Farmers learn about providing wildlife habitat
By ROWENA PLETT
Reporter / photographer
The 100 or so farmers who attended the ag information meeting Thursday in Marion heard from Roger Wells, national habitat coordinator for Quails Unlimited.
Wells owns a 310-acre farm north of Emporia. He presented a slide-show depicting how he has developed the farm into a haven for wildlife and a great place for sporting enthusiasts.
Wells originally purchased 144 acres in 1985. Pastureland was overgrown with hedge trees, cedar trees, and cockleburs. Cropland had not been farmed for some time and was full of junk grass, weeds, and hedge trees.
Wells rested the pastures and burned them several years, then had the trees cleared, allowing the native grass to return. Cropland was seeded into native grasses, and some acres were enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).
He also established a half-mile four-row shelterbelt and a mile of disked strips and food plots. He planted 400 hardwood trees along a creek.
In 2000, Wells purchased an adjoining 166 acres and enrolled them in U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program, and is developing them much as he did the original acres.
In 2001, he enrolled 40 acres in the Partners for Wildlife Program offered by Kansas Fish and Wildlife Service.
"Government programs pay me for conservation practices," he said.
He also bales and sells prairie hay.
"My wife is a banker, so the farm is in production and has to make money," he added.
Wells said wildlife has increased on his farm since he made the changes. He sees quail, turkeys, prairie chickens, and deer.
Originally, he said, he saw only two coveys of quail. In the 2002-2003 hunting season, he found 12 coveys on his 310 acres.
A 17-acre watershed lake adjoins the property. It also contains three ponds and has three streams flowing through it.
Wells travels all over the country promoting establishment of wildlife habitat.
Hunter education classes often visit the farm. Two habitat tours are conducted every year. In 2002, a two-day quail management workshop was held there. 4-H'ers use the location to practice shotgun shooting.
For his efforts, Wells has received several national wildlife habitat and conservation awards.
