Arkansas Ducks Unlimited, Inc.
Conservation Programs Annual Report
Fiscal Year 2004
Ducks Unlimiteds wetland conservation program continues to grow and gain popularity in The Natural State. Arkansas, located in the heart of Mississippi Alluvial Valley, is a Priority I Conservation Area of Ducks Unlimited. The MAV covers portions of seven states extending from southern Illinois to Louisiana. This region was once covered by 24 million acres of bottomland hardwood forests; less than 20% remains today. Because of the regions significance to waterfowl and DUs excellent partnerships with state and federal agencies and numerous private landowners, we continue to restore thousands of acres of wetlands and bottomland hardwood forest each year. Our habitat conservation priorities are to protect, restore and enhance forested wetlands, seasonally flooded wetlands, or moist soil impoundments and flooded agricultural crops, with an emphasis on rice. Collectively, these programs have helped develop and protect of over 255,000 acres of important waterfowl habitats since conservation activities began in Arkansas in 1985.
Below is a summary of DU-Arkansas Conservation Program accomplishments from July 2003 - June 2004.
Arkansas Partners Program (APP)
In 2003-04, 6,382 acres of private land were enrolled under 15-year management agreements that protect, restore, or enhance of hydrology on forested wetlands, moist soil impoundments and croplands. Of these, 1,206 acres were non-agricultural sites and were considered forested wetlands and moist soil habitats. Technical assistance was provided on over 18,000 acres of private lands during FY04.
LAnguille River Watershed Project (LRWP)
This program was initiated in 2001 and is considered an extension of the larger Arkansas Partners Program. The EPA has identified the LAnguille River as a severely impacted watershed. The goal of the LRWP is to improve water quality in the river through improved management practices on agriculture lands in the watershed. In 2003 - 04, 3,264 acres of private land were enrolled in this program. In addition, DU provided technical assistance on 11,000 acres in the LAnguille watershed.
Public Land Habitat
Since 1985, Arkansas DU has helped complete over 40 projects that have protected, enhanced, and restored over 43,000 acres of public lands wetlands habitat in Arkansas. In 2003-04 DU completed construction on Phase II of Raft Creek WMA. This effort has led to increase hunting opportunities in several wetland units. Restoration work on Cutoff Creek WMA near Monticello involved replacing a large water control structure that diverts water into the WMA for winter flooding of the green tree reservoir (GTR). This area would basically remain dry without this structure, preventing waterfowl use and hunting opportunities. Also, DU helped the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission install and repair several water distribution pumps on McKennon Bottoms Moist Soil Unit (Dardanelle WMA), Bois DArc WMA (Miller County) Petit Jean WMA, and Brookings moist soil area (Black River WMA). These pumps are essential because they facilitate wetland flooding and provide opportunities for Arkansas hunters. DU partnered with White River National Wildlife Refuge this past year to help develop the South Unit of the refuge. DU staff designed and provided water control structures for use in managing water on part of the South Unit, otherwise known as Jacks Bay. This project helped enhance several thousand acres of moist soil and green tree reservoir habitat for hunters and waterfowl. We will continue working with refuge personnel in 2004 - 2005 to enhance additional acreage for waterfowl.
In May of 2004, Ducks Unlimited purchased 790 acres in Kibler Bottoms near Dyer, AR (Crawford County). This area will soon become the newest addition to the Commissions Wildlife Management Area System (through transfer of ownership from DU to the AGFC) and will be known as Frog Bayou WMA. Through partnership with the NRCS, DU staff will develop some moist-soil units and reforest the remainder of the site to bottomland hardwood forest. Part of Frog Bayou abuts the Arkansas River and will provide additional habitat linkages for migrating waterfowl in the Arkansas River Valley. Once wetlands are constructed, the area will be open for public waterfowl hunting. ONCE AGAIN, THE STRENGTH OF ARKANSAS DU VOLUNTEERS FACILITATED THIS NEW WETLAND ACQUISITION.
Public land habitat projects scheduled for summer 2004 include: 1) Black Swamp WMA (levee repairs); 2) Bayou Meto WMA (levee repairs, enhanced hunter access and weir repairs); 3) Raft Creek WMA (pump and well repairs), 4) White River NWR (levee repairs and water control structures to enhance green tree reservoirs for hunters), 5) survey and design work on Hurricane Lake WMA to enhance the green tree reservoir for waterfowl and hunters, 6) Choctaw Island WMA (weir construction to enhance winter waterfowl habitat) and 7) Bob Young Rest Area Dardanelle WMA (shallow water enhancement) this rest area is currently open to youth waterfowl hunting.
Arkansas Wetland Reserve Program (WRP)
The WRP, administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), allows DU to participate in restoration of bottomland hardwood ecosystems previously altered by agricultural development, human settlement, or other causes. During FY04, over 7,200 acres of bottomland forests and more than 2,500 acres of wetlands were added to the landscape all designed to provide critical wintering habitat for migratory waterfowl, shorebirds and other species. DU staff completed detailed topographic surveys on all project sites to complete this huge task. Our staff spent hundreds of hours on ATVs surveying over 7000 acres! Once completed, surveys were converted to detailed topographic maps that were used to create site-specific wetland restoration plans. DU and NRCS biologists and engineers collaborate to restore hydrologic function to newly - established bottomland hardwood forests.
Arkansas Conservation Easements
The Conservation Easement Program is another important tool in DUs arsenal to protect critical wetlands in Arkansas. Easements offer private landowners opportunities to protect the last remaining natural wetland communities in the MAV. Easements offer key linkages to other state, federal, and privately owned properties that provide critical habitat for several wildlife species, including Neotropical migratory birds and waterfowl.
In FY2004, over 2,700 acres of Conservation Easements were completed in Arkansas. Since the beginning of this program, over 13,000 acres have been protected in Arkansas. Easement opportunities continue to expand throughout the state as landowners become more aware of the program and its benefits.
Arkansas RICE Program
Arkansas Ducks Unlimited continues to work closely with hundreds of Arkansas farmers each year. We provide technical assistance for enhancing farm operations to improve waterfowl habitat and to help seek out programs that will compensate them for their environmental efforts.
We currently are partnering with the USA Rice Federation and the Arkansas Rice Research and Promotion Board to estimate the acreage of rice grown and flooded each year. Through satellite imagery technology, we can estimate the acreage, and distribution of winter flooded rice fields. Then we can estimate the amount of waste grain available to wintering waterfowl. DU also collaborates on research efforts with DU and Universities to further understand dynamics associated with managing rice and waterfowl. Additionally, we are also able to estimate other environmental benefits, such as the amount of sediment that is retained in fields and that does not wash into Arkansas streams and rivers.
In addition to these activities, DU staff collaborates with agencies in various outreach efforts. DU staff engage in several public meetings, develop written materials, and use other means to educate the public about waterfowl and wetlands.
Farmers continue to be some of our greatest conservationists in Arkansas and the nation. Waterfowl continue to migrate and winter in Arkansas because of significant private lands efforts every year. With over 90% of East Arkansas being privately owned, efforts of these landowners largely determine the fate of wintering habitat for waterfowl.
Arkansas Habitat Projects
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