Encourage post harvest flooding and help farmers
understand how a non-traditional conservation practice can benefit farming operations, the environment, and wintering waterfowl.
Duck populations have drastically declined across North America in the last 20 years,
especially popular species like mallards and pintails. Shorebirds, song
birds, and other wetland-dependent wildlife have experienced similar decreases.
Loss of habitat is the major cause of this decline.
Landowners hold the key to the future for waterfowl and other wetland wildlife.
More than 70 percent of the remaining wetlands in North America are privately
owned. Landowners can make the difference in restoring Americas waterfowl populations.
The peak wintering period for waterfowl in the Bootheel
of Missouri is from November through March. Waterfowl and other wetland-dependent
wildlife need water, food, cover and protection from disturbance from the time they arrive
on their wintering grounds in September until the late migrating species leave in May.
Flooded crop fields can be reestablished as habitat and managed to increase their value
to wintering waterfowl. Water control structures can be installed in field drains to control
flooding, manage water levels, and manipulate dense vegetation stands. Existing or reforested
bottom land hardwoods can also be managed to increase their value to waterfowl.
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