Ozark Borderlands Home to Newest Missouri Quail Forever Chapter
Ozark Borderlands Home to Newest Missouri Quail Forever Chapter
Fifth QF chapter to form in Missouri this year plans to improve local quail habitat
For Immediate Release
Anthony Hauck (651)209-4972
California, Mo. - May-31 -
Quail enthusiasts in Cole, Moniteau and Cooper Counties have formed Missouri's newest Quail Forever (QF) chapter, known as the Moreau Valley Chapter of QF. The chapter – the fifth QF chapter to form in Missouri this year - will work on local quail habitat restoration and habitat development and youth hunter recruitment in the state's Ozark borderlands region.
"Changes from small to big farms, coinciding with changes in farming practices have reduced the quail population in recent decades, so our mission is to work with farmers and landowners in the three-county area on practices which can reverse that trend," said Ron Lehman, the chapter's newly-elected president from Jefferson City.
Cole, Moniteau and Cooper Counties lie in Missouri's Ozark borderlands – hilly areas that also contain crop land. "It's a good mix of habitat type, which offers plenty of potential in terms of doing projects that benefit quail," said Elsa Gallagher, QF Regional Wildlife Biologist.
One of the measures available to landowners that may benefit quail in the region is federal Conservation Practice 33 (CP-33). Commonly referred to as Bobwhite Buffers, CP-33 is a conservation practice targeted at improving bobwhite quail habitat through the creation of habitat buffers along row crops. These transitional areas provide important habitat for quail, as well as other grassland birds and wildlife.
Recruiting and retaining the next generation of quail hunters and conservationists is also a focus of the Moreau Valley chapter. The chapter plans on holding a youth event later this year in conjunction with the Calamity Covey Chapter of QF, a ladies chapter which formed in April and is based out of Jefferson City.
The Moreau Valley Chapter has also elected James Meili of Russellville as treasurer, Michael Rex of Tipton as vice president and habitat chair, Jason Vaughn of California as youth/education chair and Doug Bensman of California as secretary. The chapter will hold its next meeting in mid-June. The chapter will hold its annual banquet on Thursday, August 23 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in St. Martins. The media and the public are invited to attend these events. Tickets for the annual banquet can be purchased in advance from any committee member. For more information on the chapter and the upcoming events, contact Lehman at (573)761-9939.
For more information on QF in Missouri, to start a chapter or join one of the state's 14 existing chapters, contact Elsa Gallagher at (573)455-2565 or via e-mail at egallagher@quailforever.org.
Pheasants Forever launched Quail Forever in August of 2005 to address the continuing loss of habitat suitable for quail and the subsequent quail population decline. QF chapters promote local, state, and federal conservation programs that help landowners protect environmentally sensitive acres for quail and other wildlife. They also employ the organization's unique model of empowering local chapters with 100 percent control of the chapters' locally-raised funds to complete habitat and youth education projects in the chapters' own communities. Since the organization's inception, 90 QF chapters have formed in 26 different states. The QF mission is accomplished through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness, education, and conservation advocacy.
