Project Overview
Commodities
- Animals: poultry
Practices
- Animal Production: free-range, livestock breeding
- Crop Production: cover crops, crop rotation
- Natural Resources/Environment: wetlands
- Pest Management: integrated pest management
- Production Systems: organic agriculture, integrated crop and livestock systems
Proposal abstract:
BACKGROUND I am interested in wildlife preservation. In particular, I would like to help reintroduce Bobwhite quail into rural Putnam County in Northwest Ohio. The quail population was decimated by the severe blizzards of the late 1970’s. My goal is to increase their population with the hopes that they can become self-sustaining. For the last ten years, I have been raising and releasing approximately 50 – 100 Bobwhite quail each year as part of my 4-H project. With the help of the NCR-SARE grant, I would like to increase the number of quail raised and released this year. My plan is to raise and release 200 Bobwhite quail into the wild. My family and I enjoy seeing the quail in the area and hearing their familiar BOB-WHITE call. Our neighbors also tell us of quail sightings and how much they have missed hearing their call for all of these years. The farming community benefits because they eat insects that could damage crops. Various literature states that farmers can help with the conservation of Bobwhite quail by providing a field border of grass or grain. These field borders are called conservation buffers and can be a cost-effective conservation practice. They provide multiple environmental benefits (increased herbicide and nutrient retention, reduced soil erosion) while providing suitable cover and food resources for the quail.
