ARKANSAS DUCKS UNLIMITED Conservation Programs Annual Report Fiscal Year 2006

Ducks Unlimited’s conservation program continues to grow and gain popularity. Our priorities continue to be the protection, restoration and enhancement of forested , moist soil vegetation and flooded agricultural crops, with an emphasis on rice. Collectively, DU conservation programs have benefited in the protection, restoration and enhancement of over 288,000 acres of various wetland habitats on both public and private lands across Arkansas since conservation activities began with the program in 1985.

The following is a summary of activities and accomplishments of the Arkansas DU Conservation Program for the period July 2005 through June 2006. I hope this information is of interest and use to you. Please feel free to share this with others that share our passion for waterfowl and DU! Without our dedicated DU VOLUNTEERS, none of this work would have been possible! Thank you for all YOU do each day for the ducks!

Craig Hilburn Director of Conservation Programs Public Lands Projects:

ƒ Hurricane Lake WMA o DU engineers completed surveys, and have determined the best location and elevation for the construction of a weir to control water levels in the WMA. Preliminary plans were developed and submitted to Arkansas Game and Fish Commission personnel for approval and permitting. While this weir will not guarantee water every year by the opening of duck season, it will help AGFC staff effectively manage available water for waterfowl and area sportsmen and women. Some area duck hunters are likely to be upset that water will not be guaranteed by opening of duck season each year. However, it is the current variation in flooding that has kept Hurricane WMA healthy over the years. Many public green tree reservoirs (as well as most private ones) are suffering significant hardwood mortality due to early, and prolonged, flooding every year. Bottomland hardwood forests cannot withstand the constant stress of being flooded every year – from late October to early March. Meto WMA is an excellent example of what happens when hardwood trees become stressed. Over 40% of the red oak trees in Bayou Meto are dead – due to early and prolonged flooding every year! o Current plans call for construction of a weir in the summer of 2007. o DU and the AGFC also partnered on the construction and installation of three water control structures on Hurricane WMA to help regulate water levels in the WMA. Old structures had rusted out and were no longer functional, creating management problems for AGFC staff.

ƒ Frog Bayou WMA o Ducks Unlimited, in partnership with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), completed hydrology restoration on this newest wildlife management area in western Arkansas. Approximately 287 acres of wetlands were constructed during the fall of 2005. Additionally, DU staff completed efforts during the year, reforesting over 480 acres with several species of bottomland hardwood trees. DU has since designed and purchased two pumps and power units that will be used to provide water for habitat management purposes. Current plans involve installation of these pump systems in the fall of 2006 – in time for the 2006-07 duck season.

Frog Bayou Wetland Units with borrow areas flooded

ƒ Ozan Wildlife Management Area o Ducks Unlimited and the AGFC partnered in the restoration of moist soil habitat at Ozan WMA, by installing new water control structures (WCS) to facilitate water management on this SW Arkansas waterfowl area.

ƒ Petit Jean Wildlife Management Area o Ducks Unlimited and the AGFC partnered on the construction of a new pump for Petit Jean WMA. This new pump will be used to provide reliable water to the moist soil units on the WMA. Flooding will occur during late summer and fall for early waterfowl and shorebird migrations. Plans call for the units to remain flooded until early spring to provide seasonal waterfowl habitat and opportunities. These moist soil units are another example of the excellent partnership DU and the AGFC enjoy in Arkansas. These areas were constructed three years ago to provide herbaceous wetland areas for waterfowl on Petit Jean WMA.

Private Lands Projects:

ƒ Wetland Reserve Program (WRP):

o This program, which is administered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), represents opportunities for DU to be involved in the restoration of bottomland hardwood ecosystems previously altered by agricultural development. DU and NRCS engineers and biologists share ideas as they restore hydrologic features to newly established bottomland hardwood forests. Over 9,960 acres of bottomland hardwood forests were restored, and approximately 4,700 acres of functional wetlands were created in FY06. To date, DU and the NRCS have partnered in the restoration of over 139,000 acres of marginal croplands with this valuable and popular program.

o Individuals interested in the Wetland Reserve Program should contact their county NRCS office – or contact our North Little Rock DU office at 501-955-9264, and we can help direct them to the appropriate NRCS contact.

ƒ Arkansas Partners Program (APP):

o To help fulfill goals of the Lower Mississippi Valley Joint Venture (LMJV), a component of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, the Arkansas Partners Program (APP) was initiated in 1993. The APP is a cooperative effort among Ducks Unlimited, Inc. (DU), Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC), US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The APP is a private lands program designed to enhance, restore, and manage wetland habitats for waterfowl and other wildlife in Arkansas. During FY06, over 5,500 acres were completed. The majority of these acres were non-agricultural sites, targeting moist soil or green tree reservoirs.

o Since 1993, private landowners wishing to improve their property for waterfowl have enrolled over 160,000 acres in this popular program.

o Landowners interested in this program should contact Bill Noble, Project Biologist at our North Little Rock office. 501-955-9264.

ƒ Arkansas Conservation Easements:

o Interest in conservation easements continues to grow each year in Arkansas. During FY06, over 1,600 new acres were protected in perpetuity by enrollment in this program. Since inception in 2000, almost 18,000 acres have been protected in perpetuity through conservation easements. These easements offer key linkages to state, federal and privately owned properties supporting habitat critical to resident and migrant waterfowl populations – as well as some endangered species. Easement opportunities continue to expand throughout the state as landowners are become aware of how this program can protect the conservation value of their property.

o Landowners interested in this program should contact Dr. Brian Davis, Regional Biologist, at our North Little Rock office. 501-955-9264.