This is a joint multi-year voluntary private lands effort where the national wild turkey federation (nwtf) and the U.S. Fish and wildlife service (service) partners for fish and wildlife (PFW) program…

This Cooperative Agreement award of $125,000.00, provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (DOI Fish and Wildlife Service Region 3) through the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program (CFDA 15.631), engages the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) to collaborate with private landowners in Missouri to restore and enhance oak savanna, open woodlands, and native prairie habitats.

The key services to be delivered under this multi-year award, which runs from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2029, include implementing various habitat restoration and enhancement practices on private lands, such as timber stand improvement, woody cover control, prescribed fire, invasive species removal, and native prairie plantings. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will have substantial involvement, including developing individual landowner agreements, reviewing and approving project components, and monitoring the performance of the cooperative agreement and landowner agreements. The overall goal is to increase the sustainability and resilience of these critical habitats to benefit migratory birds, monarchs, pollinators, and the eastern wild turkey.

This is a joint multi-year voluntary private lands effort where the national wild turkey federation (nwtf) and the U.S. Fish and wildlife service (service) partners for fish and wildlife (PFW) program will engage and collaborate with private landowners to restore and enhance OAK savanna, open woodlands, and native prairie in two northern missouri focal areas. Funds will be utilized on private lands to implement restoration and enhancement practices that include but are not limited to timber stand improvement (select tree removal, hack squirt, girdling, etc.) woody cover control prescribed fire removing invasive non-native vegetation prairie plantings with native grasses, legumes and forbs and mowing during non-nesting periods. The service will have substantial involvement in this project and PFW staff will develop individual PFW private landowner agreements with project plans. The service will work in partnership to develop, review and approve project components, review and approve project modifications. The service will also halt any activity if details regarding habitat improvements are not being met and will monitor both the cooperative agreement and landowner agreement performance under this award. The goal of nwtf and the service is to increase the sustainability and resilience of OAK savanna, open woodlands and native prairie lands in missouri providing habitat for species of conservation concern, specifically declining migratory birds, monarch butterflies, other declining pollinators, federally listed species and the annual life cycle needs of the eastern wild turkey who all depend on these habitats.