The Western Lark is the state bird of North Dakota, but did you know that one of its closest relatives is the less popular blackbird? Yes, larks are part of the blackbird family, which also includes the oriole and rice starling. A few more interesting facts: A young lark eats a third of a pound of insects during its 12 days in the nest.
If you’re not that impressed with the deer diet, then you might be more interested to learn that meadowlarks and deer require and share similar grassland habitat, with 71% of white-tailed deer fawn roosting and 31% of deer fawn habitat being in grasslands.
Have you got your attention now?
It is this last fact that arouses the interest of hunters. What is good for the meadowlark is basically also good for the deer.
The more deer, the more licenses. The more licenses available, the better your chances of getting a deer hunting license. That’s why the Meadowlark Initiative should be of interest to all of us on the prairie.
The Meadowlark Initiative is designed to provide landowners with a central point of access to programs and practices from a variety of private, state and federal conservation partners to assist them in planting and maintaining diverse native perennial grasses, establishing grazing infrastructure, and developing productive pastures for sustainable livestock grazing.
Several practices are available to you through the Meadowlark Initiative:
● Native and indigenous grass plantations.
● Mandatory grazing.
● Fencing.
● Water development (including wells, pipelines and pumping stations).
● Controlled burning.
● Bush management (removal of invasive shrubs and trees in grasslands).
● Restoration and improvement of wetlands.
● Rental payments.
Landowners may be entitled to a rental payment for the first three years when marginal farmland is planted with a variety of native perennial grasses while the land is not generating income from farming or grazing. Once the grass is established, the landowner will no longer receive rental payments, but the land can be used for grazing.
Many of these practices are available through various conservation partners and the USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program.
Who pays for the Meadowlark Initiative’s practices?
Funding for these efforts comes from a variety of private, state, and federal funds, including the USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program. Payments for these efforts vary depending on the partner program used.
Who is eligible for the Meadowlark Initiative?
A unique feature of the Meadowlark Initiative is the diversity of private, state and federal partners involved. Most producers, farmers and ranchers are eligible for many of the programs offered by the Meadowlark Initiative. When RCPP funds are used, participants must meet eligibility requirements set by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. If a landowner does not meet the eligibility requirements for RCPP, they may be eligible for other partner programs and are encouraged to explore other options.
What is the registration process for the Meadowlark Initiative?
Because the Meadowlark Initiative involves many different conservation partners, landowners are welcome to inquire about practices and partner programs at any time. Landowners can submit a Meadowlark Initiative Landowner Interest Form at any time.
When submitting a form, landowners should have their property description and location, as well as other information, ready. Landowners should have a general idea of what they are interested in, but it is not necessary to provide specific practices at this time.
The submitted forms are regularly reviewed by partners to determine which approach or program can best help them and what practices are common for the habitat in their region.
Landowners may contact any of the partners, USDA county service center staff, or the North Dakota Game and Fish Department to obtain a landowner information packet or submit a Meadowlark Initiative Landowner Interest Form. Landowner information packets are available from all partners and in electronic format.
How long does a Meadowlark Initiative contract last?
Because the Meadowlark Initiative involves many different partners and functions, contract terms may vary. Contracts funded by RCPP can last up to 10 years.
Am I obliged to participate in research or monitoring?
An important element of the Meadowlark Initiative is to advance grassland ecosystem recovery through continuous learning, including scientific and educational insights.
Landowners are encouraged to engage with a conservation partner through the Meadowlark Initiative to discuss soil health, wildlife response, and habitat monitoring, but landowners are not required to participate in such activities.
Landowner participation in research and monitoring will increase knowledge and help measure benefits to grassland birds, pollinators and soil health, and evaluate landowners’ land use decisions to improve conservation programs for the future.
Further information:
https://gf.nd.gov/meadowlark-initiative/faq
Doug Leier is an outreach biologist for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. He can be reached at [email protected].
Doug Leier is an outreach biologist for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. He can be reached at [email protected].
