Bird Information Needed for Flint Hills

Efforts are now underway to gather the details necessary for the Flint Hills Region to be recognized as a Western Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve Network landscape.

The project is being led by The Nature Conservancy, which has "identified the Flint Hills as a priority conservation action site" and has had a "community-based conservation initiative" since 2001.

The region has also been rated as the top priority for conservation by the Kansas Natural Heritage Inventory, and is "one of only six grasslands in the contiguous U.S. that is globally outstanding for biological distinctiveness," according to the World Wildlife Fund.

There are "some gaps in the knowledge" about the extent of occurrence for some birds species - i.e., where they occur and how many might be present - especially during spring migration, as well as winter occurrence of different species, said Robert L. Penner II, the Cheyenne Bottoms and Avian Programs Manager, with The Nature Conservancy.

The Flint Hills are "thought to serve as a major migration linkage for birds, raptors and shorebirds," according to a federal report. They also are a haven for a large population of the Greater Prairie-Chicken. The large expanses of intact tallgrass prairie provide nesting habitat for iconic grassland species such as the Grasshopper Sparrow, Dickcissel, Eastern Meadowlark and Henslow's Sparrow. Further information about the occurrence of the Smith's Longspur and Sprague's Pipit is also needed.

Of particular interest is the Buff-breasted Sandpiper, which is classified as a species of conservation concern.

In 2007, numerous flocks were observed in the southern Flint Hills region, according to information provided by The Nature Conservancy. Researchers "feel that a significant portion of the total Buff-breasted Sandpiper population utilize the Flint Hills as a migration foraging stopover site during the spring migration."

"The majority of this species may be migrating through the region," Penner said, noting they are already known to occur at suitable places within the grassland region

"In addition, there may be very large numbers of American Golden-Plovers passing through," Penner said, "so we would like to get a better idea on how much they use the region. Also, the Upland Sandpiper not only migrates through the area, but also nests," so there is a need to also document the occurrence and numbers of this shorebird.

This effort will involve several "data gathering avenues" in which volunteer assistance is essential:

1) Particular routes will be surveyed on a regular basis from March into May

2) A region-wide survey will be conducted during a two-three day period, which will occur during the peak of the period when Buff-breasted Sandpiper are migrating northward

3) Gathering records of winter use by birds

4) Compiling observations from bird-watchers on outings within the region

Information from these survey efforts will be compiled with a records database, denoting which species was seen, especially noting the particular date and place.

A compilation of pertinent bird records would also be useful in providing a better understanding of bird use and occurrence within the region, Penner said.

A secondary goal of this project is to designate the region as an "Important Birding Area," is association with the effort underway by the National Audubon Society.

The Nature Conservancy launched its Flint Hills Initiative in 2001, and also owns more than 60,000 acres of "conservation landholdings within the region, including Konza Prairie (which includes a field research station), and the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. An additional 60,000 acres have been conserved through conservation easements given to The Nature Conservancy, Kansas Land Trust, Ranchland Trust of Kansas, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Partners for the current project include the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, University of Kansas, and the Kansas Biological Survey.

A Flint Hills Legacy Conservation Area project was recently announced by the Fish and Wildlife Service, which authorizes the federal agency to acquire conservation easements on up to 1.1 million acres.

For further information about the initiative to document bird use, or to volunteer for this project, Penner can be contacted at his office in Ellinwood, Kansas (620-564-3351) or via email (rpenner @ tnc.org).

Conservationists Laud Establishment of Prairie Conservation Area

The recently announced establishment of a Flint Hills Legacy Conservation Area "is a magnificent opportunity to preserve tall-grass prairie in a context beyond what has been done in the past," said Ron Klataske, executive director for Audubon of Kansas.

"If landowners sell easements and this project is successful, it will ensure that the grasslands are not fragmented by developments such as wind farms or mining operations.

"This is a major step reflecting the vision to conserve this unique prairie system, said Klataske, whom has been a long-time champion of efforts to conserve the Flint Hills prairie ecosystem. He noted that "the Tallgrass Legacy Alliance (a coalition of conservation oriented ranchers and other conservations) was vitally important in the effort. The leadership and commitment of Jim Minnerath, a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has devoted several years to the vision, and Bill Browning, a rancher and Audubon of Kansas leader who demonstrates the benefits of proper management for grassland birds on the family ranch, served as a host for visitors many times to project the benefits."

"Only in the past few years has there been adequate recognition of the importance of the tall-grass prairie in the Flint Hills," Klataske said, noting it will be especially beneficial for the Greater Prairie-Chicken, Upland Sandpiper and Grasshopper Sparrow, which are among the 100 species of grassland birds known to occur.

Klataske attended the announcement of the plan in Wichita, noting the diversity of people present, including conservationists, elected officials, representatives from federal and state agencies, ranchers and other private landowners, as well as other proponents.

"There was a great sense of excitement by representatives of diverse organizations at the announcement held at the Great Plains Nature Center in Wichita on November 12," Klataske said. "Even agricutural organizations that have not been traditional champions of conservation were present and on board with this project.

The Flint Hills Legacy Conservation Area will "help maintain the integrity of tallgrass prairie wildlife habitat, stream water quality, and the rich agricultural heritage of the Flint Hills by acquiring and protecting up to 1.1 million acres of habitat through voluntary, perpetual conservation easements," according to a press release issued by the Fish and Wildlife Service. "These conservation easements will protect habitat for more than 100 species of grassland birds and 500 plant species, and ensure the region’s sustainable ranching culture - which directly supports conservation of the tallgrass prairie – will continue."

Purposes of the conservation area, according to the Land Protection Plan are to:

• "preserve landscape-scale ecological integrity of the Flint Hills tallgrass prairie by maintaining and enhancing the historical native plant, migratory bird, and other wildlife species with the support of the associated ranching culture;
• "support the recovery and protection of threatened and endangered species and reduce the likelihood of future listings under the Endangered Species Act;
• "protect the integrity of tallgrass prairie, riparian woodland, and prairie watersheds by preventing further habitat fragmentation;
• "provide a buffer against climate change, by providing resiliency for the tallgrass prairie ecosystem through landscape-scale conservation;
• "protect an intact north-south migration corridor for grassland-dependent wildlife;
• "use the built-in resiliency to climate variability of native tallgrass prairie to ensure the continuation of wildlife habitat in the face of the uncertain effects of climate change."

In addition to conservation easements, Klataske noted that cost-share programs and incentive efforts would be used to conserve the prairie habitats, and be helpful in controlling the invasion of woody plants such as red cedar, lessening the extent of annual burning of grasslands which can have a detrimental effect on nesting habitat for prairie chickens.

“I am honored to stand with the diverse and visionary partners who are leading the effort to conserve the working landscapes and natural resources of the Flint Hills for future generations,” said Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Department of Interior. “I am especially proud that the first new refuge created under this Administration is the result of a partnership between governments, private landowners, and private organizations, all of whom recognize the vital role agriculture plays in stewarding our nation’s fish and wildlife resources. The Flint Hills Legacy Conservation Area will serve as a living example of how wildlife conservation and ranching can successfully go hand in hand.

"The Flint Hills Legacy Conservation Area is the product of efforts by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, private landowners, and other agencies and partners to protect a unique and highly diverse area in eastern Kansas known as the Flint Hills Tallgrass Region. There were six public meetings help to discuss the proposal, and comments were also taken on drafts of the plan.

The project area, primarily in eastern Kansas- extends from just north of Manhattan and southward into northern Oklahoma [include map]. Several conservation areas comprising about 90,000 acres are already present and managed by The Nature Conservancy, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ranchland Trust of Kansas, and Kansas Land Trust, for example.

Further information on the Flint Hills Legacy Conservation Area, including the land protection plan and associated National Environmental Policy Act documents are available online.