PHEASANTS FOREVER ADDS TWO FARM BILL WILDLIFE BIOLOGISTS FOR KANSAS

Biologists will help improve pheasant, quail, and lesser prairie chicken habitat
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Pheasants Forever (PF) and Quail Forever (QF) have announced the addition of two new Farm Bill wildlife biologist positions in Kansas. Kirby Calhoun will cover Dickinson, Clay, Ottawa, and nearby counties, while Mark Witecha will cover Ness, Lane, Hodgeman, and nearby counties. The positions were created in partnership with the Kansas division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.

PF's Farm Bill biologists provide-on-the ground technical assistance to farmers who implement federal Farm Bill conservation programs, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Reserve Program. They also assist farmers with various programs and practices recommended by PF and partner organizations.

"I am really excited about the additions to the growing Kansas Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever team," said Steve Riley, PF and QU Farm Bill wildlife biologist manager. "They come with some great experience, and both are just finishing up their master’s degrees. They will definitely help us achieve our habitat goals."
Calhoun will complete his master’s degree in wildlife management from Texas A&M University this year. Previous to this, Calhoun spent 2010 working for the U.S. Forest Service as a wildlife biologist. He has four years of military experience and is a decorated Army veteran. Calhoun will work out of the NRCS Center in Abilene and can be reached at 785-263-1351.

Witecha previously interned at the Aldo Leopold Foundation near his home in southcentral Wisconsin. He will join Pheasants Forever in early June after finishing his master's of science degree at Texas A&M, Kingsville, where he has been studying the effects of wildfire and drought on the abundance, movement, and species richness of small mammals. Witecha will be based out of the Ness City Service Center and can be reached at 785-263-1351.

KANSAS FOREST SERVICE SEEDLING DEADLINE CORRECTION

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Order deadline first Monday in May
MANHATTAN — On Feb. 16, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) posted a news release promoting the Kansas Forest Service’s (KFS) Conservation Tree Planting Program, which offers the public tree and shrub seedlings for use in conservation plantings.

That release erroneously stated that the deadline for orders was March 7, the first Monday in March. However, the correct deadline for orders is May 2, the first Monday in May.

KDWP asks that anyone distributing information make sure that the correct deadline for seedling orders — the first Monday in May — is used.

For more detailed information or to order seedlings, go online tohttps://www.kansasforests.org or phone toll-free, 1-888-740-8733.

KANSAS FOREST SERVICE OFFERS CONSERVATION SEEDLINGS

http://www.family-outdoors.com/FISHING.htmOrder deadline March 7
MANHATTAN — The Kansas Forest Service’s (KFS) Conservation Tree Planting Program offers the public tree and shrub seedlings, as well as other items for use in conservation plantings. Plantings may function as wildlife habitat, windbreaks, woodlots, timber plantations, or Christmas tree farms.
Although seedlings are distributed in both fall and spring, spring distribution is by far the largest and offers both bare-root and container-grown seedlings for sale. Orders will be accepted through March 7, with seedling distribution beginning the second week of March. Non-plant items are offered throughout the year as availability allows.
The minimum order is one unit (25 seedlings). Orders must be placed in whole units — partial units or mixed units (such as one-half unit of eastern redcedar and one-half unit of Austrian pine) will not be accepted. There are limited numbers of seedlings available each year, and selling out is not uncommon for many species, so KFS recommends ordering as soon as possible.
To order online, go to https://www.kansasforests.org/public_saps/Welcome.aspx. (Be sure to include the “s” on “https”.) Orders may also be placed by phoning 888-740-8733 or by mailing downloaded order forms to Kansas Forest Service, 2610 Claflin Rd, Manhattan, KS, 66502. Orders are shipped via UPS anywhere in the lower 48 states but cannot be shipped to Post Office boxes.
More detailed information may be obtained at the KFS website, https://www.kansasforests.org, or by phoning the toll-free number above. (If the links in this text do not work, copy and paste the URLs into your browser.)

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