Page 13 - 2018 MAY/JUNE Outdoor Oklahoma

CHICKASAW NRA JOINS BOBWHITE RESTORATION EFFORT

The 10,000-acre Chickasaw National Recreation Area near
Sulphur has become the third National Park Service (NPS) unit
to join forces with the National Bobwhite Conservation Initia-
tive — and in this case the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife
Conservation — to restore wild bobwhite quail, grassland
songbirds and pollinators to the American landscape.
The purpose is to collaboratively identify and restore native
grasslands habitats on suitable park properties, with certain
park units serving as formal bobwhite focal areas. Pea Ridge
National Military Park in Arkansas and Manassas National
Battlefield Park in Virginia were the first two NPS units to
join the effort.
Chickasaw, which allows hunting and already harbors some
bobwhites, will develop a 5,000-acre bobwhite focal area.
Spring call counts and covey counts were conducted in 2017.
The landscape is a mix of prairie and woodland types. Eastern
redcedar trees have invaded the prairie areas.
“The National Park Service has done an outstanding job over Jordan Spaak, an ecologist with the NPS Biological Resourc-
the years in managing for wildlife at the Chickasaw National es Division, said, “National Park Service staff are excited to
Recreation Area,” said J.D. Strong, director of the Oklahoma partner with NBCI, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Con-
Wildlife Department. “The initiative they undertook a few servation and the Oaks and Prairie Joint Venture to launch
years ago to remove cedar trees and their ongoing prescribed another NBCI focal area. The grassland and savanna systems
fire work is as impressive as any habitat project in the state. at Chickasaw have responded very well to restoration and fire
This restoration work is not only good for quail, deer, turkey management efforts. We are seeing a plethora of wildlife spe-
and other wildlife, they are also making for a safer and healthier cies, including bobwhite quail, again utilize the park unit. This
ecosystem on the area. It is also exciting to have the National project highlights the importance of collaborations, as focal
Bobwhite Conservation Initiative join forces with us. I have no area designation efforts would not occur at Chickasaw without
doubt that the new quail monitoring efforts will show that the the willingness and interest of ODWC and the Oaks and Prairie
work they are doing is making a real difference,” Strong said. Joint Venture to partner with the NPS.”

QUAIL FOREVER HONORS STATE WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR

Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever presented One of the major successes this past year between
a Conservation Service Award to J.D. Strong, ODWC and Quail Forever was the work accom-
Director of the Oklahoma Department of plished through the Oklahoma Land Access
Wildlife Conservation, during the 83rd North Program to provide more private land access to
American Wildlife & Natural Resources Con- quail hunters. Quail Forever biologists worked
ference in Norfolk, Va. The award winners were together with ODWC staff to enroll thousands
selected for their distinguishing contributions of acres into this new public access program.
to wildlife habitat conservation efforts nation- Strong became Director of the Wildlife
wide, including partnership programs that have Department in 2016, bringing with him 23
achieved landscape-level habitat improvements years of experience in natural resource-relat-
for a variety of wildlife species. ed public service. He previously served as the
As a friend and partner of Quail Forever in Executive Director of the Oklahoma Water
Oklahoma, Strong has been a major advocate Resources Board and Secretary of Environ-
for partnering on multiple levels with The Habitat Organiza- ment for the state after beginning his career with the Board in
tion to ensure bobwhite habitat and public access continue to 1993. Strong has a rich and varied depth of experience working
support the strong heritage of quail hunters in the Southern with legislators, sister agencies, partner organizations and criti-
Great Plains. cal stakeholders on a number of complex environmental issues,
Alongside Quail Forever’s President and CEO Howard Vincent, such as the historic water settlement with the Chickasaw and
Strong recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Choctaw Nations. An active sportsman, Strong is a fifth-gen-
Quail Forever at the organization’s state convention to continue eration Oklahoman from Weatherford. He earned a degree in
working for quail habitat improvements throughout Oklahoma. wildlife ecology from Oklahoma State University in 1993.

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