wildlife habitat? 5) Do you utilize natural windbreaks (cedars, etc.) on your farm? These areas can provide excellent small game and non-game wildlife habitat if properly designed. 6) Ponds and pond management checklist:
7) What other wildlife habitat conservation programs do you participate in, (Conservation Reserve Program, Wetlands Reserve Program, Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program, Acres for Wildlife, etc.) and what crop and/or livestock practices which protect water quality have been implemented on your farm as a result? 8) Do you mow your road ditches, and if so, when (what month)? Mowing should be timed to avoid nesting and young wildlife. 9) Are habitat damage reduction procedures utilized in aerial application of herbicides / pesticides? 10) Are any Federally-listed endangered species or their critical habitat present on your property? If so, are habitat improvements in place or being developed? 11) Do you supplement existing wildlife habitat with artificial habitats such as wood duck boxes, bat houses, etc.? 12) Have you developed or left intact wildlife corridors between areas of wildlife habitat? 13) Do you plant food plots for wildlife in fallow acreage? 14) Have you implemented forest management practices favorable to wildlife, i.e. percent canopy coverage, woodland species composition, forest openings, nest or roost trees, tree cavities per acre, percent ungrazed forest/woodland? Considerable additional work will be necessary to transform this list of preliminary considerations into checksheets which can be used for on-farm wildlife habitat appraisal and improvement. Such an effort would require a cooperative effort among several agencies. |
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University of Arkansas • Division of Agriculture |
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