Wildlife Forever

For years, the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife stocked tiger muskies in selected lakes and reservoirs. Tiger muskies, pike/muskie hybrids, are less costly to raise to the appropriate size for release, and tolerate a wider range of water quality than true muskies.

Though graterul for the state's efforts, the New Jersey chapter of Muskies Inc. longed for expanded opportunities to pursue pure-strain muskies, both for their greater potential size and increased fishing challenge.

Previous support from FishAmerica and Wildlife Forever had funded successful pure-strain stocking in a couple of New Jersey reservoirs. These fish were now old enough to strip for eggs and milt, providing a ready source for establishing true muskies in new waterways, thus increasing angling opportunities.

However, cost continued to be an issue. Studies had shown that the best return on a muskie stocking investment is realized from the release of yearlings (10- to 15-inch fish), which have a much higher survival rate than muskie fry. To restart the pure-strain program, the department needed money to raise the young fish to that size.

Enter a from Wildlife Forever and FishAmerica, which provided the necessary funds to raise the muskies from eggs to yearlings. The first batch of 'homegrown' Jersey 'skis was added to Canistear Reservoir.

If results from past pure-strain stocking are any indication, New Jersey anglers will soon match wits with 30-pound plus muskies.

Though still under siege from agriculture and other threats, north-central California's Shasta River supports important spawning runs of steelhead, coho and chinook salmon, as well as a resident rainbow population.

The salmonids benefit recreational and commercial anglers along the Pacific Coast, and contribute to local economies throughout the watershed. But it wasn't always so.

Not long ago, diversion dams and an accumulation of debris in the slack water behind the impoundments would attract large numbers of juvenile fish in early summer. By midsummer, however, water temperatures would rise and dissolved oxygen levels would drop. As a result, fish kills were common. (See before and after pictures to the right)

Wildlife Forever teamed up with a local watershed group working on the Shasta Valley Coordinated Resources Management Plan, along with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Restoration Center, Great Northern Corporation, Fish America Foundation and other partners to remove the Fiock Dam near Shasta Valley.

With the dam gone, water velocities increased, water temperatures declined and dissolved oxygen levels improved. Besides restoring the habitat near the old dam, it helped draw young fish away from areas still prone to summerkills. Another major benefit was salmonid migrations were restored to more of their historical range, which has helped boost the number of young salmon and steelhead heading downstream.

Wild turkeys are strutting and gobbling in the Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky this spring thanks to funding from Wildlife Forever. Other wildlife species also benefited from this extensive habitat improvement project.

The Daniel Boone National Forest is the largest area of public hunting land in Kentucky. A tract of more than 7,600 acres is designated as a primitive weapons hunting area.

"The Craney Ridge project improved habitat for wild turkeys, white-tailed deer and many other wildlife species by establishing woodland ponds and by improving forest openings on national forest lands," said Benjamin Worthington, USDA Forest Service supervisor. "I appreciate Wildlife Forever's strong commitment toward improving wildlife habitat on the national forest."

More than 225 acres of habitat were improved by various methods. Power lines that span the region were planted and mowed to provide wildlife forage and cover. In addition, 12 woodland ridgetop ponds were built to provide reliable water sources. These ponds greatly help wildlife when local streams dry up during the summer months.

The National Wild Turkey Federation, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and American Electric Power Companies are Power Companies were partners in this $13,500 project. Part of the necessary funds for this project also came from the "Wildlife For Tomorrow" partnership. Supporters of this fund include Wal-Mart, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, North American Hunting Club, Remington, Wildlife Management Institute and Wildlife Forever.

Just as most of Wildlife Forever's habitat restoration projects are designed for many different types of wildlife, some projects also benefit various groups of people at the same time. A riparian restoration project in eastern South Dakota is an excellent example of this type of multi-purpose conservation.

By restoring a 2-mile riparian corridor along Deer Creek, Wildlife Forever and the Wildlife Conservation Club of South Dakota State University (SDSU) have created a fishery in an ecologically restored watershed that has multiple uses. The fishery serves as a facility to introduce children and the disabled to the sport of fishing, as a "hands-on" eco-laboratory for SDSU students, as an outdoor classroom for local elementary and secondary students and youth groups, and as a demonstration model for using applied research to create a sustainable, high-quality fishery.

The restoration was accomplished by constructing a series of "beaver-pond" wetlands in the upper riparian zone and a 20-acre body of water in the lower riparian zone of a damaged watershed. In addition, nearby uplands and riparian buffers were established by creating 45 acres of native grasslands, planting 5,000 trees, and conducting controlled burns on 30 acres. These activities have improved soil health, reduced runoff and erosion, elevated the water table, improved water quality, and restored native plants and wildlife. The fishery has been stocked with smallmouth bass and golden shiners and post-restoration evaluations will continue to assess the water quality and biotic communities.

In addition to Wildlife Forever and the SDSU Wildlife Conservation Club, this community-based effort included assistance from FishAmerica Foundation, the Brookings Conservation District, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Populations of largemouth bass and other warm water sport fish in El Dorado County, California, received a boost and area high school students received a hands-on lesson in conservation thanks to a grant from Wildlife Forever.

Wildlife Forever partnered with the FishAmerica Foundation to provide $2,700 in support of El Dorado Union High School District's Largemouth Bass Fisheries Enhancement project.

The goal of the project was to establish self-sustaining fish populations in smaller reservoirs to increase public angling opportunities. Five reservoirs virtually devoid of any fish were selected based on public accessibility. The Wildlife Forever grant provided funds to purchase 25 Aqua Cribs that were installed as adult and juvenile fish habitat structures in the local reservoirs. Students from El Dorado Union High School completed a comprehensive assessment of the targeted aquatic habitats, including gathering and evaluating data on water quality, shoreline habitat, and the availability of food sources. Sites within the reservoirs were then selected.

Students were directly involved in assembling and installing the habitat structures. Once everything was in place, the reservoirs were stocked with from nearby Bass Lake with Florida-strain largemouth bass.

Today, there are new sport fish populations in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and local residents have greater angling opportunities. Wildlife Forever's support plus the hard work and conservation ethic of the students and faculty of El Dorado Union High School made it all possible.

Protecting and restoring wildlife habitat is a big job. Over the years Wildlife Forever has called on a wide range of partners to help in efforts to improve conditions for wildlife. "Wines, Vines and Wildlife is one of the most unique partnerships formed" says Douglas H. Grann, President and CEO of Wildlife Forever.

This California project has joined Wildlife Forever with Robert Mondavi Wineries, Treessentials Company, the University of California Cooperative Extension and the Agroforestry Center of the USDA. The first stage of this project is taking place on a
newly established vineyard managed by Robert Mondavi Wineries
.
California has some of the most scenic wildlife habitat in the world. However problems that have plagued most developed areas also have had a negative effect on the areas wildlife habitat. Urban sprawl, agricultural expansion and industrial growth have taken their toll.

Wildlife Forever became interested in a project aimed at reversing the steady loss of one of California's great native trees, the California white oak. In addition to being one of the most scenic, this species is an important component in the complex cycle of wildlife habitat management.

The oak's sturdy branches provide nesting areas for a wide variety of birds. The acorns are an important food source for deer and other wildlife. The leaves provide cooling shade for streams and a food source for microbial aquatic species. And most important, the deep root structure serves to filter precious ground water and helps to stabilize hillsides and stream banks.

Until recently, much of the blame for the decline of the California white oak has been directed towards development. Of course it's true that the careless removal of trees has played a role. Yet just as detrimental has been the lack of natural regeneration due to animal browse and competing vegetation.

Re-establishing this tough to grow tree species requires special attention and protection during the first three years of growth. Wildlife Forever worked with Neil Roberts, Central Coast Viticulturist for Robert Mondav Winery, to put together a "white oak regeneration test program. "The planting of 1000 oak trees and several thousand -willow cuttings wil help to reverse 150 years of degraded riparian buffer zones and wildlife habitat," says Lynne Dee Althouse of Althouse and Meade Inc. This is the first stage of a much larger project that will target streams feeding into "west coast estuaries.

Wildlife Forever is proud to be part of this partnership which included 4H, FFA, AmeriCorps and Students from Atascadero High School.